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The Early Years
The first experiences I had with literacy was from my brother, sister, mom, dad, and grandparents.They would read me stories before bed, talk to me, sing to me, and even tell nursery rhymes. My favorite was when my mom would tell me nursery rhymes because I remember them to this day. -
Kindergarten
I remember a few things from kindergarten. One thing I remember is using a board that had pockets that allowed you to create words that rhyme. For example, I remember my teacher showing the class that the words sock and lock rhyme with each other. Another thing I remember is as a class we would have "carpet time" every day where the class would sit on the floor in front of the teacher and she would read us stories. -
Elementary School
Throughout elementary school, I remember reading chapter books for each grade and having to take required tests on the computer called Accelerated Reader tests that quizzed us on the books we were required to read. Although I didn't like these tests, they helped me in the future with reading comprehension. -
Volleyball
I played volleyball for seven years, starting at age ten. This kept me busy and while I played and had fun, I actually learned and thought critically. Playing volleyball required you to know the rotation and different plays the team ran. It kept me on my toes and required me to think quickly. -
Summer Reading Program
I was involved in our local library's summer reading program. Basically, this meant my mom would take me to the library to check out books and as I read the books, I would write down the titles in the log they provided. When I read 5 books, I remember picking out a prize which was a t-shirt. -
Junior High School
Junior high was challenging at times due to the fact that it was harder than elementary school. I remember math was difficult for me because my teacher in sixth grade didn't let us use a calculator and I was dependent on it. As a result I became better at mental math. -
Culture Club
I was involved in culture club at my junior high school. This was an after school activity run by a social studies teacher. We learned about a different country each monthly meeting. This made me more aware of other cultures and it was also fun. -
High School
I loved high school. My favorite subject was psychology because it was something new to me and I thought it was interesting. It actually helped me in college because as a special education major I have had to take two psychology classes so far. -
ACT Prep Class
My mom and I decided it would be smart to sign me up for an ACT prep class to improve my score. The class was after school and it basically drilled grammar and math skills which helped me score better in the English and math portion of the ACT. It was a good investment that improved my knowledge and become more literate. -
College Years
I started college at ISU last fall. I have had a very positive experience so far. Since my high school had a challenging curriculum, I felt prepared for college.Even after only one year of college I feel as though I am more aware of the world around me and surrounding issues. I love to learn and prepare to be a teacher.
