RAR #192: Help! My Kids Hate Narration
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When my kids were young, I tried narration in my homeschool. But instead of working how it was supposed to, it made my oldest daughter freeze with panic. She actually started hating books she had previously loved. Read-aloud time became fraught. And the quality of her education suffered for it. In today's episode, I'm diving deep into the Charlotte Mason (CM) idea of narration, and offering an idea for what to do if narration simply isn't a good fit for your family. In this episode, you'll hear: * What's the goal of narration anyway?* What my family does instead of narration (and we like it so! much! better!)* A reminder of what we're going for (spoiler alert: narration isn't the only way to get it) Click the play button below: Listener Guide Use the time stamps below to skip to any part of the podcast: 4:23What is narration, exactly?7:08Just find another tool 10:15The students should do the thinking15:17What's the goal?16:47Open-ended questions and conversation26:14Low-quality answers30:34Re-reading is GREAT reading34:01Don't let a tool override your instincts36:07Let the kids speak Books from this episode: Nothing Found Links from this episode: * RAR # 166: What's the Deal with Open-Ended Questions* Join RAR Premium* RAR #141: Why Re-Reading is Possibly the Best Reading* RAR #163: A Reader's Guide to a More Tranquil Mind, Alan Jacobs * RAR # 145: The Importance of Reading at Whim and Developing Your Own Taste, Alan Jacobs * RAR Premium: Water Your Bamboo (Circle with Sarah)* RAR Premium: How to Talk with Your Kids About Books (Even if you haven't read them yourself)* RAR Premium: Best Tips for Talking with Your Kids About Books What is narration, anyway? If you’ve been in homeschooling circles for long, you’ve probably heard about narration. Narration is a method most widely associated with 19th century British educator Charlotte Mason. Homeschoolers use Miss Mason's methods a lot, and I've gained a lot of wisdom from learning her philosophy of education. Narration is a basic tenet of CM education, and according to CM (Charlotte Mason) methodology, it's this: Asking a child to tell back what they just read (or what was read to them).  Now, if narration works well for you, keep on keepin' on. You probably don't need the rest of this post. After all,
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