Narration and multiple children

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  • January 6, 2010 at 2:53 pm
    mommy25
    Member

    While I understand the idea of having children narrate in turn while combining subjects, I am confused/frustrated as to how to make it work with my oldest two girls (11 and 13) with their individual books such as science and literature.

    If I am teaching 4 different grades I don’t know how to make time for the narration when they are ready to narrate. Does that make sense? For example, if both of them or just one goes off to read their science, when they are done and ready to narrate, I am usually tied up with one of the other three with a subject. So then it gets put off and then when we do get to it, they can’t remember the material or it just doesn’t get done.

    I am just feeling very frazzled with this right now and wanting to give up on narration with the individual subjects and just focus on the “family time” together for History/Bible/Geography…..any suggestions anyone?

    Thanks…

    January 6, 2010 at 4:14 pm
    mrsjamiesouth
    Member

    My understanding is that at 11 and 13 they should start writing down their narrations instead of telling you, then when you are free they can read you what they wrote.

    January 6, 2010 at 4:47 pm
    mommy25
    Member

    Yes, I know they we are to start requiring written narrations; but I thought you were only to require 1 to 2 written narrations a week from the older ones? I was going to have them do oral narrations with their other subjects and also during “family time” and then have them do written narrations on the reading assignments given in the History Modules. If I had them write their narrations, that would be 10 written narrations a week plus what I give them for History (from the family study handbooks). That seems to be to much; or is it? Maybe if they were short paragraphs or summaries? Undecided

    I hope I am making sense….thanks

    January 6, 2010 at 6:07 pm
    mrsjamiesouth
    Member

    Yes, when you put it that way it seems like a lot of writing.  What if they drew a picture instead for some of the narrations?  This could remind them of what they read.  I got it off the narration ideas page on here.

    January 6, 2010 at 8:12 pm
    Sonya Shafer
    Moderator

    Could they record their narrations? Then when you’re available, you could either listen to them together, giving the girls an opportunity to elaborate or edit as desired, or you could listen alone and then go tell them your thoughts, if any.

    Another thought: maybe they could write down a list of key words/outline to use when they narrate to you later. Charlotte talked about the teacher’s listing key words before reading, but this might be a good age to start making that transition to the students’ looking for key words as they read. Don’t know . . . just a thought to mull over. Smile

    January 6, 2010 at 9:03 pm
    mommy25
    Member

    I love these ideas, Sonya, thank you. I will give it a try and see how it goes.

    Thanks for taking the time to reply. Smile

    January 7, 2010 at 3:31 am
    Esby
    Member

    How about 11 and 13yo occassionally narrate to each other?

    Another idea would be for the two of them to occassionally work out a short skit as their narration. The child who was the Narrator is also the Director for the skit, and both children are actors. If they work well together, this could be really fun. (If they don’t work well together, it might be a disaster…you know them best.)

    Dinnertime might be used for narrations, too. On days that I’ve been too busy for many narrations, I ask the kids to tell their dad what they read that day. That makes a good conversation for everyone, and it covers the task of narration.

    January 7, 2010 at 2:23 pm
    Bookworm
    Participant

    I try to “structure” our time so that all won’t be needing me at once.  This does not always work, lol, but if one is doing math, one is doing a reading, and one is typing on the computer, I’ll likely be able to take that narration when it comes.  Sometimes, with my youngest whose school takes less time, I’ll put his activity off for a few minutes if I am expecting an older child to be up soon and narrate.  I try to stay on top of their assignments and can usually predict about how long they will take at most things. 

    When the above does not work and that child is not supposed to be doing a written narration, we often use index cards.  The child just fills in a short bit on a card and leaves it near me.  If I have time later we can go back to it.  If not at least I know roughly what they covered.  It’s better than nothing!

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