memory

[tanyabakes]

my 6 year old daughter shocked me today, i asked her how she was able to remember so many facts, i had picked her up from riding, and the instructor had asked her to let the others have a try, then shewas allowed to answer.
She told me that the names of a particular brush was the same letter as one of the horses, i told her she was remembering things by association, i explained this to her, her answer was thats just what i did.
She is not top of the class, nicely in the middle,she never wanted to learn letters, numbers before school, she has always been very head strong, and determined,but she has suddenly just started to fly, speaking to teacher she was amazed how suddenly the speed of her learning has progressed.
She has done this with anything physicsl, she is one of those children that could just ride a bike, she toilet trained herself at 16 months etc.but not academic,
My question is should i just go with the flow?
I have never pushed her, you never could

[snowmummy]

Yes, go with the flow. What else were you thinking of doing?

[tanyabakes]

Sorry late reply, new to all this.
Wasnt sure how to approach, haven't had to go down this route before, its just it seems year 1 becomes a battleground with top table!!, who is on, who isnt.
Never liked to pressure her, she always seemed to put herself under pressure, she is always comparing with others, she placed herself as middle!.
I was looking at speaking to her teacher to check if they have told the children about this way of remembering information.
Thank you for reply

[RedHelenB]

A good memory is a separate thing to being bright but obviously it helps. It's applying what she has learned that will place her on "the top table".

[savoirfaire]

I am interested in this too. I think my 4yo has a photographic memory. He was able to spell his name at just turned 3 having never been taught by anyone - just replicating what he remembered having looked at. He can list the names or 30 or 40 birds having been shown their pictures a couple of times in a bird book. At about 2.5 he could name every single Mr Man when shown the picture (what a skill!?!) after having seen most of them only once or twice. Up to now it has really just been a bit of a party trick and DH and I have been mildly amused by it. He started to 'read' simple words early (before 3.5) but I still worry that he is doing most of his learning by memorising words rather than blending phonics properly (although he knows all the sounds. He's not at school yet btw). But I do wonder if I should do anything to develop it or if it indicates he would be best taught certain skills in certain ways. I do worry a bit about phonics and him 'cheating' by learning words by sight and not learning to sound out properly. Interested in others' views.

[ChazDingle]

lol savoirfaire my 2.10 year old also knows all the Mr Men!! Well telll i lie he usually gets stuck on one, Mr Small, surely thats the most obvious one!!

[savoirfaire]

Haha Chaz. My DS used to get stuck on a couple. Mr Mischief was always Mr Chimney !