Starting Preparing without prior narration

[happyWImom]

My dd is 9, and I wanted to do Preparing with her, but we haven't done much narration in the past (I know, bad mom) other than when we have used WWE. She would get really frustrated and not want to narrate, or act like she didn't know, couldn't remember, etc.... Anyway, we SLOWLY have worked through WWE, and it has gotten better.

So my question is, if we haven't done much oral narration, is Preparing going to be a nightmare???? And I don't want to use Bigger, because we have used a combination of it & MFW Adventures for what seems like 2 years-we've covered a lot of American history.

Thanks,

Tammi

[Starla]

My two dss (soon to be 8 and 9 years old) and I have only started Preparing and HOD two weeks ago. They never had narrated before...NEVER. They didn't want to do it at first either, but I just required one sentence from them to start with. (I gave them examples from what we had just read) Now it's a few more. Then yesterday, they were to write a narration - but it was laid out in the lesson plans what to go over with them, and write their ideas out on the white board by asking question words. I was surprised with how smoothly it went, and we soon had 3 sentences for them to write out that they had come up with for narration.

So I can't speak from a lot of experience yet, only two weeks worth, but it was suggested to me and I'd say the same thing for you and your dd. Just go slow and easy to start with - ease into it...then gradually increase what is expected of them. I'm hoping and praying my boys will be able to handle it fine, and trusting that your daughter will too with a little encouragement and help/training.

[LynnH]

I don't think it will be a nightmare. My ds came home from ps and went right into Preparing at age 10. Narration was a very different way of interacting with a story than he was used to. I just went slow with him and modeled the oral narration. Make sure you read the guidelines for oral narration in the appendix and have her read the ones that are written to the student. Go slow and maybe even have her do the oral narration after just a a paragraph or 2 and then build up to where she is doing it after the entire reading. What I did to help my son was I let him act it out as he narrated. That seemed to loosen him up. The written narration is 1x a week and as the pp said it is very well laid out how to teach it because it is the first guide that written narration is expected.

[happyWImom]

Thanks for the feedback, it makes me feel better.

Along those same lines, if you have 2 dc using the same program (which I probably will), do you have them do the narration in front of each other? My ds, who is younger, can tell you the entire plot of everything he has ever read, so I don't see a problem there! But, my dd, the reluctant narrator, may feel intimidated. So, is it easy to just take them aside privately?

Sorry if these seem like dumb questions, but I've tried so many things, and I just want to get it right.

My dd tends to have self-esteem issues, and I don't want her to be self-conscious in front of ds, or feel that she isn't as intelligent as he is. Yet I want them to learn together, and I think they will both benefit by using Preparing.

Tammi

[Mumkins]

When we did Bigger last year, I just alternated who I asked. Or II asked the one who didn't narrate the one that was suppose to be done to narrate another reading that day.

[cirons]

I began Preparing with my dd8 last year who has never narrated in her life. The instructions in the manual are great....be sure to regularly remind yourself of the narration tips in the appendix also.

If you are struggling with it, I have found things like taking turns (you go first to kick things off), reading smaller portions before asking them to narrate, and every now and again, just model it and give them a break helps my dd.

All the best and have fun!

Corrie

[my3sons]

Be sure to read the narration tips in the Appendix! They are outstanding. They make it easy on us moms. Likewise, the plans in PHFHG do an excellent job of slowly guiding dc to do written narrations. There are also tips in the Appendix for this. Dc can learn to narrate at any age once they are around 6 or 7 yo. I'd go so far as to say adults can still learn to narrate! I'm not sure it is a skill I had down very well until I started teaching it. Anyway, PHFHG is such a great program! We loved it. Just follow the plans and take time to read the teaching tips in the Appendix - oh, and patience. Narrating is taught every single year starting with Beyond Little Hearts. It takes time to develop. These other threads may be helpful to you too...

Narrating Skills”
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4256

Narration Discussion and Examples:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8118&p=60893#p60893

Philosophy Behind Narration Skills:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8918

HTH!
In Christ,
Julie

[happyWImom]

Julie:

Thanks for the links on narration-and thanks everyone else for your words of encouragement. I want to be really prepared this time, because I want HOD to work for us, and I want to give it a chance. That's a big problem I have with curriculum.

Tammi