Narration help

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  • January 6, 2012 at 12:53 pm
    Rebekah P
    Participant

    How do you know when a narration is acceptable?  I feel my daughter has become a bit lax with her narrations and she complains when asked (or says I don’t know.)  Should I start working on habits, like attention or diligence, instead of focusing on the narrations?  She just turned 8 in October.  I’m concerned because narration is knew to me.  I used to teach in a more traditional way and I would really like to switch, but without compromising her education.  Sorry for the rant.  Just looking for some advice from others who may have traveled this road before.

     

    Thanks

    Rebekah

    January 6, 2012 at 2:10 pm
    momto2blessings
    Participant

    Have you seen this link? http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/narration/

    Some qu. will be too old for an 8yo, but maybe some ideas like talking into a tape recorder, drawing a picture, acting something out?  If my kids aren’t paying attention, I tell them they will have to read it later on their own (I’ve only had to threaten:)

    Have you started with short passages? Something like an Aesop’s fable is a nice size to ask a narration on for starters, then passages can gradually be lenghtened. HTH some:)  Gina

    January 6, 2012 at 2:24 pm
    Rebekah P
    Participant

    Thanks Gina.  I have a copy of Aesop’s fables and she love it.  I’ll give it a try.

    I will also re-refer to the link.  Your right it has great ideas.

    What should I do with the other readings (Bible, lit, history, etc.)?   Do I model narrations for her for a while? 

    Thanks for any help

    Rebekah

     

    January 6, 2012 at 3:02 pm
    momto2blessings
    Participant

    Hi Rebekah,

    For the other readings, I would just read short passages…maybe a paragraph at a time to start with…and ask for a narration on that. If she’s not understanding what narration is, I don’t think it would harm to give her an example. Though the important thing is to eventually get HER thoughts on what’s important to HER in the passage.  I know for me I struggle with wanting them to get what *I* think is important out of the passage:)  GIna

    January 6, 2012 at 6:55 pm
    LindseyD
    Participant

    Giving her an example of a good narration would probably be very helpful to her. After all, how can one know how to do something as abstract as narrating unless they have been shown first? I did this a lot in the beginning.

    In addition to what Gina has wisely suggested, you might try making a game out of it. “Let’s see how much you remember from today’s reading about King David. You may have an extra five minutes of play time (or reading or movie time) for everything you can name!”, for example. If she says she can’t remember or doesn’t know anything, use a little reverse psychology (ie. “Oh, how sad! It was such a great story too! And you really can’t remember anything?”) Maybe that will jar her memory or motivation enough to get started. 

    Also, have you tried writing key words from the selection on a white board or piece of paper so that she has something to go off of? We don’t do this everyday, but for certain passages my children and I find it helpful to have names and/or places written down. Charlotte called these “hooks” on which to hang the narration. Sonya suggests doing this a lot in Module 2 when reading about the Greeks heroes. I also use this tool for our Bible readings, whenever we’re reading about several characters. (Like today we had the names Abner, Miphibosheth, Ishbosheth, and several others I can’t recall –LOL–.)

    Perhaps you could get some of her dolls or stuffed animals and have her re-enact the reading. This might seem less like narration and more like playing to her. You could also tell her that you want to know a certain number of things she remembers (ie. “Please tell me three things you thought were interesting about meteors.” or “Can you name five really neat things that Heidi did today that you would like to do too.”). That might help her immerse herself more in the reading.

    Sometimes I will have my children close their eyes while I read something to them. This helps them stay focused, but I also try to encourage them to use their imaginations to  make pictures in their minds of what I’m reading. I especially like to do this with our poetry and literature selections. 

    January 6, 2012 at 7:24 pm
    sheraz
    Participant

    You don’t have to ask for a narration for every.single.subject.every.single.day either.  At least, not in the look at me and tell me everything you remember fashion.  Model narrations, but allow her to do other things…sometimes drawing can be a narration, sometimes acting it out, etc.  I try to alternate what we do to not make it so relentlessly demanding that my dc shut-off.  Here is the link to more narration ideas:

    http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/narration/

    Sometimes for science I have them draw the subject and then tell me a certain number of things they remember about the subject.  I usually have the number of facts equal the number of school years they are. =)  

     

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