The Miracle of Short Lessons
Jan watered the last pot of pink geraniums hanging on her back
verandah and headed inside. The kitchen clock showed 8.25 – time to
call the kids and start school. “I’ll start them on maths” she
thought, “At least then it’ll be out of the way. But
then again, maybe it will take us all day – again!”
While explaining Cherish’s page, she noticed Brandon staring into space,
maths book open, pen poised in the air. “Back to work!” Jan directed
at him. “As soon as you’ve finished that, I’m going to read
to you another chapter of The Golden Goblet. Hmm – that’ll make
it about 9.15. I’ve time to do Sarah’s counting exercise with her
now.”
Fifteen minutes later, upon returning from working on Sarah’s lesson
with her, Brandon is still on the same sum, doodling. Instead of giving Cherish
her dictation, she now needs to help Brandon finish his first maths sum. He
did a whole page of the same sums yesterday, but as usual, is daydreaming.
It seems to be becoming a pattern – her son not focussing on his work,
although she knows he is capable of it. He just never seems to pay attention
to his work!
Anyone who has ever taught children can sympathise with this problem. In fact,
the founder of the modern homeschooling movement, English educator Charlotte
Mason, spent a good deal of time addressing it. She set out a wonderful method
which has proven effective in helping many people overcome this lack of attentiveness.
Her answer: short lessons.
Many of us have seen one of our own children daydreaming when they are meant
to be working on a lesson. They seem bored with their work. Most of us have
counteracted boredom with a sharp word to the dawdler, an easier lesson, a
threat, a disciplinary measure or no lesson at all. Charlotte Mason recognised
this problem and pinpointed the cause. “Boredom”, she said, “comes
from inattention. Establish the habit of attention” (MASON: Formation
of Character, p. 409).
Charlotte Mason sought to cure inattentiveness with short lessons. With short lessons the habit of inattentiveness can be curbed and eventually replaced with the habit of attentiveness. Mason implored parents and teachers not to let the habit start, and if it had already become entrenched, to exert themselves to put a stop to it lest it effect the child’s whole life and character.
She recommended lessons be shortened to less than 15 minutes for a child under nine years and extending to 45 minutes for children in Years 11 and 12. She also believed the natural consequence of a break from the work to do something pleasurable once the work was complete should be motivation enough to attend to the work. In our home we apply this by doing our reading aloud first on each school day, then table work—then the natural consequence of attending diligently to every lesson allocated for the day is an “early mark”.