Personal Interview
What is your definition of the word literacy?
Although I find this question to be multifaceted and complex, the simplest way in which I can define literacy is this: literacy is the ability to read and write in order to communicate with other people.
Describe your experience of learning how to read and/or write in school.
I started trying to read and write even before I began school. I had a Strawberry Shortcake desk/chalkboard when I was a young child; across the top of the chalkboard was the alphabet. I learned my letters here and would ask my parents how to spell things. When I started school and learned how to read, I remember practicing my oral reading with my mom. My first Reading book was called Dive In and had a dolphin on the cover. We had reading groups at school. I was in the red group, which was the highest group. I would have been embarrassed to have been in a lower group, which is silly when I think back about it now, but I can remember being really proud of my reading skills. I can remember reading in our groups–I was so impressed with kids who could read fast and annoyed with kids who read slowly. In 1st grade we did a lot of phonics worksheets.
Who or what most influenced you to read/write?
Although my mom definitely played a large part in influencing me to read and write, I was also very self-motivated. I have always been a perfectionist and this was true even when I was first learning to read and write. My mother stressed the importance of school and made sure we did our homework and did well in school.
Describe any obstacles you may have faced in order to read/write or gain education in some way.
Overall, I have been lucky as I have obtained education. As a young student, my mother helped me overcome any self-esteem issues that I faced while learning to read and write. I was a good student. During high school, my perfectionism led to a fairly large amount of stress as I worked for an advanced diploma. When college began, the major obstacle I faced was choosing a major. I did well in my classes, and I took a fairly large variety of courses, yet I was not especially interested in any one major. My biggest obstacle was choosing what I wanted to study.
If you attended college, in what ways did it affect your life? If you did not attend college, in what ways do you think it might have affected your life?
Attending college has basically made my life what it is now. I could not have my job without my degree (I am a teacher). The perfectionist inside me knows that I would be disappointed in myself had I not gone to college. My general self-esteem is rooted in my education–I am a school person. School is my strength. I am not mechanically inclined, I do not like gardening, I am not good at housework–I am good at schoolwork. If my degree were stripped from me, my life, both financially and personally, would be shattered.
In what ways have your reading habits and practices changed over time?
I feel like my reading habits and practices are constantly growing and evolving. Especially as I am working on my graduate degree, I can see my skills and abilities growing and sharpening. I am becoming a more careful and deliberate reader. I am reading more background information than before.
Can you give me some specific examples of ways reading has helped you in your life?
Reading is a really important part of my life. I am a reading teacher, so without reading, I would not be employed. Reading helps me with everything. I am not naturally talented in any specific area, so I have to read to accomplish most tasks: cooking, yard work, cleaning, laundry, teaching, using technology, etc. Reading is my lifeline.
Describe a time from your life where you didn’t have access to reading materials you wanted/needed?
I am incredibly lucky and blessed to have had access to the reading materials that I want/need. I’ve thought about this question for a while and I cannot think of a specific example to use in answering this question. There have been times when, using the university research system, I could not have immediate access to reading materials I have needed, but they have always been obtainable with a little time. Even as a child, I loved books and wanted many of them, more than I could afford. We always had access to school and public libraries, though.
What sort of reading and writing do you do presently?
I read a lot. I have to read for my graduate classes. These classes are reading-intensive. I also read about teaching. I try to read “teacher books” to help improve my abilities in the classroom. Since I am a reading teacher, I also try to keep up with young adult literature. This is my favorite genre to read. I LOVE reading Newberry books and books my students recommend. I also read fiction for pleasure, although lately, my pleasure reading has been limited due to time. I like to read magazines. I do not subscribe to a newspaper, but I enjoy reading them when I am at my parents or grandmother’s. I write every day. I keep a journal at schools along with my students, so I write for 5 minutes each period at school for a total of 30 minutes a day. I also write a lot during the summer through Marshall’s Writing Project Summer Institute. Most of what I write is reflective and/or creative. I also write technical papers for graduate classes.
If you had to categorize the materials that you read, what categories would exist in your life (e.g. business, academic, religious, etc.)?
Educational, Academic, Pleasure, Religious, Informational
In what ways have you influenced other people in terms of their reading and writing?
I sincerely hope that I have influenced my students in terms of reading and writing, especially reading. I hope that my love for reading, and my respect for literacy shines through to them and I hope they are better readers because of it.
