Basia Reciting the Principal Pharaohs

Basia reciting the pharaohs
Originally uploaded by Melani Moore

Brishen has always enjoyed doing memory work in our homeschool, and has always memorized things pretty easily. He and Basia have very different learning styles, and I was not sure how she would do with memory work. She memorized tons of nursery rhymes in preschool, some poems in kindergarten, and now is memorizing more poetry in first grade. This list of pharaohs was the first list she had to memorize, and she learned it about as easily as Brishen did. The kids practice their memory work daily, and it's impressive what they can fit into those brains of theirs.

As far as memorizing a list of names like this, many think it is pointless and can even damage a child's love for learning. I have now been homeschooling for exactly 6 years (today!!) and can tell you from first-hand experience that there is definite value in this type of memory work. Brishen can be reading something in history and recall a list of names in his head to know if a ruler will be overthrown before he even reads it. He has a real grounding of what was happening and when, partially because of the lists he memorized in elementary school. Also, I really think it is great to exercise your brain in all sorts of ways, including memory work like this. Finally, my kids really enjoy their memory time each day and feel a big sense of accomplishment for all they can recite.

Lest you think I am bragging too much, let me tell you how surprising it is that I have a video to share of Basia reciting her work. She will happily recite anything in front of Brishen and I. She speaks with confidence, good posture, and pride. Now, if Jon happens to be home and in the room where he can see and hear her, she cries and cannot get through anything. She also has BIG, BIG fears of reciting anything in front of anyone else, no matter how beloved they may be. Today she was in a really good mood and decided to let me record her as long as I promised that she could delete it. She was so pleased with her surprise ending that she did not feel the need to delete it (yet).

This semester I have made our memory time more formal, asking the kids to stand in front of me individually and recite what I ask of them with minimal wiggling. My goal is to invite the family over for an end-of-school-year celebration that includes Brishen and Basia doing some recitations. We haven't quite worked up to being brave in front of Dad, yet, though, so we'll see.

So, if you are ever curious about whether the Nubians ruled Egypt before or after Psammatichus, I know a couple kids who could help you out. There may even be a mom who has heard this list a few too many times in her life who could recite it in her sleep for you.