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1st Grade
In the first grade (1967), I learned the alphabet and learned to read. I remember the pressure of writing capital and lower-case letters; as the teacher announced the letter, I would write it on a sheet of lined paper. As I advanced, I learned to read primers; Dick, Jane, and Spot were the main characters in these books. Writing the letters on lined paper influenced my writing literacy and reading in group circles influenced my reading literacy. The image shows cursive writing on a blackboard. -
3rd Grade - Bookmobile
In the third grade (1969), the book-mobile visited my country school every two weeks. The book-mobile was like a library on wheels. By that time, I enjoyed reading very much and could “check out” as many books as I wanted. The school had reading incentives; students would receive certificates for reading a designated number of books during the school year. The incentive to read influenced my reading literacy. The image shows the world of reading opportunities available to me. -
Book Reports
In the third grade, I recall writing book reports. The teacher chose a classic novel, assigned chapters to read, and asked students to write a detailed summary of the important points in the book. This exercise influenced my reading and writing literacy. I learned how to recognize abstract ideas, make assumptions, and propose hypotheses of written material. The image shows questions to ask to write an effective book report. -
Pen Pal
My elementary school had a pen pal program. I recall writing letters to a girl in Sweden. Corresponding with this girl influenced my writing literacy. I imagined what it was like to live in a foreign country and asked her many questions about her school and family life. She was my age, but we did not have much in common. The image shows a person writing a letter. -
Books from Miss Pence
My father was a farmer. He farmed our land and the properties of many other people. One of the landowners, Miss Pence, gave me a book every year as a Christmas present. I still have many of these books. They are important reminders of the value that older generations placed on reading literacy. I am grateful for the kindness of Miss Pence. The image reinforces the Christmas gift of books and reading. -
High School - National Honor Society
In 1977, I was inducted into the National Honor Society. A love of reading made it easier for me to evaluate information in textbooks, grasp important ideas, and take tests. One day in English class, a teacher announced a pop quiz. The student in front of me said, “You are not even bothered by the pop quiz. You have it so easy.” Reading literacy gave me the confidence to take these exams without concern for the outcome. The image symbolizes earned achievement in academics. -
Sinclair Community College
In 1979, I graduated from High School and started taking classes at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. English courses are fundamental to most degree programs. While I performed well in my small country High School, the college English courses challenged my writing literacy. For the first time, my writing skills were measured against the skills of a wider range of students. The image shows the Federal Aviation Administration seal. My major was Aviation Administration. -
Reading to Children
My daughter was born in 1983. I read books to her often, especially before bedtime. As I turned each page, she would recite the words to the Dr. Seuss books. I recognized the importance of reading to children. Because toddlers learn through repetition, it is essential to provide quality sources of reading that build character. The image reinforces reading to children. Note that both mother and child are happy. -
Reading the Newspaper
There have been many times in my life when I subscribed to newspapers. The local paper reported news in the area and the Wall Street Journal provided articles on business, finance, and world events. Newspapers were delivered to the doorstep every day. Times have changed and we now get our news digitally. Reading the newspaper influenced my reading literacy. In this image, a man is reading business articles in a newspaper. Reading is a source of current events. -
University of Texas at Arlington - Research
In 1995, I decided that it was time to finish my undergraduate education. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Experimental Psychology and a minor in Business. This degree program forced me to write research documents in APA format. In the late nineties, online research was not an option. I spent many hours in the library at the University of Texas at Arlington looking up documents to support my research papers in business and psychology. This image is a historical representation of research. -
American Airlines
In 1995, I decided to work part-time while I finished my degree. Little did I know that this job in customer service training would influence the rest of my career in education. For the next ten years, I wrote, designed, and developed computer-based training programs for ticket agents, gate agents, and flight attendants. This had a significant impact on my writing literacy. This American Airlines plane visually represents my professional life for the last 36 years. -
Angelo State University
This summer, I will complete my master’s degree in curriculum and advanced instruction. Over the last two years, I have read many research papers related to education and have written many papers to support this study. Educators support the needs of learners using advanced reading and writing skills. The education program at Angelo State University reinforces and enhances my writing literacy. This image shows a woman graduating; the culmination of hard work and education. -
References
These are references for the graphics in this timeline and are shown in timeline order.
