Companion article to Conversations with Laura, 1/21
During this stage, the grammatical stage, sequencing, memorizing, and observing are the most important activities. If one must “scale back” because life has severely restricted the available time, use these techniques even if they are not used in precisely the way the Mother of Divine Grace syllabi does. Further, notice that while nearly every course recommended in the Mother of Divine Grace program for the student in the grammatical stage uses its materials in those ways, some are outstanding examples of courses and materials that help achieve the educational goals, and are therefore particularly effective. If you need to cut back, keep those in the regularly rotation nonetheless. Cut out something else.
For example, the MODG syllabi use Bible Stories, and saint stories, and Aesop’s Fables to work on sequencing. The method involves reading to the child, or having him read, depending on his age, the text being used. The next day he narrates the story heard the day before. This gives him practice in oral composition, and an opportunity to see the story once again in its entirety. It strengthens the imagination and improves the memory. As he re-tells the story, it should be written down, in his words. (Or if he is old enough to write his story, he can do that.) If there is an obvious error in grammar usage, correct it, but by and large, just write down, or let him write down, what he says, whatever that is (it’s more fun that way). Even if he leaves out large sections ignore it. This is his story. But, if the time sequence is wrong, ask a question, trying to jog his memory, and if necessary, just tell him the correct sequence. The sequence is the main point of the exercise. On the third day, he should copy the text you wrote from his dictation, unless he wrote it himself, of course. If he wrote it, help him with any corrections. Thus, in either case he both sees and writes his own composition, with the correct spelling and writing mechanics. The finished product is truly his work, both in terms of composition and the physical act of writing, even if the two parts of the process have been separated. Additionally, when there is copying, we have employed imitation, the earliest natural form of learning.
The fourth day, children illustrate their stories. They are thus re-telling again, in a different mode. They are strengthening their imagination visually.
In kindergarten our program uses this method with the Golden Press Bible. In first and second grade we use this method with saint stories, and Aesop’s fables. In third grade we use Bishop Knecht’s A Child’s Bible History in very much the same way. In fourth grade we use Fr. Schuster’s Bible History. The method stays the same though the level of reading, the difficulty of the language, and the breadth of the material covered is increased.
Now, one might well say this whole description doesn’t look very efficient. The method is involved and teacher intensive, at least at the beginning, and the language of the texts is demanding at each level for the student at that level. Yet, many educational goals are being achieved here. First, the method is important, though the method could be used with other material. Second, the information imparted is formative in itself, as it is generally about salvation history, something we want our children to know well and retain throughout their lives. Third, the language of the texts is always challenging, but not too challenging. Children should develop a breadth of patterns of language. The best way to achieve this is to expose them to various patterns when they are young. It is sad when a young man or woman can’t read, for example, Jane Austen, because her language is complex. That situation can be avoided by exposing the student to more complex language patterns when he is younger. In the sequence given above one is accomplishing that goal in stages. We work up to the more difficult, we don’t start there. (Now, one always meets the student where he is, and works to take him where he should be. If, in fact, any of the texts is too difficult it shouldn’t be used, for the goal won’t be achieved.) Further, in following this learning sequence, the student is learning how to write, in a manner commensurate with his talents. He is retelling, not analyzing. He is composing at the level he is capable of, and physically writing at the level he is capable of. These levels are often not the same.
This is a very effective series of courses, because so much is accomplished in one activity. Even though it takes some time, the investment is sound, as the return is much greater than the initial capital outlay. When I consult with a busy mom, looking for items to truncate in her curriculum, this is not the place where I suggest she vary from the MODG curriculum. It appears easier to read a chapter from an orthodox catechism, but in the long run this retelling sequence is easier. Now, if one simply can’t do this, it’s better to read the catechism than do nothing. However, the truth is that the time required each day to follow these suggestions doesn’t have to be very long.
The Emma Serl books, Primary and Intermediate Language Lessons , used in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade, are also effective texts for this stage of formation. Mrs. Serl uses copying, dictation, conversation, usage exercises, and creative writing to develop the student’s patterns of language. She doesn’t ask for analysis, and she does utilize the natural appetites.
Thinking about what is most effective in the early years, what courses or materials to recommend for the very busy mom with K-5 students, the texts and methods mentioned above stand out. They should with great reluctance be abandoned for a workbook, which might be initially quicker, but will not achieve the goals as effectively.
In the dialectical stage of formation, among the most effective materials one can use are good grammar books and a good Latin program. For grammar, consider either the Lepanto Voyages in English or Easy Grammar. Which text is best depends on the circumstances, but using some good grammar text is a priority in this stage of formation. If something is going to go, it should not be grammar.
This is because in the middle years, sixth or seventh through ninth grade, children are ready to analyze. They are ready to put their minds to making deductions, to categorizing, to thinking carefully and in an orderly fashion. Analytic grammar during these years has a central importance to the formation of the mind. Sixth grade, in particular, is a transition year from the ‘re-telling’ or grammatical stage of formation to the analytic. Though grammar is involved in the grammatical stage as well, it is under a particular aspect that it is considered in the analytic stage. This aspect is the relationship of the parts of the sentence to one another and to the whole. Up to this point the student has concentrated on grammar in the sense of speaking well, developing ‘patterns of language’, accumulating experience of beautiful and correctly used language that he is now in a position to study.
This is important. Analytic grammar, though useful for correct speaking and writing, is primarily significant in terms of training the mind. When the student asks himself, “How does each part of the sentence function?”, he is bringing his intelligence to bear on a particular matter, ordering it, and seeing its relation to other aspects of reality.
Latin similarly trains the mind. Learning Latin is an efficient way to achieve the goal of a student who can truly think.
In this stage of formation, discussion is necessary. Your 6-9 grade student wants to talk, he wants to argue, and he is interested in the distinctions inevitable in discussion. Fortunately, discussions can be done in the car, or while one is doing the laundry. Sometimes we are tempted to skip these discussions, because they “take too much time”, but that is a mistake. They are an important component of the program of study.
In the high school years, the most important activities have to do with understanding and presenting arguments. This may easily be addressed in religion and history courses. In religion I suggest working on understanding and presenting the fundamental argument that shows the reasonableness of the Catholic Faith.
In MODG we spend four years developing the parts of the argument for the motives of credibility so that the student will truly have it and be able to present it himself, cogently, by the time he graduates. This is important for the intellectual development of the student, and for a citizen of the heavenly city.
Similarly, in history, MODG students develop, over four years, an intellectual argument culminating in the reading of the founding documents of our country. As citizens of the United States we should be able to think intelligently about, and defend to others, the principles of our commonwealth.
In both of these fields of inquiry the student should work on pro and con arguments. He needs to see and understand the opposing viewpoints, so that he can make informed judgments and a cogent defense of the truth. An effective curriculum will make sure that there are opportunities for such an endeavor.
So, in summary, homeschoolers need to be clear about the ends we are working toward so that they can make good choices about what to spend time on and what can be truncated when necessary. The homeschooling mother is a teacher and a domestic administrator. She is a companion to her husband and children, as well as the curriculum advisor. She needs to spend her time wisely. To do that she must identify the goals she wants to achieve. In terms of school, and of life, her goal for her children is that they think well about the good, the true and the beautiful. Her curriculum, to be effective, has to aim explicitly at those goals.