What I learned at a Classical Conversations Practicum

Here is a picture of my brain after going to the practicum. Notice how big it has gotten from all the info and training pumped into it. Well...maybe it is not a brain and just a coral reef but you get the idea! The Practicum was awesome! I plan to go again next year. My kids loved it. I loved it and it was just so helpful. I believe my task of being a homeschooling mom will be much easier this year with the knowledge I gained. So, for future reference if you ever have a chance to go to one of their practicums to do it. Even if you do not know what a classical education is or you do and don't apply the methods. They have so much to offer in their practicums.

Okay, in the beginning of the practicum they did cover the Classical Model of education and what it was. As much as I read on this topic, there is always something new that I glean.

Here are some snippets. BTW I cannot explain the whole model so if some of this is a different language or does not make sense....I am sorry!

1. Their are specific "Tools of Learning" that should be focused on at each level of the Trivium.

2. Memorization is actually a tool of learning that we tend to overlook and downplay. It should be the first thing we do when learning a new subject.

3. The Grammar Stage or the "Grammar" of a subject is really all the vocabulary that makes up a new subject. For example the Gammar of Math would be all of your tables, definitions, and words. Ex. Integer, Denominator etc.

4. When we learn a new subject, no matter what age you are, you still have to go through all the stages to learn something new.

Stage 1: Grammar or Learning the Vocabulary of that new subject

Stage 2: Logic or Applying the Grammar (Vocabulary that you learned)

ex. You can't learn a new dance unless you know the vocabulary that the dance instructor is using. If you know the vocabulary (grammar) then you can "understand" what he is saying.

If you memorize how to play a song on the piano but cannot read the notes. Then you have skipped stage one of the learning process or what we would call the grammar stage of learning.

Stage 3: You know that you have learned it when you can teach it to someone else. This would be the full circle of learning.

According to Dorothy Sayers in her speech The Lost Tools of Learning a person who tackles a new subject understanding the grammar (or vocabulary) first will learn that new subject in half the time. So that if we can apply this understanding to our teaching we will teach in a more effective manner and the time needed will also be cut in half.

I realize this may seem vague at first hopefully I can explain it better by taking this concept and applying it to math.

I will be teaching Math differently next year. At the practicum the whole morning was dedicated to Math. I was very impressed by how our instructor, Julie Denton, added in practical application to what we were learning. She shared how that before her daughter starts a new subject (like Math, Latin or Logic etc.) she will turn to the Appendix and copy it several times. Why do you think she does this? She is pulling out the Grammar first or Vocabulary of the new subject. This is stage 1 of learning. She then makes her own vocabulary cards to begin learning the new words. One thing I realized is that for kids who are old enough they need to be making their own 3x5 cards. This is part of the familiarity and learning process. In a sense it is better for them to make the cards then for us to buy premade cards. We are not giving them busy work but aiding in the learning process of stage one which is to be familiar with the vocabulary. Having them do their own cards is part of the learning process.

One of the things I realized is that I have not been pulling out the vocabulary of Math and requiring that the children learn it. We will be doing that this year and I will put a much more heavy emphasis on this in our learning process of new material.

The idea is that understanding the "Grammar/Vocabulary" of any new concept makes the learning process smoother and more concrete. It cuts the learning curve in half and allows a person to learn a new topic in 1/2 the time. Another way of saying this is the "Parts to Whole" method of learning.

Just like any new subject we are learning the parts first so we can understand the whole picture. You would want to know the vocabulary of a car engines parts before learning to build it.

So, practically speaking, how can you aid your young ones in learning new material. First locate the skeleton of the subject. Ask yourself, "What is main info for this new material?" A good way to recognize the skeleton or grammar of a subject is to locate anything in bold in a new chapter. This would be the info that you want to focus on for your memory work or note cards. If your child is old enough require him to make the vocabulary notecards for that subject. The skeleton is what you want to focus on for your memory work and your reading and projects will be putting flesh on that skeleton.

Does the task of memory work seem daunting and like something extra you have to do. Try and look at it from another angle and remember this. Memory work is helping us teach and it is giving our children a better grasp on what they are learning. It will lead to understanding. It is a skill that needs be to focused on and learned. If you have a system all ready created you are more likely to do it. It does have to be planned out and for younger children only you can do that.

Here are some helpful guidelines I have learned from others.

1. Get a tape recorder and record the info into it or use a computer device and put it on CD's. This way they can listen daily wether or not you are there. It also helps to have them looking at what they are listening to.

2. If you are still not sure you want to do all the work. Check out Classical Conversations on the web. They have created a system with all the memory work on it for every subject. They have it in 3 different styles, audio, power point (visual), and laminated cards on a ring.