Chaucer Day-- and why don't (or can't) kids memorize?




Finally Friday. Today is also Chaucer Day in Brit Lit when we re-create the Tabard Inn, and kids wear improvised costumes, tell their characters' tales, eat food (nothing "modern"), and amuse one another with their attempts at reciting the first 18 lines of the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales in Middle English. 

That last part is getting harder and harder-- why can't kids memorize anything anymore? I mean, they manage the song lyrics to their favorite music, but when it comes to dates, facts, and literary passages-- it's a hard nope. I blame computers (I tend to do that for a lot of things), since they don't have to store information in their heads nearly as much as we had to. They can tap their watch, and they have facts. Or what they think are facts. I know that the drama coach struggles to get kids off book, too-- it's a wider spread issue than just my little class.

At any rate, I think I have two brave souls who are willing to give it a try. And this week, they also had to write intentionally silly ballads to share at the Inn. We should have a good time. And it sure beats writing another paper-- this is a summative grade, overall. 

I made them an applesauce/blueberry bread. =)

Wish us luck! Hug your loved ones tightly, and keep your face to the sun.

C


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