My Literacy Experiences

My secondary literacy years were not very exciting. I remember in 7^th grade, my ELA teacher was not very interested in teaching. I recall her saying she just wanted a job until she passed the Bar Exam. She never put anything on the walls of the classroom. It was a cold room. Blank walls, desk and chairs. No color at all. She never showed an interest in the class or the subject. I remember reading Lord of the Flies and thinking, I do not understand anything in this book. It doesn’t make any sense to me, but I was intrigued. The story itself was good, but I did not understand the premise. The author’s intent was never explained to me. When I asked questions for a better understanding, she insisted that I was “stupid” and continued other hurtful comments. She even suggested that I should be placed in special education class down the hall because I lacked the intelligence needed for her class. Well, this experience put me I a bad head space. It caused me to doubt my abilities and to question if I should be down the hall in the special education classroom.

This all changed when I made it to my 11^th grade English class. My teacher was the total opposite of my previous experience. She loved literature and her love was infectious. I developed a love for literacy. The way she read and explained the stories with such poise and passion would draw you in and captivated you as you heard or read the words from the pages. She made the stories an experience. Stories like The Crucible and The Adventures of Mark Twine captured my attention and drew me so close that I never want to leave.

So now, I advocate for literacy. I want to show this new generation that technology is wonderful, but sometimes, you just need to pick up a book! I want my students to look forward to new adventures and to find escape when they read. I plan to be an example by sharing my past experiences and allowing them to make suggestions for what we read and to encourage independent reading of their own favorite subjects in their personal time. I hope that I can reach them where they are and travel with them through stories they never knew existed.