-
Period: to
Encyclopedia Brittanica
I found pictures of things I liked, and was able to find them by first letter in the Encyclopedia. My grandparents taught me how to do this probably to get me off their nerves about puppies, kitttens, and gold fish. -
Period: to
Sesame Street
I continued to learn how to recognize letters, colors, numbers, and small words watching Big Bird. -
Building Blocks
Practiced letters, colors, and numbers with mom. -
Period: to
The Alphabet
I sang my ABC's to my grandmother and her Best Friend every Thursday heading to the grocery store, lunch, and park. -
Period: to
Kindergarden
Catholic school taught us to write in both print and cursive. Writings were translated off the chalk board into a writing notebook. Things such as our names, the alphabet, simple recipes, and prayers. -
I hate first grade!!!
I was placed in a slow group for reading due to difficulty understanding how to properly sound out words. -
I still hate first grade!!!
I got in trouble for writing in cursive, and was told I was not allowed to use cursive because the others weren't able to. (I was moved to public school that year. I guess they did things different.) -
I can read!!! Oh, but I still really hate first grade.
I was finally able to sound things out for myself, and accelerated. However, I started getting in trouble when I would finish too quickly, get bored, and act like a chatter box who couldn't sit still. -
Corduroy
I discovered my first favorite book. I nearly wore the edges off the thing. -
On to second grade, back to Catholic school.
Once again I was placed in a slow group due to assumptions, two weeks later I was moved to the advanced group for reading, writing, and math. The teachers made me feel dumb, but they found out I wasn't, and I've never forgotten it. -
Period: to
No recess for you!!!
I would get into trouble every day when I would get bored, and start wondering off in my head, singing to myself, pacing the room...you get the picture? So I would have extra classwork for phonics during recess. -
Demons are going to get you in your sleep.
When I refused to do anymore extra work, and threw a piece of chalk at the teacher, one of the nuns in the office told me that the devil sends demons to take bad children to hell when they sleep. "You had better watch out for the demons!" -
Period: to
I hate reading!!!
My parents knowing how much I hate sitting still, would punish me by making me read the encyclopedia when I would get in trouble. -
Third Grade with trouble comprehending
Mom decided I didn't need to be tormented by teachers scaring with me with demon talk. Back to public school. -
Period: to
Middle and HIgh School Degrading Skills
I hated school, and hated reading so much I just didn't even try anymore. I slipped from high honors to nearly failing over the course of several years. Reading with understanding was becoming a struggle again. -
Period: to
Too dumb for college anyway
My family and I fell into terrible poverty, and thought I wasn't smart enough to be successful in college. My dad seconded my thoughts by telling me I wasn't smart enough to graduate, and not to bother. I was dumb enough to listen. -
Army LIfe
I joined the Army after scoring remarkably high on the ASVAB. I guess I wasn't that dumb after all. Too bad it took the Army to realize it. -
Period: to
College Afterall
Over the course of ten years I struggled through classes during my military service, and eventually afterward when I graduated with a dual degree in Biology and Chemistry. I struggled due to some deficits but my literacy skills were sharp as a tack. -
Period: to
Surviving personal failure
I failed out of a program for physician assistants in 2015. While doing so, I found struggles with retaining what I read in a timely manner. Therefore, I started a tutoring business centered on aiding students of all ages with comprehension, self confidence, and developing methods on how to succeed academically. -
Period: to
Turning failure into success
I now help students overcome impatient thoughts, parents, and teachers by rebuilding lost confidence and reminding them that it's all a process that they can get through and thrive within. In return my literacy skills remain useful, and my natural skills, and understanding go to good use. -
I love to read and write
I have finally found that for the purpose of self guidance and industrialism, reading brings me new ideas, and that writing at a certain skill level helps me communicate those new ideas to others. Literacy put to good use has brought me straight to where I stand, determined, and hopeful for these new babies I will be guiding.