My Memorization Method and Schedule - Gospel of John on Final Month

Note that this is one of the series posts I created and summary is in Memorizing Methods page.

 

2-Oct-2019



My memorization method is almost similar to Andew Davis link here but I modified it by not memorizing the references. I did write before this in this link when I first tried to memorize John though now I don't follow religiously the steps like 10 times reciting, I use lesser effort since I notice I became better on this as years goes by.  To give the insight above is my enhanced format of my daily memorization, currently on Gospel of John.

To refresh, my method is daily 6 verses (just happens I am re-memorizing John that is why sometimes I put more verses on some days). I always remind myself the benefits I am reaping, and it naturally makes it easier for me to follow my schedules. Sometimes I would also get motivations from blogs of those who also memorize.

Columns from Left to Right:

A -  Date of the month, ex. 1st Oct,
B -  Day of the week, Monday to Sunday
C-  Tuesday
D- Chapter of current book memorization
E -Verse start of current memorization
F - Verse end of current memorization - there is a formula to add 6 verses daily (from E2) then hard code the last verse of each chapter.

For example the schedule for new verses on 1st Oct is 19:23-33. For example today 2nd of Oct, on my commute to work, I review first the yesterday verses 19:23-33 then the rest of the chapter 19:1-23 (this is the G column denoting 19b). Then after my lunch I will memorize 19:33-42 (roughly 20 minutes). Sometimes if I have extra time I would recite some chapters from the book in column I 'Review Older Books' - today is Titus (M = Monthly). The idea is while I am still fresh, I will do the recent ones which needs more effort then since I have lesser energy towards the end of the day so I review those I am already very familiar. Also, benefit of separating the columns of types of reviews is to easily detect I wont exceed 6 chapters review a day or I might get overwhelmed.

Just beside each plan would be highlighted color for the actual, say on col F is light red means this is the actual current verse memorized. The next actuals in column H is the light green which are those recently memorized chapter, and lastly, the light yellow in col J is old book already memorized for review - which I actually recited. If actual is same as planned I will put 'ok' but if not then I will put exactly what I've done, example 1st-Oct I only recite James, so I moved Romans 8 in another date.

Once a chapter is memorized, I will move that chapter into daily for 7 days. I also try to merge within the chunk ex. John 1-4, 5-7 etc. (about 20 minutes to review) then put the whole chunk a weekly review for a month, then I will move it to every two weeks, then monthly, then maybe after a year I will move it to every two months - I'm not there yet, but others said they can recall even every 4 months. I've read dozens of blogs as I am finding encouragement on this goals.

If before my practice is print the monthly schedule and paste it in my bible back page and update by pen, recently I notice that I could not follow the plans and it is not easy to mark the ones I actually completed in the paper, not to mention once a month is completed, it is not easy to track where is the paper to verify what I had memorized in those months. So it is better to update the softcopy in excel mostly in my phone which automatically syncs to my laptop at work and personal laptop using Google Drive. I still have a printed schedule pasted in my bible just for reference but I don't update the actuals in paper.

I have chunked John in 6 parts so I can easily do a weekly review by chunk as below.

Below is my current progress with all the books of New Testament (also in this link for my current 5-Year-Plan) which is also pasted in the inner cover of my bible. Now below is re-memorization because I stopped for almost two years so it looks quick but my initial memorization schedule was longer on this old post which was my initial 5-Year-Plan.

Now I understand that it doesn't matter how long it takes as long consistent at least 6 days a week even one verse a day rather than none, and another tip is to make a "liquid" schedule or soft copy in excel which we can update depending on situations.



On the light note, I'm so glad that today I have change the wrap of my waterproof NT bible which I used for this memorization. You might notice that the color is glossy gold wrapped with a hard hearty plastic.

The size of this just fits my little belt bag that is why it is so easy to bring every day on commute, during lunch breaks and sitting just in my table at my work.

The theme color of the cover fits well what is inside this book. These are shining gold, much precious than gold actually, sweeter also than honey. See how it glares below! These precious treasures I'm storing in my heart, isn't the heart and color depicts exactly what is this for, love it! :-)

 

 

8-Nov-2019

 

I'd like to keep here the completed October 2019 schedule , first time I have softcopy which would be useful for my reference on scheduling succeeding months.