Jennifer Shaw

Literacy in My Life

As I thought back about literacy in my life, it appears to be like waves of an ocean. During my life reading took an up and down track. When I was little reading and being read to were very big in my life. I remember my mom reading Green Eggs and Ham to me all the time. It was the only book that I wanted to hear. At this time in my life books were toys, things I used when I pretended to be a teacher. After I entered school, reading stayed high on my list of things to do, however as I moved up in grades reading seemed to be less important in my list of things to do. By sixth grade I was placed into a

Chapter I/ Title I class. Now that I think back on that time I’m not sure that I was placed in the program because I needed to be or that I was too lazy to show them that I could do the work. However I do think that it was the best thing for me. This class got me interested in reading again. As I entered seventh grade reading had slacked off a

bit but had a complete turn around when my seventh grade English teacher had our class read my most favorite book of all times, The Outsiders. I don’t know what it was about that book but I fell in love with reading all over again. I could’ve read that book in one day if the teacher would’ve let me. That book started a spark in me and began to read every night. However things began to change as I entered high school. Once I was in high school there seemed to be more important things than reading. I joined the colorguard team and was going to football games and competitions. I turned sixteen and was able to get my driver’s license so now instead of reading I was going out with my friends. Other than required reading for class I didn’t do much reading. This continued throughout my years in college. Aside from what was required reading I didn’t read much. Again I was on the colorguard at Appalachian and between practices every week and work from my classes there wasn’t enough time to read for enjoyment. It wasn’t until I took my children’s literature class in block that I began to enjoy reading again. During my class I fell in love with children’s literature. I loved the stories and the imagination that was in each and every story. So much that to this day I prefer to read children’s or young adult

book to a romance, or mystery. My proudest moment was reading all five of the Harry Potter series this summer. I have tried to work it out so that I read one non-school, non-work related book a month. It is very hard because I seem to never have time read for

enjoyment. However I am afraid that if I don’t make myself do this then reading will sink lower on my list of priorities and I feel that reading is very important no matter how old you are.