4Real Forums: narration expectations

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Topic: narration expectations

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knowloveserve
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Joined: Jan 31 2007
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Posted: Nov 19 2007 at 12:39pm \| IP Logged

Hello,

How often do you require your children to do narrations? We read a lot of books here and I really don't want it to feel like a chore.

Right now my kindergartener and I are reading James and the Giant Peach and when I ask him to tell me the story, he is very brief in summarizing that day's chapters and he also sometimes smacks his forehead in exasperation and says: "Mom, you already know what happened!" And is it true that I shouldn't prompt in any way, just let him say what he wants?

You don't have kids do narrations after each picture book do you?

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Ellie
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Kristie 4
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Posted: Nov 19 2007 at 5:25pm \| IP Logged

Never... I think it would totally ruin it for them.

I think it is important to see for your children what it is you want from narration, what skills you are digging for.

With my first, I was right onto the narration. I only took one a day, wrote it down, and that was it. But he was a boy, and DID NOT want to narrate so we slowed down to a few a week and by baby three had scrapped the idea of writing them down (now I only type out really special ones!)

By my second, who could (and still would) narrate the WHOLE story, I slowed down with the amount I asked for.

Basically, at our house I will ask now and then for written or oral narrations (written for the above 10 crowd) somewhat regularly, but never more than one a day. For a kindergartner, I would keep it VERY relaxed. If this is your first, I know it is so exciting to dive in. I did do narrations with my first. But the next kids I waited with unless they looked very eager (they weren't). I think Charlotte Mason recommends narrations for the 6 and up crowd, more grade 1 age (correct me all you CM experts if I am wrong on this

)

One thing you don't want to do is make his picture books a chore.... snuggling with mom with a picture book is one of the precious gems of homeschooling.

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Kristie in Canada
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knowloveserve
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Posted: Nov 20 2007 at 10:58am \| IP Logged

Thank you. I wasn't planning on doing narrations for picture books... instinct spoke on that.

I just wanted to make sure I was interpretting the CM style correctly. He is my oldest son and we are thoroughly enjoying his being just 5 years old... lots of unstructured play and some meaningful real-life work for us. And tons, and TONS of reading for pleasure.

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Ellie
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Willa
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Posted: Nov 20 2007 at 2:03pm \| IP Logged

Charlotte Mason recommended no narrations until age 6. She thought it was better that younger kids just listen and explore without expectations for narration. So you are on free territory with your 5 year old

Of course, that doesn't mean that younger children don't sometimes narrate excellently without prompting -- she just thought it was a skill that should develop freely in the preschool years, without "requirements".

I have always heard that Aesop's Fables are a good place to start with some formal narrations with a 6 year old because they are short with memorable stories. CM thought that a child would have to work up to narrations from chapter books.... it might take some time before a child was narrating from *everything*.

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Willa
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