Dateline: Sep. 2, 2006
Recitation Club
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Clarice over at Storybook Woods is having a "Back to School" week. She is collecting posts for neat ideas that us homeschoolers use to get that "back to school" feeling.
Each year we always get just one new outfit, including "school shoes" for the girls to wear on their first day. We don't always need new binders or notebooks, so we make the old look new again by purchasing stickers. The girls each picked out a sheet in the scrapbooking area of Wal-Mart. We were going to go to go to another scrapbooking store and let them pick out one more sheet of their choice until we mentioned that idea to Miss Helen, our neighbor down the street. Miss Helen is retired and she loves scrapbooking. She makes them as gifts for many of her friends. Well, she did not want us going shopping for any more stickers when she had loads of them that she hadn't used up. So, two days later we paid Miss Helen a visit. I don't know if Miss Helen or the girls (or her little pug, Shelby) had more fun with picking out the stickers, but let's just say we all went home quite happy - and quite laden with stickers!
New to us this year was to start a Recitation Club. I got this idea from reading about how students used to give orations. I was thinking about Anne in Anne of Green Gables and how the orations were such a big event in their little community. And of Laura Ingalls Wilder preparing her orations and that also being used as a method for exams.
Last year I had wanted to invite some of our friends over with their girls and their dolls for a formal tea party and recitation time. When my stepfather died suddenly in a tragic accident, though, most of our plans for last year were postponed.
This year I began thinking about it again 
when I found this book by Aileen Fisher at the library. It is titled, Holiday Programs for Boys and Girls. It was published in 1953 and has some really wonderful poems, group recitations (where boys and girls take turns speaking and then say other parts together), and even short plays. I liked the book so well that I ordered it used from Amazon for just a few dollars. What is pictured here is my copy.
I thought the pieces were of such nice quality that I didn't want to limit it to just the girls and the tea party. So we started a Recitation Club. One nice thing about this club is that it doesn't actually have meetings! For those who imagine that homeschooled children don't have opportunities to socialize, those of us who actually do homeschool, know how very wrong they are. I find that there are almost too many opportunities for extracurricular enjoyment. With that in mind, I didn't want to be just another thing that moms were going to have to pile their children into the car for and be carting everyone about town.
Our little group has planned 3 recitals for the year: 1 in Autumn, 1 in Winter, and 1 in Spring. I have mailed each family a copy of the one group recitation the children will all recite together. Other than that, the children (K-6 this year) may recite 1 to 3 selections of their choice of a poem, Scripture, or a speech. One selection may be an original composition. We will meet about an hour before the recital so the children have an opportunity to meet and practice the group recitation with one another. Our recitals will be formal affairs for the children and we are requesting that they get dressed up for the occasion. I will have simple programs printed for the evening that lists each child and his/her selected pieces. We will each bring some small snack for refreshments at the end of the evening and that should be the only real cost.
Originally, I'd intended to have it in my home if the group was going to be very small, but now that we have grown to about 11 children, we have reserved a room at a conference center (at no cost to our group; it is connected with a friend's church). The children are encouraged to invite family and friends to each recital.
For our last recital I have also planned for us to have tables reserved for each family to have displays of samples their children's work from the year for others to view and enjoy.
Outside of e-mails, this really has been a simple thing to pull together and all the children seem to be very excited. We may, at some time, get together for a play time so the children may get to know one another better, but again, that would be up to the families and their schedules.
Next year, if all goes well, we may try one of the plays. We'll see how things progress.
That is our big "Back to School" event for this year. I will post photos and follow-ups to our recitals.
I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's ideas! Happy New (School)Year, everyone!
when I found this book by Aileen Fisher at the library. It is titled, Holiday Programs for Boys and Girls. It was published in 1953 and has some really wonderful poems, group recitations (where boys and girls take turns speaking and then say other parts together), and even short plays. I liked the book so well that I ordered it used from Amazon for just a few dollars. What is pictured here is my copy.
I thought the pieces were of such nice quality that I didn't want to limit it to just the girls and the tea party. So we started a Recitation Club. One nice thing about this club is that it doesn't actually have meetings! For those who imagine that homeschooled children don't have opportunities to socialize, those of us who actually do homeschool, know how very wrong they are. I find that there are almost too many opportunities for extracurricular enjoyment. With that in mind, I didn't want to be just another thing that moms were going to have to pile their children into the car for and be carting everyone about town.
Our little group has planned 3 recitals for the year: 1 in Autumn, 1 in Winter, and 1 in Spring. I have mailed each family a copy of the one group recitation the children will all recite together. Other than that, the children (K-6 this year) may recite 1 to 3 selections of their choice of a poem, Scripture, or a speech. One selection may be an original composition. We will meet about an hour before the recital so the children have an opportunity to meet and practice the group recitation with one another. Our recitals will be formal affairs for the children and we are requesting that they get dressed up for the occasion. I will have simple programs printed for the evening that lists each child and his/her selected pieces. We will each bring some small snack for refreshments at the end of the evening and that should be the only real cost.
Originally, I'd intended to have it in my home if the group was going to be very small, but now that we have grown to about 11 children, we have reserved a room at a conference center (at no cost to our group; it is connected with a friend's church). The children are encouraged to invite family and friends to each recital.
For our last recital I have also planned for us to have tables reserved for each family to have displays of samples their children's work from the year for others to view and enjoy.
Outside of e-mails, this really has been a simple thing to pull together and all the children seem to be very excited. We may, at some time, get together for a play time so the children may get to know one another better, but again, that would be up to the families and their schedules.
Next year, if all goes well, we may try one of the plays. We'll see how things progress.
That is our big "Back to School" event for this year. I will post photos and follow-ups to our recitals.
I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's ideas! Happy New (School)Year, everyone!
Comments
Sep. 2, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Morgan
I love this idea! May I borrow it? I think this would go over well with my homeschool group!
Your Friend,
Morgan (http://homeandmostlylovinit.blogspot.com
Sep. 2, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Wow, what wonderful ideas. Very inventive and fun. How sweet of your neighbor to share and the club sounds wonderful . Yes you are right HSer have more opportunities to meet then there is time for !! Clarice
Sep. 2, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by MrsPivec
Morgan,
Feel free to use the idea! I would love to see what your group does with it!
Clarice,
Thank you for the comments and for coming up with this fun idea. I can't wait to read all the posts next week! :)
Sep. 4, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Kelli
Your recitation club sounds so much fun!! I'm printing your post out to show my husband and I will look for the book at my library. Thankyou for sharing such wonderful ideas!
Kelli
www.kellishouse.blogspot.com