Amendments and such

Now, true Charlotte Mason form is to have the students show their gleanings of what they have heard and read by narrating back, either verbally or in writing, to me.  However, for some students this can be monotonous, especially in the area of history.  And for me, enforcing this concept 3-5 times weekly per student can create unnecessary stress.  Also, I found that although recall was fairly good, many important details were being missed. 

So I have been implementing "study guides" or "reading guides" that have fill-in-the-blank statements, usually numbering 20-25 per history chapter.  These I type up myself, which of course is more time-consuming.  However, it helps me review the material myself and keeps me abreast of what all they are taking in.  They find this activity helpful, more stimulating, and walk away remembering things they would otherwise miss.  The other side to this work is that it provides material for tests I can prepare, covering several chapters at once.  Knowing what they have read and recorded is much more "track-able" for me this way.