Poetry Memorization

What I do with poems that we’re going to learn is this: I put the poem into my word processing program (you can cut-and-paste it directly from this blog post, if you wish) and then I increase the font so that the poem takes up one entire typewritten page. Then I print it out, slide the printed sheet of paper into a plastic page protector and hang it in a highly visible place in the house where the kids will see it regularly (i.e.: on the refrigerator, the classroom wall, or even in the bathroom.). Several times each day, we’ll stop by the displayed poem and read it aloud together.

But back to the first day of school. I’ve learned over the years not to jump back into school with both feet, but rather to start with select subjects and add the rest next week (or the week after). This year I decided to begin with math, history, probably science, and reading for the little boys/writing for the big kids.

We’re also continuing our Poetry Memorization, so that was our first order of business this morning. After that I worked on history with the middle four kids (that would be grades 1, 3, 6, & 7). We like to supplement Story of the World with the blackline maps from Knowledge Quest and while I debated whether or not to buy the ‘new’ version (we already owned the ‘old’ version) I’m glad I did. They’re much more user friendly, especially for teaching multiple grade levels. Today we worked on a world map, and while Bouncy and Silly Boys labeled continents and major oceans, Boy Genius and Twirly Girl labeled those plus many seas and mountain ranges. Good thing we finally got wall maps for this house because I had never heard of a few of those seas.

The last couple of years I was doing three rounds of Poetry per day: During our Morning Time with all the kids we were reading American poets, one poem per day, with a different person each day reading the poem. Then I’d meet with my four younger ones who are all doing Ambleside together, and we’d read a selection from the assigned poet. In the afternoon I’d meet with the older three — we were reading through Shakespeare’s sonnets.

A CD as background noise really does work wonders, though now I’m starting to see that it works particularly well for the 5-and-under-crowd. It seems like 6+ — at least mine — get more wrapped up in their own thoughts and tune out the CD. But my second, when he was 5, loved listening to Milne during quiet time and had 2 or 3 20-minute stories perfectly memorized. It was crazy. I finally made my 3 year old a quiet time CD with hymns and catechism and a couple stories, and in two weeks, listening to it 6-8 times, she went from knowing 3 catechism and none of Psalm 1, to almost being able to recite Psalm 1 and rattling off 10 catechism answers. I have our Psalms and Scripture passages and hymns (and Latin and Geography Songs) recorded and we also listen to them in the car for painless review. You know, I should add in the poems, too. For Poetry we read a page from a poem book (Garden of Verses, Poetry for Children, Practical Cats) during our couch reading time, and that’s just for fun. Then the 6 & 8 year old have a page per 6-week term with a poem to memorize that they read aloud to themselves 3 times, 3 times a week.Usually by the second or third week they can start saying most of it to me when they come to show me their work, and I help with pronunciation or cadence then or as I hear them practicing. I still need to work in review of their previous poems, though. Also, right now during our couch time Hans is reading aloud to us from the Book of Virtues, which is pretty heavy-laden with poems. Plus, we have a lot of picture books that are illustrated poems like Paul Revere’s Ride or Hiawatha, and those get circulated in regular reading times or free reading, too.

This year I’ve had to cut back, so we’re only doing one poem, during our Morning Time. We’re reading Edgar Allan Poe right now because we’ve finished AO’s assigned poet, even though we haven’t finished the rest of the scheduled readings. All we do is read the poem, then sit quietly for a minute or so to let it have time to soak and to give anyone the opportunity to say anything they want to about it. I’m very very weak on knowing how to talk about Poetry, so that’s one reason why I signed up for Dr Taylor’s class this year. I do so LOVE Poetry, but my ability to SAY anything about it is pretty much limited to “It was nice, and I liked it.” :-p For memory, we’re all doing that together, and I use the same method I use for Scripture memory — I read it aloud and the kids listen, joining in when they’re able. Sometimes I’ll ask if anyone wants to recite, and at least half the time someone does. We’ve learnt two so far by this method — Poe’s “Eldorado,” and Yeats’ “Aedh wishes for the Cloths of Heaven.” The latter only took a week of regular reading. The former took longer because it was over the summer when we weren’t meeting regularly. Before I started doing it this way I would have each child working on one, alone with me. I think three of my kids memorized one or two things over the course of four years. I’m just not able to be consistent enough with it on a one-on-one basis for it work that way for us. About 1/3 of our Scripture passages are Psalms. So far we’ve done Psalms 1, 23, 24, 29, and 100. We’re currently working on Psalm 8.

