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Bedtime Stories
Beginning from the time I was two years old, my mom and dad would read me bedtime stories before bed and also the same stories during the day. From this time, I do not remember much, but my mom used to say I would just want to touch every page and all the pictures instead of actually listen to the story. Stories that were read to me where Dr. Seuss, Fairytales, and books about animals. -
Kindergarten Time
As I grew a little older and began reading on my own, I started reading books such as Amelia Bedelia and Eric Carl books on my own. By the time I was in kindergarten, and at only six years old, I had helped a boy with disabilities try and learn how to read even if it was only mumbles and sounds, I clearly remember this and think it is a big step in my literacy because I was helping someone else along with gaining knowledge myself. -
3rd Grade Blues
The next step along my literacy journey begins at the age of eight and nine when I made the transfer from second to third grade. At this time, I did not only move up a grade level the next summer, but I was going to a new school. The major issue with this transition and my new school was that they taught cursive in second grade, but my old school taught it in third grade. So here I was going into third grade in a new school without knowing how to write in cursive. -
iPhone>Reading
Moving forward to sixth grade, I was a twelve year old mid-puberty girl who was obsessed with her new phone and did not take reading as seriously as I should have. In sixth grade, when given the choice to pick out selected reading, I would always go for the books with the least amount of pages and with the biggest font. This only came to hurt me come junior high and high school when I no longer got to choose books to read for myself, but they were assigned. -
Sliding By
Next comes junior high where I thoughtI could just get by with listening in class and skimming through assigned reading. I learned very fast that this was not a solution and that I could not continue this trend in high school. Although I got decent grades with this method, I knew in the long run it would not be beneficial and after hearing my teachers constantly bring up high school textbooks I soon was terrified and knew things needed to change. This change had to happen before high school. -
Sparknotes and Such
This now brings me to my high school memories of using Sparknotes.com and always asking a friend for a summary. Transitioning into high school and learning how to actually read assigned text is where I struggled. I did not go into freshman year as I should have by reading a summer reading book, but instead discovered Sparknotes.com which became my new best friend. This now became a dangerous new habit of mine that was becoming strongly addicting. -
Dyslexia
This leads me to my first two years of high school where I began to realize I had to do more than skim the book to understand. Since I was a slow reader to begin with, my tactic was to read as much as I can the night before and try to understand that days reading and if I did not finish, to continue reading where I left off the next day. This seemed to work until I took the ACT test and was completely shocked at my reading and writing score. This is when I found out I was partially dyslexic. -
New Love for Writing
With understanding my dyslexia going into my senior year, I made a promise to myself I would better my reading and writing and retake the ACT to prepare for college. By having accommodations it made it easier to do this. Senior year in particular is where I learned that I loved to write. This was all thanks to two of my teachers senior year Mr. Leonard and Mrs. Mitchell. Without them I don't know where I would be as far as reading and writing if it was not for the confidence I gained from them. -
Hope for the Future
To finish my literacy thus far in my life, I began my college experience three years ago with the intent of conquering all my reading and writing struggles and to succeed the best I can and improve my literacy as a whole. With completing two years of college, and now entering my third, I know I have succeed thus far and will only continue to grow and thrive in literacy as I am confident and excited to see what the future brings for me and also what TCH 208 has to offer!
