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This week’s teaching tip article comes from Amy M. O’Quinn.

O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can find Amy’s blog, Ponderings From Picket Fence Cottage, at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.

Picture this cozy scene. You are sitting on the sofa with your little boy tucked closely beside you enjoying a wonderful picture book or an exciting read-aloud. Your son listens with delight and begs for more. So, of course you continue, talking about the pictures or what’s happening as you go along.

Later, when Daddy comes home, your little boy runs up to him and excitedly begins to retell (in his own words) the whole story in great detail. You know without a doubt that he has absorbed and comprehended what you read earlier in the day. Moreover, a month later, he retells the same story to Grandma, again remembering small details that you yourself have forgotten. Your child has naturally utilized one of the greatest learning tools there is, and one that will certainly help him in his educational endeavors as he grows older. It’s called narration.

WHAT IS NARRATION

Narration is simply the art of “telling back”, and it’s a technique often used by classical educators and those who employ the teaching methods of Charlotte Mason (a 19th century British educator). However, on a broader scale, it’s much more than that, and it can be used by anyone of any age to facilitate concentration, vocabulary, comprehension, memorization, language skills, and even writing skills.

WHY USE NARRATION

One of the easiest ways to explain the importance of narration is to borrow from Miss Mason herself. In some of her writings, she used the illustration of a sick patient in the hospital. The person was suffering from intense pain and the doctor had written the remedy on a piece of paper. He told her this would alleviate the pain, however, he would only let her look at the card for a few minutes. Then the card would be destroyed permanently, and the doctor wouldn’t write it again. Can you imagine the intense concentration the patient would put forth to remember what was written?

Although a small child naturally “tells back” what he hears, it’s a skill that should be encouraged and developed when he is very young. Because just think of the benefits when the child is older and needs to remember certain information. If he knows that he will be asked to ‘retell’ after a reading, he will definitely pay more attention to the material at hand so that his narration will be accurate. What he can tell—he knows! He has to think, sift through the information, and choose the important parts to narrate. He has to assimilate the material, make it his, and put it into his own words. With this concentrated effort, he WILL remember!

Charlotte Mason said, “What a child digs for becomes his own possession.” In addition, oral narration is only one step before written narration, which is basically composition! So technically, oral narration is a forerunner to processing one’s thoughts and putting words on paper in a way that makes sense. It’s a skill that’s invaluable.

NARRATION AND YOUNG CHILDREN

The art of narration begins very early, even before a child can read. As mentioned above, children love to “tell back” the stories they hear. And have you ever noticed a little one who will pick up a beloved picture book, turn the pages slowly, and perhaps ‘read’ it aloud to a younger sibling or even a favorite stuffed animal or doll? This is beginning narration, and the continuing pattern is a natural progression—if the child is encouraged and the skill is fostered. Too often, this desire to “tell” is schooled out of the child as he grows older. But language expression is so important, and the ability to organize and demonstrate the knowledge he gains from books is priceless.

IDEAS FOR USING NARRATION

We have established the fact that narration is a valuable learning tool, so let’s look at some practical ways to use it with young children. And because we want our little ones to retain their natural curiosity and desire to “tell back”, we don’t want to overwhelm them with heavy ‘educational’ language. Instead, a gentle approach is best; plus this early discovery stage is so much fun and a joy to witness. Many parents probably already do many of these things without realizing they are creating a solid foundation for future learning.

* Use high quality ‘living’ books. Even young children can appreciate well-written literature, and they will understand far more than we give them credit for.

* Do some pre-reading activities. Let the child look at pictures and guess what will happen in the story.

* When reading the story, use different voices, inflection, sound effects, and even suspenseful pauses before turning pages. If your child asks questions, answer them. It’s easy to become a bit frustrated when we want to read and they want to talk about what’s happening.

* Turnabout is fair play. Ask your child questions about the story or what he thinks will happen next.

* After you are finished reading, ask the child to retell the story in his own words…you’ll be surprised at the detail.

OTHER IDEAS

· Record your child’s narration on cassette or CD.

· Let him draw a picture to ‘tell’ about the story.

· Let him dramatize or act out the story, use a flannel board, or how about a puppet
show?

The possibilities are endless, and no matter how you choose to foster your child’s narrative ability, encouraging him to talk about or retell what he’s heard or read is extremely important. Narration is a skill that will pay great dividends farther along the educational road.

