entry 3: rodriguez reading response

  For me, reading was always encouraged. from kindergarten to sixth grade, in my classes we would "write books" and 'get them published'. at the end of the year we would have 'authors night' where we would have the chance to read our book to the whole school, and students' family members. for us, reading and writing for this process happened daily. Instead of nap time, my mother would say lets go read books, and me and my siblings (I have 4) would all go to our rooms, or sit in the same room, and each read. I loved to read. My parents read to me every night. I would read to them. I would read to my siblings. reading brought me so much joy, which made my parents proud.

What motivated me to go to college is that it was never an option for me not to go. My parents always told me I was going to go, so I never thought of life any other way. However senior year, I decided teaching would be fun; I could work with kids, get summers off, it would be great. A few short months later, my parents separated and started working on a divorce. It came to my attention that I needed a job, we had no money, it was time to grow up. Seeing the struggles that my family back home is going through reminds me everyday why school is important. They are my motivation. I want to finish college not only for me, but so I can help my family as well.

Both my parents went to college, although I am uncertain of the details. My mom went to San Jose State and my father went somewhere in Colorado. I believe they both got their B.A., but then again I don't really know. Stories from 'college days' were never told in my family. Looking back now, this seems strange; most other parents I know openly tell their kids of their 'crazy college days', or how hard they studied in college. My father's literacy background involves reading documents for work. He is a real estate developer, when the market is doing well. My mother is continuing her education, to become a naturopath. She reads to better herself all the time though. Maternity books, books on divorce, stories that are inspirational. She does this for herself, but also for her kids I think.

My family always supported my education path. I was the one who asked to be in A.P. classes in high school, I was the one who pressured myself to get good grades. As long as I was trying my best, they were happy. My schooling wasn't a focus in their life, but life education was a priority. I went to an elementary school when we never got grades, didn't have tests, never put into categories. There we were taught to express ourselves just how we wanted, learned to communicate effectively, learned to take pride in who we were as individuals. To my parents, this form of education gives them more pride then any letter grades I've ever received.

I wish I could say I speak another language. The closest I can say to that is I try to speak another language. I took 5 years of Spanish in high school, and loved every minute of it. I went to my friend's house as often as I could, to speak with her family and practice my Spanish with them during dinner. One time I met my friend's grandmother, who could only speak spanish, and held a conversation with her. I would watch spanish movies, and listen to spanish music just to get better.  I'm not fluent, but I do try to continue learning spanish so hopefully someday I can say with confidence that I do indeed speak spanish.

Entry 2:

To me, the purpose of reading and writing is a way to release yourself into another world, another time, another way of life. It is allowing yourself to let loose, and express yourself. it is freedom, it is tranquility. Throughout history, writing has been a way to express an opinion, to declare how some one feels, to share knowledge. Reading is a way of absorbing this information, taking in how someone else thinks, to put yourself in that unfamiliar place.

What reading and writing does for me is gives me that safe place, knowing that there is no judgment as to what I might say on paper, or what I may read to myself. It lets me be true to myself, raw with my emotions, letting me speak and think without the filters of everyday. I love to read and write. I find myself writing songs  and short stories all the time. I read whatever is near me, including the cereal box that I have just finished. I can say I have no idea where I would be if I did not practice my reading and writing every day. A childhood without those is so intangible for me that I can not begin to try to grasp the thought of it.

What I took away from the article is that there is so much more to reading and writing than I've ever thought before. There are so many types of readers, and classes of people who read in all different ways for all different purposes. This brings me peace.  Knowing this, as a future teacher will be an everyday reminder that everyone has their special talents and their own way of doing something. One student may be a fast talented reader of fiction books, while another may pick up on the tiniest of details out of a manual for building a piece of technology. When parents come to me worried that their son or daughter is failing at reading, it will be my task as the teacher to find something that they can read well, whatever that may be.

One thing I found interesting is that we still do not completely know what literacy is. After so many years, and millions of people reading and writing as part of their everyday life, it is still hard to define. How can this be? We live in a world where everyone can get an answer to every question at their fingertips. The fast speed of technology and the need to know as soon as possible. Better yet, how can we test something that we do not fully understand? If we do not know fully what literacy is, then we also do not fully understand it enough to test it. Yet we do. Star tests are a stressful time for many students nation wide. Is that really the best method for testing a thing called literacy that we are still trying to define?

Szwed's article on the Ethnography of Literacy is eye opening and thought provoking. It has lead me to look deeper into my literary practices. I find myself taking a step back, looking deeper into how I read, and what I  read.

Entry 1:
I write for class, as well as on facebook, songs, poems, and short stories. I write letters to friends and family and emails. Like many people today, I also write text messages.

I read magazines, online articles, social media, and books, In addition to class reading. I love to read articles on buzzfeed.

This article encourages me to teach the importance of writing, and how all parts of writing are are skills that are equally valuable. it makes me want to incorporate different types of writing as an educator to teach students how each type of writing has room for change or improvement. No matter what style a person writes in, its important to show them they can do it well.