Is there any value in a child writing up things they've learned?

[PassTheTwiglets]

We have just started HE and DD (9yo) is fine but I think I need deschooling for myself :) I'm finding it hard to get out of that school mindset of of writing things in project books and am wondering how much, if any, writing to ask DD to do. To take the example of a science experiment, obviously it's the activity itself that is going to be the learning part but does anyone think there is any value to writing up about the experiment afterwards? (other than for handwriting practice, I mean). I wonder if things will stick in her mind more and it will consolidate her thoughts if she writes things down, or will it just be an annoyance for her that turns it into work rather than learning for the fun of it.

There is value in doing it (as there is in almost everything); however, oral narration would likely work as well if not better in helping to cement the ideas unless she can write as smoothly as she can speak. Discussion and debating the concept presented tends to have a bigger impact than writing on one's own, particularly at this age.

First of all how long have you been HEing?

To be honest, it seems like however long its been it sounds like you may need to deschool a little longer anyway. Give yourself maybe till the end of summer, or atleast set yourself a date, with enough time to let things just flow and when that date comes around you can evaluate everything and reconsider HE methods then. There's some good stuff posted in some of my own threads recently, one site in particular I found very useful was this one:
joyfullyrejoycing.com/

I cant say everything there will suit our family dynamic perfectly but its a great place to help with the deschooling and how children learn outside of the school enviornment.

Now, as far as your question about science projects...

To take the example of a science experiment, obviously it's the activity itself that is going to be the learning part but does anyone think there is any value to writing up about the experiment afterwards? (other than for handwriting practice, I mean). I wonder if things will stick in her mind more and it will consolidate her thoughts if she writes things down, or will it just be an annoyance for her that turns it into work rather than learning for the fun of it.

I would say that she would probably write stuff down if she felt it helpful to memorise by writing stuff down. Im like that. Things dont sink in for me unless I make extensive notes. I wouldnt use the notes afterwards to study from, just the act of writing the notes out helps me to retain information. Not everyone is like that tho. My son and I sift through kids encyclopedias and kids science books and he'll remember stuff that I cant. Its cool! Currently we are doing an informal 'project' on clouds bc we found awesome stuff about clouds in a book we got out of the library. We looked stuff up about clouds on the internet and he didnt write anything down...

hth

Thanks, both of you, that's very useful. I hadn't really thought about oral narration, though I suppose it's something we do naturally. We've only been HEing for a few weeks, btw.

Almost all of our home based education has depended on this oral narration. If you are involved with a child on a one to one basis, you can discuss things as they go along and comment on the result, and then ask "is there anything you could do to make it even better next time" if such a question is appropriate.

I've found the children have written things down themselves-or asked me to do so in the early severe dyslexia days) if they have wanted to record anything-if it is important enough for them to do so.

If you are a teacher in front of a class of 35, you'll need for things to be written up, so that you know if everyone in the class has the correct understanding. When you are on a one to one/two basis, you can see instantly if your child has the understanding, and just chatting will allow you to take it further, or re go over something-if your child wants you to.

I suppose that part of the benefit of recording things is that whatever was learned can be revisited (and might just go in better at a later date!)
Recording things doesn't just have to be handwritten either- could you perhaps cover computer skills by photographing the experiment or game and then creating a photo story or video?

I suppose it depends why someone might want to write about the stuff that they've done.

My son - now 19 - showed no inclination to write about what he'd done. Until the point where he needed to document the procedures he'd followed (as reference, comparison, how-to) for others, in relation to computer programming and in making and setting up musical instruments. And now he is unstoppable in giving impromptu lectures and writing manuals on the slightest pretext.

He'd never write about doing a science experiment though, because he wouldn't see the point.

My DD isn't interested in writing anything other than stories, it's only me that's feeling that she ought to - so I guess I've answered my own question there :)

oh god, half the time we only get stuff recorded in school so that we have got evidence we taught the bloody thing.

patriciazaballos.com/2012/03/30/writing-ideas-a-cool-facts-slide-show/

Don't have anything to add about value of writing things down, but this is a helpful blog post on how to organise thoughts on paper.

My DH thinks the girls should be 'writing up' their learning eg. if we go to a museum...he says this is the way that he learns best. I have come to realise that this is very much a school way of doing things - a way of 'proving' that the learning has happened, and instead we talk over things we've seen and done, and refer to them at other times to reinforce learning. I like them to practise their handwriting, write birthday cards etc but that's it. I write in a learning diary every day just for my benefit to remember what we've done!

catnipkitty, I'm intrigued. If you all go to a museum together does he write up his visit? Does he blog it or something?