• Aug. 26, 2008
The Power of Narration
I've been learning about Charlotte Mason and her educational philosophy. As I study and learn - I feel as if I've found the true way of education. Narration is a very large part of her philosophy and what an inexpensive way to educate our children. Narration, put simply, is children telling back in their own words what they have read. It is the child taking ownership of what they read. It is so simple and yet very powerful.
In Charlotte's own words: "Children must Labor. This, of getting ideas out of them, is by no means all we must do with books. 'In all labor there is profit,' at any rate in some labor; and the labor of thought is what his book must induce in the child. He must generalize, classify, infer, judge, visualize, discriminate, labor in one way or another, with that capable mind of his, until the substance of his book is assimilated or rejected, according as he shall determine; for the determination rests with him and not with his teacher." (Vol. 3, p. 179)
"To secure a conversation or an incident, we 'go over it in our minds;' that is, the mind puts itself through the process of self-questioning... This is what happens in the narrating of a passage read: each new consecutive incident or statement arrives because the mind asks itself, --'What next?' For this reason it is important that only one reading should be allowed; efforts to memorize weaken the power of attention, the proper activity of the mind; if it is desirable to ask questions in order to emphasize certain points, these should be asked after and not before, or during, the act of narration." (Vol. 6 p. 17)
Why do I think that this is 'true' education? Because it deals with the child's mind - not as a bucket to be filled with facts and information that the teacher has deemed useful - but as a living, unique individual with the ability to think and judge for themselves. It involves trust in the child and trust in God. Trust that God has created this person with a purpose and a unique mind with uniques gifts, desires and interests. Our job, according to CM is not to fill the bucket with as much information as we can, but more importantly helping them to develop relations with the world around them. We are building from what is already inside of them instead of filling them up with what we have chosen is correct for them. Isn't that the source of resistance in learning? Forcing learning instead of presenting it and letting the child take what he will and build upon it will only produce frustration and resentment. This principle of narration gives the child the opportunity to make his learning his own without the interference of the teacher. It is not setting the child up for failure with comprehension questions based on what some authority has delcared that he should know. How limited! How short-sighted!
Will I be surprised when my children complain about having to narrate their readings? No, because it requires a lot more effort than just answering a few questions. Now they have to engage so many more mental processes. But I am excited to see how much more they will retain and how inspired we'll be from the living books we'll be enjoying together!
Comments
• Aug. 27, 2008
Untitled Comment
Posted by kimalita
I agree! I love Miss Mason's ideas and approach to learning!! We've been narrating this past year and I have found it to be a wonderful tool. My kids didn't quite know what to make of it at first, but they now are able to listen and comprehend better and narrate. They have a long way to go but I have seen the growth. Even my husband commented during our evening read alouds b/c he has trouble concentrating and remembering what was read unless he reads it, yet the kids rattled off several things they got from the story. I have learned not to expect them to remember everything, but the pieces they do get, they mean something to them.
Anyway, I hope you see the fruit of your narration soon!
• Aug. 28, 2008
Untitled Comment
Posted by Joycemarie
What a great entry...I will say...I printed up a bunch of questions for my daughter for some of her literature readings...now that she has been narrating for 3 full years (this is her fourth) she now prefers it. Her mind doesn't think in the way of just answering questions. For her, because she likes to write...it has always been harder for her to do an oral narration...this year, however, I find that she reads something and begins telling me about it right away...it has become habit and I believe helps our children to look at things logically. That is one thing that my husband says...she looks at things very logically for her age. I have never taught logic. I have to say it is from all of these wonderful books.