Reviewed by Amy M. O’Quinn for the National Writing for Children Center

Title: Apple Tree Christmas
Written and Illustrated by: Trinka Hakes Noble
Hardback: 32 pages
Ages: 4-8
Publisher: Dial Books For Young Readers (Oct. 1984)
ISBN-10: 0803701020
ISBN-13: 978-0803701021

If you are looking for a homespun holiday story to share with your children, Apple Tree Christmas, by talented author/illustrator Trinka Hakes Noble, is a sure-fire winner. Ms. Noble’s nostalgic story, set on a Midwestern farm in the 1880’s, is about a young girl, her family, and their special apple tree. The watercolor illustrations are cheerful and bright, and Ms. Noble depicts the simple pleasures of farm living in full color!

Katrina and her family live in a two-story barn. The people live upstairs, and the animals are in the lower level. And outside is a very large apple tree. It’s overgrown with wild grape vines that make a natural ladder to reach the apples at the top, so Papa never cuts them away. The family enjoys all the luscious apples the tree produces.

But the tree also provides a place for Katrina and her little sister, Josie, to play. One thick vine hangs down low enough for Josie to use for a swing. But the other side of the tree belongs to Katrina. One limb, in particular, provides a perfect drawing board, and she calls it her studio. It’s a great place to dream and draw until time for chores each evening.

But a blizzard strikes, lasting three days and nights. And although the barn-home creaks and shakes, it stands firm. But on the third night, Katrina hears a noise that is different than before, and more frightening. It’s an ice storm, and it sounds like a ‘million sharp knives slashing the roof, cutting the barn, trying to get in.’ When the storm passes, the family and barn have survived, but the apple tree has not.

Katrina’s father must chop up the tree for firewood. But her mother says, “Well, I’ll miss the old apple tree, but it will keep us warm this long winter.” Papa agrees and is thankful. But Katrina is not happy. Doesn’t Papa know he’s ruining her drawing board and that she can’t draw without it? She’s very sad and doesn’t even feel like celebrating Christmas when it comes.

But on Christmas Day, after Katrina and Josie receive their other simple gifts, Papa tells them to hide their eyes. When they open them, lo and behold, Josie’s swinging vine from the old apple tree is hanging from beam. And near the swing is a drawing board made from the same limb that had been Katrina’s studio! The words won’t come, but finally she says, “Oh, Papa.”

Things are right in Katrina’s world once more, and now she can finally see and experience the joys of Christmas. And her first drawing is for Papa of the family working around the apple tree. He hangs the picture in his workshop, where it stays for many long years. It’s a wonderful reminder of their old beloved apple tree, the love between a father and his children, and a special day full of surprises and happy memories. It was the Apple Tree Christmas!

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Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can find Amy’s blog, Ponderings From Picket Fence Cottage, at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.

Reviewed by Amy M. O’Quinn for the National Writing for Children Center

Title: How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Written and Illustrated by: Dr. Seuss
Hardback: 64 pages
Ages: 4-8
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (October 12, 1957)
ISBN-10: 0394800796
ISBN-13: 978-0394800790

While perhaps not a classic in the traditional sense of the word, How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, is definitely a beloved Christmas book in modern culture. How many of us haven’t enjoyed the story of the mean old Grinch and his nasty plans to steal Christmas from the residents of Who-ville? And how about little Cindy Lou Who? And, of course, the signature illustrations by Dr. Seuss are familiar to us all!

In the rhyming style of Dr. Seuss, this book tells about a stingy soul who hates Christmas and despises anything at all that brings holiday joy and cheer to others. So he (the Grinch) comes up with a spiteful plan to take all the gifts, decorations, Christmas trees, and food from the happy people of Who-ville. He dresses as Santa, transforms his dog, Max, into a ‘reindeer’, hitches him up to a ramshackle sleigh and heads to Who-ville. In the cover of darkness, he goes down the chimney of each home and steals anything and everything to do with Christmas. He doesn’t even leave crumbs big enough for a mouse!

In one home, however, little Cindy Lou Who wakes up and asks the Grinch why he’s taking all their Christmas. The mean old Grinch even deceives the child, and he tells her he’s taking the tree to fix a broken light. What a bitter, sly, critter he is! However, he doesn’t care as he hauls all ‘the presents, the ribbons, the wrappings, the tags, the tinsel, the trimmings, and trappings’…and even the logs from the fireplaces up the side of Mt. Crumpit! He thinks he’s stolen Christmas from all the Whos!

But suddenly he hears something and pauses! ‘Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!’ The Grinch is confused.

