Cautionary Note of Narration

This is a cautionary note of Charlotte Mason-style narrations. It’s important to remember that the “read and retell” type of narration is of great importance when children are young [Form I] or even with students new to Charlotte Mason methods. But, this type of narration is not meant to be used exclusively as students grow older. A Year 7 student, for example, will not grow in composition skills if only giving oral retellings and 1-2 written retellings per week. Varying narrations in their style and intent is the only way to build these skills short of bringing in a specific writing curriculum.

In “The Mind at Work”, an article from The Parents' Review by E. Cholmondeley, we are reminded of this when she writes: “The time comes when the simple ‘telling over’ of childhood is not enough. It will always be a necessary part of thought, but a person of nine or ten can show the beginning of further and different thought”. This is why narrations should begin to vary, especially by this age. In Form II, although students should still continue with oral narrations, they should also begin to write narrations. But these are not meant to always be a “retelling” but in written form. Some of these can be of this type, but there should also be opportunities to explore other forms of expression and other forms of communication. Communication is shared through lists, letters, art, role-play or drama, diagrams, verse, scripts and much more. Expression can be shared through exploring themes, alternative perspectives and comparison. Narrations should reflect these variances. Remember, many alternate narrations can still be done orally. For example, teachers can write lists on the board for students as they compose it.

A curriculum which focuses too much on “read and retell”, especially as students grow older, is not building their skills -primarily composition skills- and is not preparing them for advanced reading, speaking and writing. Many of these guides will simply write “Read and orally narrate”, “Retell what you’ve just heard/read” or “Read and write a narration”. Sometimes, students will be asked to “Draw a picture” or “Summarize what was read”. These are not enough. [And I will not stray off-topic by addressing the idea that “summarize” is a synonym for “retell” -it is not. Summarizing employs different skills and is not as easy for some students to do as it is for others.] I should also point out that telling a student to “Draw a picture” or to “Summarize what was read” is indeed telling them what to do with what was read. They are not given an option to draw or to summarize or to retell. They are specifically told what to do with the material read.

A Mind in the Light addresses this issue by offering multiple narration prompts for every reading. And there is variance in each prompt. Typically, one prompt will ask for a simple retelling, but using alternative words to “Tell me what you’ve just heard/read.” Another might offer a creative way to respond to the reading, like writing a letter from one character to another and another might ask students to arrange their thoughts via a list or chart. Multiple suggestions are offered so that the teacher can allow students to choose in what way they wish to respond. Allowing the students to choose gives them ownership of in which direction they want to take the narration. This helps prevent the narration from being taken where a teacher directs it, but offers students some fresh ideas of what they might do with it. They are still choosing what they’ve connected with and in what way they wish to communicate this. The narration prompts are all suggestions and none are required. Students may always devise their own idea of what to narrate on and in which way to do this. The suggestions are there to keep variance on the table at all times. Teachers may always do with the pre-reading notes and narration prompts what they think is best.

Ms. Essex Cholmondeley continues with the following: “When the upper forms are reached the something more, the step forward, gains in importance. Too few people discover how to assemble what they know, how to bring one thing to bear upon another, how to enquire, how to criticize, how to hold an opinion. Many people are helped to such power by well-conducted discussion.”

At A Mind in the Light, discussion begins to play a larger role in the upper years, particularly high school. The upper school guides include Great Ideas Discussions and these are built directly into the guides. This further expands what is offered to older students which recognizes their increased maturity and academic abilities. Along with these discussions and typical narration prompts is the inclusion of more advanced readings, including primary sources, and essay prompts.

Ms. Cholmondeley adds: “How to vary the form which narration takes, how to use discussion rightly, when to leave a great passage of literature or a moving work of art to sink in unnarrated, undiscussed, how to keep a large class of children all at work in narration--these are all part of a teacher’s experience, tact and wisdom.” A Mind in the Light merely attempts to help teachers in this endeavor. Ultimately, the guides are merely what their title suggests -a guide, a help, a support, a suggestion, an option, etc.

Source: “The Mind at Work” by E. Cholmondeley; Volume 55, no. 6, June 1944, pgs. 156-158