You will memorize and recite a poem to the class on May 9th. You will select a poem from the document entitled ‘Poetry‘ that appears in the ‘digital locker’ of the parent section of Teacher Ease. Sign up with a poem as soon as possible and begin memorizing it.

This poem must be a poem that you have not already memorized and recited for school. Every student needs to select a different poem to recite, so you may want to have several choices in mind when you sign up in case your choice is already taken. Once a student signs up for a poem, no one else may recite that poem for this assignment.

4) It makes other things more enjoyable. I remember standing in front of a beautiful tapestry and realizing that the poem ‘Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven’ by Yeatswas augmenting my ability to appreciate the art. I could see the words of the poem woven into the fabric, ‘enwrought with golden and silver light.’ I could imagine the artist laying the work at my feet, and it reminded me to tread softly because I was treading on dreams.

Watch Sir Ken Robinson read that poem here. Children can learn through Poetry a deeper appreciation for the beauty around them as they internalize the beauty of the poetic lines and apply it to what they see. There’s a reason that the boys in Dead Poet’s Society got hooked on Poetry and resurrected the club to celebrate it: it made their school experience overall more enjoyable (well, at least until the one boy committed suicide, but that was in no way the Poetry‘s fault, you must agree).

This program is great to use with kids of all ages’at the same time. It is so much more than merely memorizing Poetry ‘ although that is pretty much what it all is. However, our family is using it to help our children become better WRITERS.

Memorize The Word

As I have been writing these down, I have also been slowly memorizing them, tackling one verse every couple of days. My heart is encouraged, comforted, reproved and instructed in this and it is helping me to be able to turn to different verses for specific times of my life.In times when I feel alone I can cling to verses that remind me of the Lords love and grace towards me. When I feel like nothing is going right in my life, I can rely on verses that speak of the Lords faithfulness and his promise that he has a plan for me.Without having different verses like this Memorized, my heart is prone to easily slip into unbelief instead of faith in the promises of God and who he says he is.

Welcome to the children and the bible blog. This blog will talk about the importance of teaching the bible to the children. This blog will basically cater the different aspect on the children’s role in the bible.

We have upon our feet the shoes of preparation to preach God’s gospel of peace. Therefore, we will stand strong and secure. We can meet any attack of the devil by raising the sWord of God’s Spirit, which is His Word.

I had a situation like this this past week. A friend called specifically for some advice, and after listening, I told her what I would do according to what scripture teaches. She called me knowing that I would tell her truthfully what I thought.

These are the friendships that matter. Where each person is teachable and dependent on the other to ‘set her straight in love’ if she thinks she is going to do something that dishonors the Lord.

Another great resource is Judy Rogers CD Teach Me While My Heart Is Tender ‘ It’s a combination of previous albums (Why Can’t I See God & Go To The Ant). It covers the children’s catechism and some proverbs. Judy is reformed (presbyterian) hence the catechism which was foreign to my upbringing, but WOW I can’t recommend it highly enough> Just to explain for those who may think as I did that catechisms are just for catholics ‘ it’s not true.

A sampling of the catechism questions covered on this CD: God Made Me, The Ten Commandments, How Can I glorify God., The Greatest Commandment. I suggest researching it a bit more and considering it to supplement CDs like Hide Em in Your Heart and straight memorization.

Memorize Multiplication Tables

For many children, learning and memorizing the different multiplication tables can be very challenging. While there are different kinds of times tables test that can measure the level that a student Memorizes the multiplication tables, there are a few visual aids that you can use in order to help speed up the process of learning as well as memorization. First of all, you can try to write a chart of multiplication levels 0 to 12 and then write the equation of each table.

Teaching your child to Memorize Multiplication Tables 0 to 12 is one of the most difficult things that you as a parent can do. However, when your child finally learns the multiplication tables 0 to 12 by heart, you will find that all your effort was certainly worth it. After all, you are not only making your child memorize numbers, you are also teaching him or her some essential mathematical skills that he or she can use later on.

