By Dawn Rhymer
Question: How do you help the child understand the why of narration?
By way of introduction, I want to say that in-line with a child's understanding and ability, I think it is important for a child to understand the why behind narration, if he is interested. My fourth child (7-y-o) narrates wonderfully, and he has never asked why. My fifth child (5-y-o) is begging me to begin school and narration, and she has never stopped to wonder why either. However, I have been asked, and on more than one occasion, by my oldest child (13-y-o) why we narrate. I wouldn't hesitate to explain to any of the children, independent of their age, the why if they are prompting the question, but I see it unnecessary to lecture on the benefits of narration if they just aren't interested. I think this is one of the small ways we embrace the idea that our children are born persons.
It is so much easier to get something done if we understand why we are doing that which we are being asked to do, is it not? And it is even that much more easy if we are in agreement with the reasoning being presented to us. While it may not lighten our physical load, it surely lightens our mental load, and we are free to focus on the task.
Children should be saved the Effort of Decision.––That the effort of decision is the most exhausting effort of life, has been well said from the pulpit; and if that remain true about ourselves, even when the decision is about trifling matters of going or coming, buying or not buying, it surely is not just to leave the children all the labour of an effort of will whenever they have to choose between the right and the wrong. Charlotte Mason, Vol 1, p. 100 |
And may I add, narrating or not narrating? If a child wants to know why he is narrating, and it is clearly explained, what a great load is lifted from narration.
The first step, though, is to make sure the adult knows why the child is narrating. Do you know why you are asking your child to narrate? Are you convinced of its benefits? Or are you simply trying to implement a method without fully understanding the underlying philosophy? If at this moment you would not be able to explain to me, or a friend, or a grandparent, the why behind narration, you have some homework to do before attempting to explain it to your child. Our children are no fools, and they can certainly tell when we are applying a white wash to their education (and other matters of life, for that matter).
So why do we narrate?
[I]n the act of narrating every power of his mind comes into play, that points and bearings which he had not observed are brought out; that the whole is visualized and brought into relief in an extraordinary way; in fact, that scene or argument has become a part of his personal experience; he knows, he has assimilated what he has read. This is not memory work. Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6 p. 16 |
I'm going to quote from one of my favorite articles on the introduction to narration by Dr. Carroll Smith: Narration for the Newbie.
A. Narration is the means to know truly. (C. Smith) As we have already urged, there is but one right way, that is, children must do the work for themselves. They must read the given pages and tell what they have read, they must perform, that is, what we may call the act of knowing. We are all aware, alas, what a monstrous quantity of printed matter has gone into the dustbin of our memories, because we have failed to perform that quite natural and spontaneous 'act of knowing,' as easy to a child as breathing and, if we would believe it, comparatively easy to ourselves. Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6 p. 99 B. Since narration helps students own what they know, this kind of knowledge is transformative and builds moral character. (C. Smith) C. Narration develops students who are better readers, thinkers, and writers in a holistic way. (C. Smith) |
Once you are truly convinced yourself on the why of narration and are able to clearly articulate it, you are ready to take on the challenge of explaining the why to your children. There is a careful point to make here: though it is your responsibility to explain to your child the why, it is not your responsibility to make the child agree. This can be a bit of a frustration as, agree or not, narration must carry on. Hopefully, over time, the child will on his own come to see the wisdom of narration. You have served the dish of the idea, and as with every other idea we present to our children through the feast of a Charlotte Mason education, it is not ours to forcefully shove down their throats.
I will end with an example, and this gets back to my oldest who has asked me this very question.
Son: Mom, do I have to narrate this to you? I just read it. I know it. Mom: You do not know what you cannot tell. I'm not asking you to narrate as a means of a test. I'm asking you to narrate because if you can tell it, then you truly know it. |
Our conversation was that simple. I know not every conversation will go this way, but if you know why you are asking your child to narrate and you have graciously answered the question, you have done all you are required to do.
I have one final freebie to throw in: If you are convinced of narration, do you narrate yourself? It can go a long way in goodwill toward our children if they see us personally using what we are telling them is so important.