Memory Verses

I was raised Baptist; we memorized Bible verses. Over the past 16 or so years since my conversion to Anglican Catholicism, I have been the pondering different approaches to Bible memorization. I talk to Roman Catholic friends, and they are skeptical about the "drill, baby, drill" approach to Scripture. They rightly point out that they and their children are very familiar with many passages of Scripture from hearing and singing the passages in church, as well as their private devotions. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17

The tricky bit is the "street address," as we called it then: chapter and verse. I recently had a discussion with my children about this. They, like my Roman catholic friends, are familiar with more Scripture than they realize. But I want more than familiarity for them. The Prayer Book collect for the Second Sunday in Advent says, "Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ." Yes, yes, that is what I want for myself and my children.

So many times I ask my husband, whose memory is better than mine (about religion, at any rate), "what is that verse...you know the one about..."  At the very least he points me to the correct book and chapter. (Sometimes, he comes back with a stack of books on the passage that I might want to look over.)

And, okay, I admit, I want my Baptist friends and relatives to think I am doing a good job. *blushes and hangs head*

I tried various plans for memory verses when I started homeschooling. Some plans were not so much plans as "I'm going to make this cute little memory verse card, and we are going to work on it for a week and then do something else entirely." I even laminated the cute little cards. The children were pleased with their accomplishments, but I did not know how to encourage retention.

As I started reading more about Charlotte Mason (and realizing it was not quite what I thought it was), I discovered the Scripture Memory System at Simply Charlotte Mason. I have a terrible aversion to reading instructions. Ugh. So I tried to ignore this method as long as possible.

This summer I finally admitted that I just was not getting the job done to my own satisfaction. So I read the instructions. And you know what? It is simple.

I won't go into the (simple) instructions on the Simply Charlotte site, but I will show you my box and make a few suggestions.

This is just a 3 x 5 index card box. I think I used 2 packs of plastic dividers. Simply Charlotte has a free template for cardstock dividers, but I was worried they would not hold up well. I really, really should have found little labels to stick on the tabs so the alphabet would not show through.

I print the verses on cardstock, four to a page. Sometimes I write the day we started working on the verse at the top of the card.

I have verses and longer passages already printed out for future use. Apparently when I printed the card above out, I thought cramming it all on one side was a good idea. I think I will reprint and staple multiple cards together.

I decided to include weighty religious quotations as well, perhaps reviewing one once a week instead of daily.

So this is our current system, and it is working really well. We review and learn the verses together. We spend however much time is needed on each verse. When I introduce a new verse, I have an opportunity to teach the girls something about the history, language, or interpretation of the verse. The girls are actually much better a memorizing the street addresses than I am!

What works for you in your home?