Remember the photo holder thrift store find that we turned into a vocabulary tool? The idea was to make a card for each root Sprite studied and review them weekly. We did well with making the cards, but after several weeks, we neglected to review them. That omission was painfully obvious when we tried to review the whole set at the end of the workbook.
She remembered the meanings of the roots at the beginning of the book; we had reviewed those consistently. And she knew the roots at the end of the book; we had just finished them. But the ones in the middle were altogether forgotten.
Actually, this phenomena is normal for memory. We tend to remember what is at the beginning and end. But the middle items are forgotten more easily. By failing to consistently review, I was only reinforcing a normal tendency of the human memory.
So instead of rushing on to the next vocabulary resource, we spent a few days to review these roots and memorize the meanings. It would be a shame not to cement the learning after Sprite has spent so many weeks of effort on the material.
The whole experience reminded me again of the value of consistent, periodic review and final review. Why invest so much in our lesson planning and execution if we don’t take the time to lock in that learning with some quick review? My takeaway is this: Schedule time for review. Write it on the plans so that you actually do it.
How to you handle review? Is it a part of your homeschool scheduling or do you wing it? How important do you think it is? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
A Beginning, End, and Muddle!
Jimmie, Thanks…that is something I fail to do…schedule time to just review….
I have started making review games online. The kids love them. There are a few places to do this. The most fun are the arcade games you can make at http://classtools.net/ You just type in the question and answer and they do the rest. Another fun one is Fling the Teacher made at http://www.contentgenerator.net/. I just made English review games for each of my kids. The only down side to Fling the Teacher is that the questions come up in the same order each time.
Reviewing is so important, I agree. What I found useful in my school days was to have two sets of notes. One set would be hastily scribbled on scrap paper–anything I felt was important about the lesson. After a little while, I’d come back and, using my quick notes, fill out a page of nice notes in my notebook. That’s when I could prioritize, connect ideas, and get the big picture.
Just a note from me….carry the idea from year to year. Make your review tools something that just continues on and you pick up where you left off the next year. We try to do this with vocabulary, scriptures, history timelines, nature journals, artist and composers. There is no end but making it a long term, multi-year project makes so much sense.
Excellent topic! I loved seeing Sprite’s smiling face.
First time reader here. I look forward to following more of your posts in the future. Sprite is a beauiful name.
Jimmie – you have me thinking. I learned a really important review lesson from my son. He sometimes goes through our notebooks (this day it was history in particular) and reviews for himself, just because he is interested in the subject. I’m trying to do more of that with my children – just taking one notebook and reviewing it. I’m amazed at what we all forget – and sometimes what we all remember.
I love hearing about Sprite and what you do – gives me so many ideas!