Multiplication Station 0.6.5is known as a convenient and useful tool which is created to help youMemorize Multiplication Tables through 1212 Multiplication Station project is an application to help Memorize Multiplication Tables through 1212. The user logs in and faces a blank 1212 grid. The program gives all the products in random order.

Take a few simple steps of preparation. #1 pray. As the time draws nearer to family devotions, get alone for a moment and pray briefly in advance for God’s grace during what can sometimes turn into a time of chaos.

#2 plan what you’ll teach or rely on a trustworthy resource. I’m currently going through the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Baptist Version) and using the bookTraining Hearts Teaching Minds(by Starr Meade)as a supplemental guide. Also, before we gather for devotions, I ask our older son who reads to look up a few Bible verses that are related to the Q&A we’re going to discuss. At devotions, we start with a quick review and say aloud the current Q&A. Our son reads the Scriptures he looked up and we talk through them, relating each verse to the catechism. I briefly explain the catechism and invite questions. Then we say the Q&A again, sing a few songs including our hymn for the month, and close in prayer. Read more on Memorize Multiplication Tables

But I would also like to point out that these feelings are not void of resentment. So when I read Lulu’s outburst in Russia where she finally bursts from all the pressure her mother put on her, I wished that I was her. I wish I had done that for all the years that I felt forced and pressured to do something.

My mother’s Tiger Mother tendencies used to reach out to my school and peers as well and I knew that most, if not all, of my friends resented me or disliked me to a certain extent because of the behaviors of my mother. It was not unusual for me to be called names ‘ brown noser, teacher’s pet ‘ by my peers behind my back. And when those high school insecurities are combined with the pressures of a Tiger Mother, it’s incredibly hard to keep yourself composed. But I did it. I did it through the hours of grueling ballet lessons, hours of lecturing about commitment and responsibilities, criticisms about how I look, talk, breathe, and ultimately my parents’ divorce.

But I would also like to point out that these feelings are not void of resentment. So when I read Lulu’s outburst in Russia where she finally bursts from all the pressure her mother put on her, I wished that I was her. I wish I had done that for all the years that I felt forced and pressured to do something.

My mother’s Tiger Mother tendencies used to reach out to my school and peers as well and I knew that most, if not all, of my friends resented me or disliked me to a certain extent because of the behaviors of my mother. It was not unusual for me to be called names – brown noser, teacher’s pet – by my peers behind my back. And when those high school insecurities are combined with the pressures of a Tiger Mother, it’s incredibly hard to keep yourself composed. But I did it. I did it through the hours of grueling ballet lessons, hours of lecturing about commitment and responsibilities, criticisms about how I look, talk, breathe, and ultimately my parents’ divorce.

Darlington Bob, I understand your comment and we should give credit where credit is due. The problem is our schools are teaching to this. One of the criteria is how many students are taking AP classes.

So to make themselves look better they don’t offer many higher level classes in anything except the AP format. So a student who is on an advanced math track MUST take AP calc to fullfil their 4th math credit. This is done for the benefit of HCPS’s rankings. The rankings do not take into consideration how well the children do on the AP test, just how many are taking them. No child should be forced to take an AP class. My daughter did well in precalc but did not feel comfortable taking Calc in an AP format. She gave it a try and ended up dropping the class and repeating precalc. This is a student who took Calc in 11th grade and graduated at the end of 11th grade. She is a great student but calc was a class she struggled with. She would have done well if she were able to take calc in a colleg prep format. Her teacher felt that since it was an AP class, the students should basically learn the inforation themselves, he was their to grade papers not teach the material or answer questions. I had a meeting with him and this is what he told me. HCPS doesn’t offer a College Prep calculus class because they want to get their numbers up to look better. This is unfortunate. Read more on Memorize Multiplication Tables

Some argue that if we rely too much on memorization strategies only the short term memories of learners are exercises and they do not develop critical thinking skills (whatever that may mean). Others argue that, in order to develop these critical thinking skills, learners need a basis of solid facts ‘ learned by memorization ‘ so that they have something on which they can practise those desirable critical thinking skills.