Then the Grinch has a revelation! “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps….means a little bit more!” And at that moment, as the residents of Who-ville will say ‘the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!’ So he brings everything back and ends up celebrating Christmas with the residents of Who-ville!

In a nonsensical way, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, really pegs the true meaning of the season. It’s not the presents, the decorations, the special food, or the Christmas tree that matters. It’s the heart! So for a special treat, be sure to grab this book off the shelf to share with your family this holiday season.

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Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can find Amy’s blog, Ponderings From Picket Fence Cottage, at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.

Reviewed by Amy M. O’Quinn for the National Writing for Children Center

Title: A Kwanzaa Miracle
Written by: Sharon Shavers Gayle
Illustrated by: Frank Norfleet
Hardback: 32 pages
Ages: 4-8
Publisher: Troll Communications (September 1, 1996)
ISBN-10: 0816741824
ISBN-13: 978-0816741823

In The Kwanzaa Miracle, two siblings named Darryl and Ashley are anxiously looking forward to celebrating Kwanzaa with family and friends in their apartment building. As Ashley says, “It’s a month of miracles.” And a miracle is needed.

Mrs. Jackson, “the meanest lady in the whole building,” puts a damper on their holiday spirit with her constant scolding and criticism. She also rudely declines the invitation to the Kwanzaa planning meeting, and the children don’t understand why Mrs. Jackson is so disagreeable.

During the meeting, Darryl and Ashley’s dad, Mr. Parker, suggests that the tenants select a theme for the current year. They choose Umoja, the first principle of Kwanzaa, which means honoring family, community, nation, and race. Plus, they decide to choose an honorary ancestor for the celebration. But whom? They decide to think about it for awhile.

However, a few days later when Ashley and Darryl are having a snowball fight, Darryl accidentally hits Mrs. Jackson’s window. Immediately the window flies open and Mrs. Jackson calls for them to come up…right now! The children are frightened, but they obey the older lady’s request and quietly knock on her door, expecting the worse. Instead, Mrs. Jackson surprises them with hot cocoa and oatmeal cookies.

A bit confused, they ask why Mrs. Jackson isn’t mad at them. Kindly, she explains how she once had a little girl who broke a window during a snowball fight. The icy snowball hitting her window actually brings back a memory that warms the older lady’s heart, because her little girl died when she was still just a child.

She shares the family photo albums with Ashley and Darryl and tells them how she also misses her husband, who recently passed away. Her only sister lives in a different city, so basically she is all alone. And as the children suddenly realize, Mrs. Jackson has also been misunderstood and has been hiding her sadness under a layer of gruffness. They decide to ask their parents to choose Mrs. Jackson as the honorary ancestor for Kwanzaa, and everyone in the building agrees. She is delighted and honored to be asked. And unbeknownst to Mrs. Jackson, the Parkers are able to get in contact with her sister and invite her to the celebration!

When the first night of Kwanzaa arrives, it’s time for the festivities to begin. Darryl escorts Mrs. Jackson to the party, and she is so surprised to see her sister sitting on the sofa. A happy reunion takes place between the sisters, and Kwanzaa is off to a great start. When Mrs. Jackson is named the honorary ancestral grandmother by the tenants, she faces the group and says, “You have all given me a Kwanzaa miracle!”

The colorful illustrations by Frank Norfleet are realistic and eye-catching, and Mrs. Gayle’s story of community certainly touches the heart and reminds us all of the importance of understanding and friendship. She includes a page at the end of the book outlining the seven principles of Kwanzaa—number one being Umoja or Unity!

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Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can find Amy’s blog, Ponderings >From Picket Fence Cottage, at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.

Reviewed by Amy M. O’Quinn for the National Writing for Children Center

Title: The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Written by: Hans Christian Anderson
Retold by: Tor Seidler
Illustrated by: Fred Marcellino
Hardback: 28 pages
Ages: 4-8
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf; 1st edition (October 1992)
ISBN-10: 0062050001
ISBN-13: 978-0062050007

Children of all ages have cherished this timeless classic by Hans Christian Anderson for many years, and for good reason. The beautifully bittersweet story of love and heroism has all the elements to tug at the heartstrings yet warm the soul. And, while not always considered a holiday story, this version with illustrations depicting a Victorian Christmas is charming and flavored with old-fashioned appeal.

The tin soldier is different from the other soldiers in that he has only one leg. But, even so, he is more steadfast than all the others— the one destined for greatness. And, when a little boy opens the box and finds the twenty-five men in red and blue uniforms, the journey of the steadfast tin soldier begins.

