Busy Streets

As students, we all went through writing book reports. Our kids are no different from us. From my experience as a parent, schools nowadays begin assigning books for our kids to read and evaluate starting Grade 2.

Here are some tips that I have used for my 9-year old son Adi and which you may also find useful for your own kids:

1. Make notes on each chapter. — Typically, schools will assign a book report topic over a semester or over a year. We cannot expect our kids to remember each and every detail when it is time to write or finalize the book report so jotting down notes per chapter will allow our kids to remember important events, major characters, feelings, and insights without having to read the book again. Such notes will assist our kids in remembering important details which will help them answer guide questions, as well as write their actual book report.

2. Look up the meaning of words that you do not understand. — This will increase our kids’ vocabulary and will also train them in using the dictionary. This is a much better option than just giving our kids the meaning of the words offhand.

3. For the parents, read the book yourself. — This will allow you to check your child’s work or book report and will likewise help you in discussing major questions or issues that arise from the story.

4. Train your kids to write properly. — Teach your kids to always write and answer questions in complete sentences. Remind them not to use the same word in 3 sentences, one after the other. Kids sometimes have the tendency to just repeat a word when constructing sentences. For example: “I like the book because it has an interesting story. I like the personality of the main character. I like the story because it has many interesting twists and turns.” Pointing out to them that they just cannot say “I like” all the time will lead our kids to think of using alternative words and will make their report less monotonous.

You may have missed out on reading several classics or nice stories as a child. Rather than fret when your child is given a “book report assignment,” welcome it as an opportunity to be able to read all the books that you never got the chance to read before and also to give your kids a few reading and writing tips which will surely serve them in good stead in the years to come.