How do you do your memory work?

[kellycbr]

We're just starting our hs adventure with ds(7) tomorrow. I've read WTM, and what they say about memory work. Is that what you do? Do you use a voice recorder/tape recorder? Can you share with me your process of teaching your child to memorize? Thanks!

[Chris in VA]

I'd tell you, but I've forgotten.

Ba-da bum...

Just kidding.

We write what we want to memorize, have dd copy it (because it's usually for a notebook page anyway), then we post it on the wall and say it several times a day. No biggie.

[MySerenity]

Well, we don't do the whole tape recording thing. At least I haven't done it with my oldest. I have him read it through three times. And then I read it to him three times at a different part of the day. We do this every day for a week and he seems to have it memorized even before the end of the week. But I'm not sure that would work with my next son. My older son has a mind that can memorize things pretty quickly.

[Linda...inOwasso]

My old, non-grammar stage brain is sure getting tired of memory work, but here's what we do:

IEW Poetry & VP history cards.

I type the poems and card titles onto paper and my dc keep them in the "memory" section of their weekly work notebooks. Then, each day we spend 10 min. TOPS reading the material. We also listen to the IEW poems on CD in the car while we're driving to and from activities. Each Friday the girls recite their memory work. Every few weeks I will have them recite ALL the poems we've memorized thus far. I know memory work is important which is why we do it but I must admit it's not my favorite thing! HTH :)

[Beth in Central TX]

I've used this system for our Latin, Greek, & Bible verse flashcards: http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/

[Calming Tea]

Bible- using the CD's Sing the Word from A to Z, Twin Sisters Bible songs (various) and Judy Rogers' CD's

Math- Calculadder and flashcards

Greek-flashcards (not fun but my son loves Greek so all of it is fun for him, even flashcards)

For Geography I plan to use the Lyrical Learning CD's and other Geography Songs kits or CD's

That's all the memory work I plan to do...you could memorize all sorts of things but I figure Bible, Math, and Geography is all I can handle.

Many people also memorize names, dates, and places in history, or scientific facts. That's great! I wish I could do that too, but I just chose to focus on the ones I'm excited about. :D

Edited to say: I tried the sit down with a tape recorder and recite facts and have dc listen to the recitation thing and that just sucked all the possibly joy out of it, and it didn't work a lick. It was stunted, strange and boring- for us anyway.

[WTMindy]

that has been working well for us. I make a CD each week. I have a post on my blog that explains what I do...


Memory CD (http://magnumopusacademy.blogspot.com/2007/11/about-out-memory-cd.html)

[ELaurie]

Hi Mindy,

I tried to leave a comment on your blog, but I don't have a "google blogger" account, or identity, or password, or ummm . . . anything :blush:, so I'm leaving my comment here :)

Your memory notebook looks great - I tried using the CM style file system, but it was tedious to copy everything onto file cards, so I haven't kept up with it very well. I think your system will work better for us!

What's the name of the program you use to record your memory CD's?

[Trivium Academy]

This is for poetry memorization:

FIRST DAY
I present the poem to my dd, I (HEAR) read it to her while she looks at it with me (SEE). I have her read it and then we read it together (HEAR). We are keeping a poetry notebook, so dd illustrates the poem one the first day (SEE).

SECOND DAY
I read the poem with her looking at the page, then I have her read it 2 or 3x aloud (SAY). Then dd copies the poem.

THIRD DAY and every day after until the poem is memorized
She recites the poem 3x daily. If she is struggling, she is allowed to look at the poem before attempting to recite it (SEE, SAY).

If the poem is long, we take one stanza at a time. She'll read the entire poem 1x and then focus on reciting the first stanza 3x. As she masters the first stanza, we move on to the second and so forth.

Currently she can memorize a three stanza poem in a week, a two stanza poem in about 3 days. I require her to recite for at least two weeks before moving on the new one. We review all previous poems memorized after she masters a new one.

The notebook I made for her will be her poetry notebook from 1st grade through 12th, that way she can review her old poems quickly and also see her work in front of her. I'm putting tabs in to separate each year's work.

We were memorizing other things which just required 3x recitation daily until mastered and then consistent review.

Good luck!

[Cindyg]

This is going to sound complicated, but if you're technologically savvy, it isn't.

I have a digital voice recorder (http://www.global-b2b-network.com/b2b/93/94/504/340036/sell_digital_voice_recorder.html). Once a week, I make a recording of all our memory work: Spelling words, math facts, skip counting, Bible verses, Latin vocab, science vocab, Spanish vocab, poetry, etc. It's a lot of stuff! I'm glad I only have to read it once a week!

Then I transfer the files to Windows Media Player. (The directions that come with your DVR will tell you how to do this.)

In addition, I have ripped a number of CDs that have memory work on them: Memory math songs, Spanish songs, songs from the church spring concert, hymns we're memorizing, states and capitals songs, skip counting songs, etc. Lots of stuff. I copy the tracks we'll be using this week into the same Windows Media Player file (called a library) with the files I recorded with my own voice. This gives us a nice mixture between my voice and professionally recorded songs.

Together, this is about an hours worth of listening. I put a new list together once a week.

DS listens to this independently, using Windows Media Player, every day. Often in the morning while I'm in the shower, and he's playing with Legos.

This works beautifully.

[ArwenA]

We start by copying our piece of memory work. I then read and dc recites. DC then recites by him/herself with prompting if necessary. We recite 2-5 times daily depending on the age. When we've memorized something we review our previous memory work.

[Sandy in Indy]

So, I skimmed the title and thought it said "How does YOUR memory work?"

Not so well. Apparently I can't remember how to read! :-)

[Kathie in VA]

I use different methods:

copywork/dictation
hear it, see it, say it, repeat
chanting
singing
hand signs (I make up hand signs to go along with what we are memorizing so they just need to see or make the hand signs and they know what to say.)
fill in the blank worksheets
mathcing worksheets
flashcards
memory game (consentration) with flashcards
Jeopardy games
roll the die, answer the question games
poster size display of memory work
mobile book of memory work
write on / wipe off sheets for map work

hth