The Value of Recitation

On her blog, Freehold 2, Ruby has written a very thoughtful piece, “The Art of Recitation,” about the value and history of recitation in education. In doing so, she challenges some standard thinking about educational practices, but she argues her points well. What I found interesting about her post is that she implicitly makes some compelling arguments for the reinstatement of recitation, not just in education, but as a general social practice (can’t remember something without resorting to a electronic device on which it’s stored?). Her piece effectively illustrates the benefits of recitation, both in the past and present.

(On a personal note, I was interested to note she also had to memorize a Shakespeare passage in school. I remember memorizing and ‘acting’ the first scene of Twelfth Night, where I played the part of Duke Orsinio: “If music be the food of love, play on….”)