Almost immediately, the tin soldier spots a beautiful paper ballerina standing in front of a grand cardboard castle. It looks to the soldier as if the dancer, too, has only one leg because the other leg is lifted so high behind her. His heart is captured at once by the lovely ballerina, and he thinks she would make a perfect wife for him. He can’t take his eyes off of her.

But, at night when the house is quiet and the people have gone to bed, the toys come alive and play. Someone else notices the soldier’s infatuation with the ballerina, and he doesn’t like what he sees. It’s the jack-in-the-box (or the goblin as he’s called), and he warns the tin soldier to keep his eyes to himself…or else. But the tin soldier pretends not to hear.

The next day, the tin soldier is set upon the windowsill when a gust of wind blows open the window causing him to fall three stories to the street below, only to suffer (upside down) through a downpour of rain. After he is found by a couple of street urchins, he is placed in a paper boat that is set sail in the gutter.

He then faces a gutter rat, a terrible fall into the canal, and a large fish which swallows him up. But through it all, the tin soldier remains steadfast, brave, and unflinching. And his thoughts never stray from his lovely ballerina, even as he prepares for death.

Miraculously, the fish is caught, taken to market, sold, and brought to the kitchen of the house where the soldier’s journey began. After he is taken from inside the fish, the soldier is placed back in the living room where he and the ballerina gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes, saying much without saying a word.

But, for no apparent reason, one of the little boys throws the tin soldier into the blazing stove. Even as he begins to melt, he remains steadfast and his eyes never leave those of the ballerina. Just then, a gust of wind catches the paper dancer and she flies straight to the tin soldier’s side. The two perish, and all that remains is some tin in the shape of a heart and the spangle from the dancer’s sash. Together, forever.

Tor Seidler does a wonderful job retelling the classic story while still maintaining Anderson’s voice. And Fred Marcellino’s illustrations are simply enchanting. This book is definitely one to pull from the shelf during the holiday season, and throughout the rest of the year as well.

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Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can find Amy’s blog, Ponderings From Picket Fence Cottage, at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.

Reviewed by Amy M. O’Quinn for the National Writing for Children Center

Title: Chanukah Lights Everywhere
Written by: Michael J. Rosen
Illustrated by: Melissa Iwai
Hardback: 32 pages
Ages: 4-8
Publisher: Harcourt Trade, 2001; 1st Edition
ISBN-10: 0152056750
ISBN-13: 978-0152056759

In this bright and colorful book, a young boy and his family celebrate Chanukah (Hanukkah) or the Festival of Lights. But author Michael J. Rosen also cleverly incorporates the skill of counting into the story by matching the number of candles that are lit on the menorah each night to other kinds of lights that can be seen by the five-year-old boy and his family.

For example, on the second night of the Festival of Lights, the family has lit two candles on the menorah. And as the little boy and his sister are spinning the dreidel on the floor, they notice TWO headlights outside as their grandfather drives up.

On the fourth night of Chanukah, there are four candles burning on the menorah. But the little boy also notices there are FOUR flames flickering under the skillets and pots on the stove as his mother fries up a platterful of latkes.

And on the seventh night of Chanukah, the family takes a drive around the neighborhood. The boy notices that at his best friend’s house, where Christmas is celebrated, there are lamps with just one bulb burning in each of the SEVEN windows—just as there are seven candles on his menorah at home. The boy’s father says, “Chanukah is also about the joy of different religions sharing a street.”

Throughout the eight days of Chanukah, and even afterwards, the little boy sees lights that remind him of the candles on the menorah. And he thinks about Chanukah and being Jewish in such a wide world of other lights—it extends far beyond the menorah.

This engaging book by Michael J. Rosen has certainly captured the spirit of the Jewish celebration while also providing the reader with a glimpse into the life of a young boy who finds joy in the traditions of his family and his heritage. He is also very observant of the one-to-one correspondence of the different kinds of lights around him as he adds candles to the menorah each night.

The illustrations by Melissa Iwai are lively and playful and add much to the story. Young readers will enjoy finding the menorahs (sometimes cleverly hidden) on each page. Children might also notice and count the growing number of cats throughout the story.

At the end of the book, Mr. Rosen includes two pages about the history of Chanukah and the symbolism of this Festival of Lights. The information is helpful to readers (such as myself) who are not as familiar with Chanukah, and it also provides insight and understanding about this important Jewish holiday!

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Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can find Amy’s blog, Ponderings From Picket Fence Cottage, at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.