Who remembers having to do book reports in elementary school?

[senior citizen]

Does anyone remember having to do book reports in elementary school?

We could choose a topic, from among many.......then had to go to the library for our research books......read up on the topic......write a "rough draft", perfect the rough draft, write it out in CURSIVE and then stand up in front of the class and read it or sometimes memorize it, if it was shorter....like poetry.

We went "step by step" through the process.......and lugged all kinds of books home, except for the library books which we could not check out.

I guess it taught us not only research but to be organized. I liked it all, except for the part of reading it in front of the class.

My mom would always tell me how she LOVED going to the library from age 7 on........it became her "escape" and she developed a love of books; taking us to the library from a young age........same habit I followed with our own children.........and they do with theirs..........

My mom would bring the books home and read by the "GAS LIGHT" OUTDOORS........she even had an "outhouse".......those were the days.

To her, books opened an entire world which she could never hope to experience otherwise, being the child of a widowed immigrant woman.

I know there are kids today getting a good education as they WANT it, however, I'm sure there are those more drawn to the computer games and such..........which we, as parents, did not have to contend with.

My husband and I always say that if the terrorists want to really strike a chord of fear and total overwhelming loss.........just zap our power grids which would kill our computers, etc........and we'd all be disconnected.

Supermarkets would not be able to check out the customers as their cash registers wouldn't work..........and none of them can "add" like some of the oldtimers we knew who would "add it up" right on the brown bag..or the ladies in the department stores who would actually write up a receipt and add it up in front of you............no computer, no adding machine.

They probably did not go past 8th grade.....but could do the simple basic tasks..........which a lot of folks today definitely would need their "machines" to accomplish.

[Parker]

What a great post! You brought back such memories. The book report process taught me alot, such as the 'process' of self-taught learning. I found out when quite young that I could learn anything I wanted to if I could read and had access to information. I wonder how many of the young students of today know this.

[blueash]

In second grade I was given the assignment of writing a report on American Indians. It was the first such assignment and I did not want to do it. I recall some crying about it. My college educated mom, in her best my child is not going to fail an assignment role, basically did the whole thing for me. I got an A and the teacher wrote that I did the work she would expect of a fifth grader. For years we all teased Mom that with all her education she only produced fifth grade work.

[senior citizen]

In second grade I was given the assignment of writing a report on American Indians. It was the first such assignment and I did not want to do it. I recall some crying about it. My college educated mom, in her best my child is not going to fail an assignment role, basically did the whole thing for me. I got an A and the teacher wrote that I did the work she would expect of a fifth grader. For years we all teased Mom that with all her education she only produced fifth grade work.

Very cute story. Your mom was "under cover" and trying to think like a second grader.....so she outdid herself, actually. Hope you did future reports yourself....

I remember the American Indians in second grade and then all the explorers, etc.......in each subsequent grade.

[bandsdavis]

This is slightly off topic, so please forgive me, but there is a very funny song called "The Book Report" in the musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown", where Charlie, Lucy, Linus and Schroeder are writing a report on Peter Rabbit. Shows the personalities of each coming out as they struggle with the assignment. Very funny. As luck would have it, The Villages Musical Company is producing this musical at The Savannah Center in October (I'm directing). Hope many of you will come and see the show! And any of you wannabe thespians think about coming and auditioning! Watch the Rec News for info.

[senior citizen]

Good post. I was a shy kid and dreaded getting up in front of the class for any reason. I can't count how many times I slumped in my chair to avoid being called to give my report. Eventually, I was called and survived the experience every time.


We all survived. The children of our generation were not as outgoing as the children of today......that's for sure. Shyness was not uncommon back then.

[redwitch]

I hated book reports! Always saw them as just as a way to prove to the teacher that I'd read the book (and it usually wasn't what I wanted to read, anyway). I'd been a reader since I was 3, loved learning but really resented anything I saw as wasting my time. Book reports were high up there. As to reading my report in front of the class, I despised doing that (standing in front of the class was true torture) -- would rather be sent to the principal's office than get up there (and frequently had that occur).

What's funny is I don't remember having to do book reports overseas. We'd get lists of books we had to read and have group discussions (and our word that we'd read a certain book was frequently sufficient) but I really don't remember ever having to write a book report in another language, so don't think we did them.

