For EDUC 513, after contemplating our own literacy background, we were asked to describe our growth in an autobiography…
In my family you have to read.
Books in literally every room.
Books for birthdays, Christmas, road trips.
If only Amazon.com had been around back then.
Public library on Saturday mornings.
Flipping through to find my favorite pictures.
Listening jealously as my big sister reads aloud in the next room.
Pulling out piles of books for my parents to read…just to put off bedtime
By the end of Kindergarten, Hooked on Phonics had worked for me.
I think…or maybe not.
I never knew if I was behind in reading.
Where are you supposed to be at this age?
Reading means quality time.
The BFG with Dad…Matilda with Mom.
Ms. Butler’s book baskets…way too easy.
But she was nice and pretty so I didn’t say anything.
Reading to my little sister.
So proud to show off my skills.
I probably mixed up a few parts.
But she was 2…she didn’t notice.
BOOK-IT and pizza parties.
Who needs to be bribed to read?
Ms. Wells first introduced us to chapter books.
We thought we were so grown up.
Middle School Battle of the Books and Writing Workshop
So much for “reading for fun”
Reading for EOG’s and then SAT’s.
For some reason these articles aren’t quite as enticing as Harry Potter.
Parents still pushing my literacy…even in high school
Vocabulary shower curtains and “Read the book before you see the movie.”
Hawthorne and Homer…AP English was definitely my thing.
AP Calculus…not so much.
Now at UNC, teaching 2nd graders about literacy.
An English minor…familiar with Poe and Hemingway.
Textbooks and articles to expand my knowledge.
I wish I had more time to read what I want…maybe when I graduate.
Katie Jordan's Blog 
Great bio. I absolutely adore the last line of this poem. I love to read but most of the stuff we are required to read for classes are dull, boring and have no creativity or character. I like to read certain types of books and textbooks are not one of them. Few textbooks are easy to read. An even smaller number are well written and readable but not a single textbook can compare to a fantasy or sci-fi book. Even many non-fiction books are better than texts because they are writing for the readers and not for the content that is contained within their covers. I think it is important to give students the option of what they would like to read. By allowing choice, students will read more and improve their literacy skills.
Nic Scroggs
I think it is so true that reading is a time for bonding. I know that I had certain reading traditions with each member of my family, just as you did. Everyday, I eagerly awaited my reading time with my Mom, Dad, and/or my Brother. I appreciate those times now maybe even more than I did back then, because I see how big a long-term impact they had on me and my feelings about reading. I also agree with your ending. I am anxiously awaiting the time that I can read what I want once again. The joy found in reading for pleasure will never end.
Great autobiography! I love your focus on reading with others. I wish that all families found reading as important as your family does! With my fourth graders now, I am so saddened by the number of students who can’t complete their 20 minutes of reading a night because their parents tell them it “isn’t important”. One student came up to me the other day and said that he didn’t have his reading response completed because his mom told him that as long as he did his other homework, he didn’t have to do his reading. The reading counts just as much as his other homework and yet his mom didn’t feel it was as important. That is just so sad to me! If every parent realized the immense importance of being a fluent reader and encouraging that at home, teaching would be a very different profession!
I really enjoyed reading your autobiography. It’s like we had identical literacy experiences! Reading with my parents is one of my fondest memories; I’m pretty much in love with Harry Potter; my AP English teacher was out of this world.
As future teachers, I think that we can all glean something about the philosophy of literacy education from your autobiography. Making interactions with literacy another form of interacting with people could encourage students to be more willing to engage in literature. Reading with one’s parents, connecting with a teacher so that you don’t mind reading the basket of books she’s sent home with you, sharing your favorite book with a younger child; all of these instances provide students with opportunities to not only interact with text, but also witness how text connects people to one another.
Hello my family member! I want to say that this article is amazing, great written and come with almost all significant infos. Id like to peer extra posts like this . gdeegaedaebb