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Exams: Kids are blank!
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Today was an end-of-term, exam day. We are currently wrapping up Term 2 of Module 3. When I ask the Bible exam questions, my kids (9 and almost 8) can confidently give a great answer, but when I ask questions related to Rome, they are blank. I have to give lots of “Remember _______?” They did this last year with Module 2 as well. During the daily lessons, I always ask for narrations, and they give excellent narrations about 85% of the time. So they remember the subject matter for that day, but it seems there is no long-term memory happening for us in history.
Is there anything I can try to do during Term 3 to make sure they’re remembering both Bible and history? How can I encourage long-term recollection of history? Am I the only one who experiences this with my younger ones?
Thanks,
Lindsey
Can you introduce some notebooking? I find that helps mine retain most info! 🙂
Also, I think some stuff is just to above their heads! They..mine too..learn it and remember it for a time then they forget! They are either not really interested or it just doesn’t make sense in their minds. My tend to do well in remembering Bible too, as well as books they have read.
Since my 10 yr old can remember more than my 8yr old can! I think it is a maturity issue. Therefore, my dh says why take the time to teach them that about history when you are going to have to teach them again?! LOL! I see what he means..but I try to explain to him that it helps their minds grow and learn. I don’t think dh truly grasps the reason to teach them about it now!
This was my long version of even though they can’t remember everything they are still learning! And I wouldn’t worry till they get older and can’t remember things! LOL
Does this help?
Lindsey,
Have you read the recent SCM blog series on Narration? I love how the specify that part of our daily learning/narration habit needs to be finding your bearings: http://simplycharlottemason.com/2013/01/30/find-your-bearings/
I think doing this is something all to easy to skip, but it really does help them relate each day’s learning and link them in a chain in their mind. So, for example, when we start a new day I usually give at least one child the opportunity to give us a review/highlight/reminder of the who’s and what’s of our recent lessons. Sometimes I have a list of people or events on the board to trigger our memories in the right order. So at the beginning of last week at my house we would have linked up orally these lessons:
Abraham, son Isaac, grandson Jacob/Israel who had 12 sons.
Then by the end of the week out link would include Joseph in Egypt, Jacob’s family moving to Egypt during the famine, and them staying for hundreds of years.
That links us into Moses and getting those now enslaved Israelites out of Egypt, wandering in the wilderness, and then Joshua taking them into the promised land, plus Jericho.
Then we move back to Egypt to talk about the Egyptians some more now that they don’t have the Hebrews as their slaves. So this week we’re talking about Nefertiti, Amenhotep, and King Tut. But we link to it by talking about how the Isrealites got out of Egypt and are now busy in the promised land, so we want to see what is happening in Egypt now that they left.
Make sense?
I also found that my kids started remembering things long term at around 9 or 10 yo. Perhaps it’s because we weren’t doing as much CM-y methods before but my older two (11 and 12) still retain a lot more thna the younger ones (7 and 9). So I do think there is a maturity issue involved.
Nebby
I think a lot of the material is above their heads. For whatever reason, my kids don’t seem to make the same connections in history as they do in literature, poetry, Bible, geography, and grammar. For example, we’re currently learning Dickinson’s There is no frigate like a book. A couple of weeks ago, I checked out a book called Edward and the Pirates for my dc to read in their free time. Ds9 read it, and immediately came to tell me that Edward was taken into his books just like our poem. He was so excited, and I was so proud that he made that connection on his own. With history, it’s been much different. Although we switched from the Famous Men books to Story of the Romans–which is easier to read–there is still lack of interest from both kids during our history reading times. I am hoping this is something that will change as they mature. Until then, however, it almost feels like (can I say this out loud??) a waste of time…
Lindsey, this is the reason why I chose to start w/ Am History. I just felt like my boys would be “lost” at grasping the ancients etc. Now, they do get Bible History..but we spend a lot of time studying it. And we have started over in the OT again. Now I can see them making connections w/ OT and NT history!
My ds8 still has a hard time grasping some elements in Am History, but he is at least excited about what we read! We just finished pioneers and now we are studying the transcontinental railroad! What boy, or me for that matter, would not love trains! 🙂 They enjoyed learning about the pioneers, cowboys, and the gold rush! We are reading about Thomas Edison’s childhood and soon will read about the Wright Brothers! I plan to teach them about the Civil War over the summer and visit some Civil War historical sites. They thoroughly enjoyed learning about Lewis and Clark’s adventures too! They just seem to understand Am History better at this age! (now, can I say that outloud?? LOL)
While we are learning about Am History, they are making a “notebook” for it also! Occasionaly, we go back and look at what they have learned! FUN!
🙂
Lindsey, I am thinking that the reason your kids may connect better with history if they are reading some of the historical fiction books and good living biographies alongside your history readings. That is what connects the dots for my kids and really gets them interested in the daily readings.
For example, with that time period (I call it Rome to Reformation) they could be reading Forbidden Gates, Detectives in Togas, the Crispin Trilogy, Masada, Polycarp:Crown of Fire, Eagle of the Ninth, etc… I am sure you have a book list working. Sometimes I hold books and assign them when I know they will coordinate with our history readings, so that they are interested in learning more.
I would have to agree about hands on projects like Notebooking and timelines, too. I hate to use a ‘classical’ education term on this CM site, but sometimes it does help if they have a ‘memory hook’ to hang the facts on. We don’t memorize many dates, but having about 10 dates in the time period memorized seems to help the whole thing hang together for them.
For my visual learners, having something to look at and associate with history (like a timeline) really helps in stick in their head.
We have also LOVED the Story of the World audios, and the kids do remember that information very well – maybe because it is a ‘story’ format.
