What did teachers make you memorize and recite for a grade?

[pronker]

At the beginning of fifth grade, we were told several milestones to prepare for. In mid-grade and spread out a few students daily over about two weeks, each student had to recite in front of the class several mandatory pieces (Trees by Joyce Kilmer, the preamble to the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address) and one we could choose (I picked Abou Ben Adhem.)

What things did others have to memorize?

Comments

[bluewolf458]

We had to memorise things, especially when we were younger than 12, but I don't remember that we ever had to recite them in front of the class. Mostly poetry at that age. After we were twelve it was mostly Shakespeare. It's amazing how much of it I remember. (I used to know Abou Ben Adhem but I've forgotten all but the first two lines now. Google!)

But most of my memorising was in the days when I was studying for an ATCL in speech (Associate of the Trinity College of London) - mid teens to early twenties. I'm actually qualified to teach what used to be known as elocution, probably still is, though I've never used that qualification. Too much else to do. Just why my mother thought it would be a good idea for me to take elocution lessons, though, I never did know.

[pronker]

Yes, performing even in this simple setting proved that we kids could, even if our natures weren't wholeheartedly into it. I remember these few things in particular and none of them more than a few lines each. Still, we gained confidence for later endeavors.

Congratulations belatedly on your studies, which sound quite interesting. Your mom must have seen something in you that parents do in that discerning way of theirs and now you have a qualification on your CV. My Youngest delighted in speech and debate and, along with his speech partner, won a national award in 2010. Ha, he's 10x more social than I am, was, or ever will be! :)

[bluewolf458]

Congratulations to your youngest!

Some people are born with a social nature... some aren't. I've done some stage work (purely amateur) and I think a lot of actors are basically introverts - they're using other people's words, hiding behind them. (And yes, I'm an introvert. We did an exercise on it at college and out of sixty of us, there was only one who scored more introverted than I did.)

[pronker]

I'll tell him you said so! Thanks. He's leaving for his own place nearer his work this week. It's bittersweet to see his room halfway cleared out. I'm working on an itinerary to travel to see him 1x monthly.