The other thing that I couldn't see doing was diagramming a sentence. Never even heard of that until I was in 7th grade. Teacher told me to diagram a sentence on the blackboard. I told her I didn't know how. She thought I was being smart, threw an eraser at me when I flat out refused to do something I'd never even heard of previously and sent me to the dean's office. I got out of that class real fast and into the classroom of my favorite teacher of all time. To this day, I still think fondly of Mr. Artz and his joy when we could discuss books with him in a semi-intelligent manner.

[Serenoa]

Sure, I remember doing book reports in grade school.

And later on, after discovering Cliff's Notes, somehow they didn't take nearly as long to complete.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

I remember book reports, I guess soon kids will just text a 72 character report full of things like "made me LOL"

[Number 6]

I still owe my fifth grade teacher 33 book reports which I promiced to do over the summer. Sorry, Mrs. Fix!

[sjdjmd]

I love today's book reports for elementary students with the requirements to incorporate technology, costumes, creativity plus an intergration of subjects. Where we're from students use a lot of hard/soft back books but also ebooks, do research on the computer, etc.. I love innovative teaching/learning strategies!

[senior citizen]

I remember book reports, I guess soon kids will just text a 72 character report full of things like "made me LOL"

I "hear you"........or copy and paste from Wikipedia.......

[jbdlfan]

I love today's book reports for elementary students with the requirements to incorporate technology, costumes, creativity plus an intergration of subjects. Where we're from students use a lot of hard/soft back books but also ebooks, do research on the computer, etc.. I love innovative teaching/learning strategies!

You are so very right!!!!!!!! We have students email and Skypeing with the authors, video book chats, all kinds of great stuff in our "dumbed down" schools.

[jbdlfan]

I "hear you"........or copy and paste from Wikipedia.......

As opposed to Cliff Notes........ yea, nobody cheated before now......

[senior citizen]

As opposed to Cliff Notes........ yea, nobody cheated before now......

You must be of the younger generation.

We were born in 1945 and went to school in the 1950's, graduating high school in 1962.....never heard of cliff notes............until our own kids were in high school or college.

Ours was the generation before computers; we didn't even type our reports.

Everything had to be handwritten out........beginning with the rough drafts and then the final presentation for the teacher.

Different era.....for sure.

Now, all the schools have computers, etc.

[senior citizen]

I love today's book reports for elementary students with the requirements to incorporate technology, costumes, creativity plus an intergration of subjects. Where we're from students use a lot of hard/soft back books but also ebooks, do research on the computer, etc.. I love innovative teaching/learning strategies!

I realize education has changed and our grandkids amaze us with their knowledge and zest for learning...............

Our daughter is a teacher; our son in law was a teacher........

We are in awe of the students today.

Just saying that things are certainly "different" than back in the 1950's, etc.

[jbdlfan]

I realize education has changed and our grandkids amaze us with their knowledge and zest for learning...............

Our daughter is a teacher; our son in law was a teacher........

We are in awe of the students today.

Just saying that things are certainly "different" than back in the 1950's, etc.

I agree with you that things are incredibly different. But that doesn't mean one is better than the other and that's the part that grinds my gears. I have to laugh every time someone will say how dumb kids are now when they are laughing at the older generation at not being able to use a computer or smartphone. It truly goes both ways.

[DougB]

You must be of the younger generation.

We were born in 1945 and went to school in the 1950's, graduating high school in 1962.....never heard of cliff notes............until our own kids were in high school or college.

Ours was the generation before computers; we didn't even type our reports.

Everything had to be handwritten out........beginning with the rough drafts and then the final presentation for the teacher.

Different era.....for sure.

Now, all the schools have computers, etc.

Cliffs Notes have been around since 1958.

[DougB]

We also have two topics going on here. A "research project" is not a "book report".

[senior citizen]

Cliffs Notes have been around since 1958.

1959 we were freshmen in high school. Still never heard of them or used them.

Guess I didn't need them. I always enjoyed reading.....

Might have heard of them when our kids were in high school in the mid to late 1980's?? Or, maybe it wasn't until they were in college......???

Really do not remember cliff notes.......although I have heard of them.