Let’s face it, most CM kids have forgotten more history than we EVER learned in public school! And it will get reviewed when they are older and can comprehend it better. I would focus on being sure they enjoy learning about history, so that they are motivated to move forward with it.
ServingWithJoy, they are reading living historical fiction books along with our studies. Ds has already finished Detectives in Togas and Mystery of the Roman Ransom, which he loved. It just seems to be with our spines that we have the blank stares/lack of interest/forgetfulness. To be honest, I’m not very familiar with notebooking. We did Apologia’s Astronomy last year, and both kids kept a notebook, but that’s my only experience with it. If I had to come up with the notebooking pages myself, I’d probably fail miserably.
I’m just not “that” mom, if that makes sense. I like to buy it, order it, find it, use it–not come up with it/make it myself. If you can refer me to some notebooking pages that are available for this use, I’d appreciate it.We also have not done a Book of Centuries, which I suspect may be another reason for the lack of enthusiasm about history, but if I’m being honest again, I would tell you that I don’t understand the concept of the BOC myself yet. Now, I’m really blushing.
I am very much looking forward to the next module. Per Sonya’s advice, I have opted not to use a spine at all next year and am simply going to use all the living books recommended in the module. I have already purchased most of them, and they look promising. Could you provide me with a link to the Story of the World audios?
I don’t know if it’s evident by my posts, but I am not a “curriculum hopper”. I find what I like, buy it, and stick to it. Quite honestly, I’m not even familiar with the majority of various curricula and resources posted on this forum because I have never heard of or used most of it. So when I found the SCM modules and loved the simplicity of them, I have stuck with them ever since–almost 4 years now. I absolutely love the living books, the Bible, the geography, and everything but the history spines. I have never been able to fall in love with any of them–thus probably why my children aren’t falling in love either. BUT, I have, at the recommendation of many of the ladies on here, bought and used books that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise (Rapid Recall, Hymns in Prose to name a couple), so I’m not opposed to the idea of something else.
Well, my kids love their Timeline Binders… and they do help. Here is a post about ours, with a couple of pictures… http://maplehillacademy.blogspot.ca/2012/12/timeline-binders.html if that helps at all…
I do know that we had problems with a couple of the SCM spines for our kids too – which I think is why they are updating them!
Lindsey, there are a variety of notebooking options out there. I own many and use almost none, but it’s not my thing. I’d rather written narrations in a composition book.
http://www.notebookingpages.com/
http://www.currclick.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=124
I own all of those and I think they are good, but I don’t use them. It is too time consuming for me to let my kids look through them all.
I like many audio histories but didn’t care for SOTW very much. I like finding the on http://www.myaudioschool.com because of the organization.
Remember that you are giving them exposure and there will be some mental hooks that will stick. It’s really ok if they don’t remember it all. I didn’t even have history until 8th grade state history, 11th US history, and 12th world history. Anything my children get will be more, way more, than I got.
Look for movies related to history, too. We are not a media soaked family, but our kids still enjoy period movies.
Let’s chat about a BOC soon. It should be a simple delight not a burden. It’s to capture a few things you connect with, not all of history. Lindafay has some good info on her site, http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com.
Blessings,
Christie
With notebooking, you don’t have to let the kids choose what they want. You can choose it for them. For instance, I have purchased OT notebook pgs from currclick. We are learning about King David. There are 2 different pgs concerning King David. They can choose one, then write what we learned that day for King David. Finished!
I have also purchased Am History notebooking pgs from currclick. There are several to choose from on each topic. An example, Daniel Boone has 4 types to choose from w/ a different picture, along w/ a box to draw or write about him, and lines to write a paragraph or two about what you have learned! Choosing from a few pgs on a subject takes 2 minutes. I know there are some out there that have no theme and do not go w/ anything in particular..that is where confusion sets in. Choose notebooking pgs w/ the theme of what you are studying and stick w/ it! Easy, now you have a child hearing, seeing, remembering, and writing tying it all together! 🙂
HTH!
2flowerboys. I know what you’re suggesting works for many, but logging on, searching and printing is at least 10m for my crew. If I had them preprinted (like I’ve done with some of the blank ones you mention), it’s quicker, but honestly, mine are happy with composition books and I like the neatness of it. My ds9 has ones that are blank at top for pictures. Anywho… Different strokes.
Yes, and most of the notebooking pages are pretty much just lined pages for narration with a picture that accompanies it, right? At least, that is what we have used thus far.
I do think there is a link between writing/drawing and being able to retain the information. And it is a LOT of information to retain. I don’t sweat it if the kids don’t remember every historical figure we studied off the top of their heads. There are a few key people in every time period that were THE influencers and world changers. I am happy if they know a lot about those people, and fit the other historical characters in their peripheral memory banks.
@ Lindsey – I figured you did the historical fiction, but just had to mention it just in case :0). I know that just about everyone on this site loves good historical fiction!! The Story of the World audios can be purchased at Amazon:
Don’t know why that isn’t posting as a hyperlink, but you can copy and paste it into your browser. I realize that now that you are on the tail end of your Module 3, you may not want to invest in it, but it could be a great thing to do in the summer months to keep history happening in their heads.
As a recovering ‘curriculum hopper’, I think that you should be happy to be consistent! I am so happy with SCM, and feel that I know what works well for our family in a variety of subjects…but boy, do I cringe when I think of all the mistakes I made along the way! There is a lot to be said for staying with what works!
I’m just not “that” mom, if that makes sense. I like to buy it, order it, find it, use it–not come up with it/make it myself. If you can refer me to some notebooking pages that are available for this use, I’d appreciate it.
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