SCM Discussion Forum

1. 

   Andrea 3b1g
   Member

   So right now on our schedule for oral narration is:
   -once per day from main literature (independent reading)
   -once per day from a short story/chapter (alternating fiction and historical fiction or science -- this also is a silent reading)
   -once per day from our Bible read aloud
   -once per day from Science OR History (read aloud from SCM living books list)
   -1-2x per week, very informal narration on a poem

   This doesn't even cover picture study, which is to arrive soon via SCM.

   So, is 4x a day too much? Too many times to narrate orally during one school day? I've been switching up the expectations, including many variations on narration including drawing, acting, legos, blocks, white board fun, etc. But I'm finding by the 3rd or 4th time in a day where I ask for narration, my son begins to grumble. Some days, it still goes fine when he finally takes a breath and changes his mindset to "try my best", but other times, it's lazy and with complaint.

   What's a reasonable expectation on this ? We ARE supposed to be orally narrating everything we read in a CM education...right?

   Would love some help!
   Blessings, Andi

   Posted 10 months ago # Report Post
2. 

   suzukimom
   Member

   What is expected varies from family to family....

   But CM said something lie "A reading not narrated is a reading lost"  (paraphrase...).  

   AO says to have them narrate everything... and some moms find there is less grumbling when they know they narrate everything, instead of when it is narrate some things and not others.

   Posted 10 months ago # Report Post
3. 

   HiddenJewel
   Member

   I am not planning on doing narration with literature, Bible, or poetry at least in the beginning. Those we are just going to enjoy without any pressure.

   Posted 10 months ago # Report Post
4. 

   Andrea 3b1g
   Member

   Suzukimom and HiddenJewel, thanks. I never saw that quote on AO, but for a very brief time I tried sometimes-narration-sometimes-not. I found it harder to keep them motivated. When the kids know that it's expected every time, it seems to work better for everyone's spirit.

   Here's another one for all you narration-experienced CM'ers out there. We're sitting there on our 4th subject/narration of the day. DS8 and DS7 are a little pooped, and you can just TELL, each is thinking, "oh, I hope I don't get picked for this one"....suddenly DS5 brightly calls out, "me, me!" Now, he has JUST turned five, so, still quite far from the "no narration required until age 6 rule".... Do love his enthusiasm though!
   Thanks again, Ladies! Blessings, Andi

   Posted 10 months ago # Report Post
5. 

   ChristineAZ
   Member

   Like one of my teachers answered every question - it depends. Yes, Ms Mason said everything needs to be narrated. BUT , personally I think sometimes it needs to be adjusted to your child's demands. After all we arevteaching the child, right? My DD switched from K private school to CM homeschoolmlast year. I did notbget any narration from her at all. We tried all the tricks and games but nothing really help right away. So we spend a lot of the first school year practising and working on narration. I was starting out with 1-2 practises a day. I came to the conclusion now that she must have some auditory processing problems. She can tell me now about 2 sentences of a story we read or draw a picture etc. but itbis still very minimal and not what is expected from a " good" narration. We are narrating now about 75% of all readings. Again with all this said! Yes they should narrate everything but I think we also need to consider our children.
   Blessings Christine

   Posted 10 months ago # Report Post
6. 

   petitemom
   Member

   I agree w/Christine. My kids were in public school for a few years before we started homeschooling. I think it would become pretty stressfull to have them narrate everything. Once in a while I have them narate the books they read but I find it really hard when I have not read the book. We do narration for the books we read together for history for now. I guess I have a long way to go...

   Posted 10 months ago # Report Post
7. 

   suzukimom
   Member

   I admit that I suspect my son has auditory processing problems too  (I think I do a little too...) - and narrations were HARD.  They still are quite short from him, but have improved a lot.

   Oh, btw - we don't narrate poetry.... just enjoy it.

   Posted 10 months ago # Report Post

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