Repetitio mater studiorum est.

 How many of you remember learning multiplication facts (e.g. 2×2, 2×4,2×5 etc),  just by doing it once? No one, right? Or correcting kids just once and they got it? Probably not. Or learning a second language, you hear it once and you are fluent in that language. Impossible! 

Repetition is vital to kids learning something new. Right now, in my classroom, I have 2 students, who can’t  recognize their name, much less, write their name. They will learn how to write their name eventually, but it will take repetition by writing their name everyday with pencil, markers, pen, painting it, forming letters with play doh, and repeating this at home as well. 

The bible itself, repeats itself. I find myself reading chapters or verses and saying, “I feel like I read this in another chapter of another book in the Bible.” I tend to think God also needs to repeat himself to emphasize a point to us. 🙂

An old Latin phrase Repetitio mater studiorum est.: Repetition is the mother of all learning. Learning is simple when you repeat. To make this happen, the most important first step is to bring the skill to a conscious level where the student is deliberately thinking about the activity (not necessarily the skill). 

How do we do that? The most effective way for children to learn is to engage the visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile pathways to the brain. This produces a multisensory connection to the concepts and skills being taught and helps children retain new information. In order to learn, children need to:

* See It!

* Hear It!

* Do It!

* Touch It!

“They serve in a place that is a copy and shadow of the heavenly meeting tent. This is indicated when Moses was warned by God when he was about to set up the meeting tent: See that you follow the pattern that I showed you on the mountain in every detail.” ~Hebrews‬ ‭8:5‬ ‭

This week and the weeks to follow, let’s focus on having kids retain information of some of the following: 

1. Learn the verse of the week; 

2. Rules; 

3. Our names; 

4.  A fellow FreedomHouse child’s name (someone they don’t know); 

5. Retell the main point of the lesson; 

6. Tell 1 thing they learned in Wednesday’s / Sunday’s  class. 

To achieve the above, try some of  the following: 

1. Do: I say it, you say it. I repeat this phrase ALL DAY LONG! I bend my arm towards myself (first pic), and I’ll say “I say it,” or “My turn.” I then say what I want them to repeat. This shows kids, it’s my turn. Then, I extend my arm, (second pic), and I say “you say it” or “your turn.” This allows kids to repeat in unison, instead of sporadic voices coming from here and there and everywhere. 

If kids either don’t do it in unison, or I didn’t hear everyone say it, then I say, “Let’s try that again.” 

2. Have students do an action for a verb they they hear in the lesson/story or verse.   For example, when you have a verb in the lesson/ verse, like Love, have kids hug themselves or make a heart with their hand. You can stop at the moment when you have a verb or a main point you want to stress, and say, “show me angry”(for example). This engages kids, plus it will help them retain information about the lesson/verse. 

3. Write out the verse so kids can read what they are repeating. 

4. Have them tell a neighbor. Pastor Josiah often uses this strategy during his sermon when  he wants us to repeat an important word or phrase to emphasize a point. 

Scriptures on Repetition

I wish you all a great week with FreedomHouse kids! I look forward to serving with you.