Laura Southard

Intellectual Autobiography

When I think of reading and how I began my journey to becoming a life long learner I recall memories of my mother reading little golden books to me at bedtime. Reading was something that was modeled for me beginning at an early age. My parents were divorced from the time I was three years old. My mother and I lived with my grandparents. My mother was a single parent who worked full time. Looking back I now realize how lucky I was to have three “parents” in the household who read with me and to me on a daily basis. I feel that the greatest gift they ever gave me was teaching me how to read. Many times people often forget how crucial it is for a young child to learn to read. The ability to read is a life skill that enables children to reach for their dreams and succeed.

After having a conversation with my mother, I was able to remember some of my earliest memories of learning to read. As an adult it is sometimes hard to remember what you did the day before, much less how you learned to read some twenty-two years ago. My mother brought back lots of memories of our daily adventures in the world of reading. Every night my mother would read to me from my beloved collection of Little Golden Books. My two favorite books were The Poky Little Puppy and Cinderella. She talked about how I would memorize the text from these two stories and then re-read the stories back to her. At the age of three I would sit with my Grandpa in his rocking chair and read stories. Although many times I wasn’t actually reading what was written in the text, I was pretty good at looking at the pictures and making up my own words. My concept of word was mastered at an early age. I was able to hold the book properly and read from left to right, while finger pointing each word. I now realize as a first grade teacher that I was actually reading.

Prior to beginning Kindergarten, I could read some vocabulary. I wasn’t a fluent reader but my teacher explained that I was already on track to becoming a great reader and student. I had accomplished so much at an early age because my family had provided me with a literacy-enriched environment that promoted and encouraged reading. In school I was a quiet child and at times felt a little anxiety when it came to round-robin reading. I did not enjoy reading aloud because I was afraid of being made fun of for making mistakes while reading the text.

In first grade, I recall reading from the Sun Up basal reader that included the characters Buffy and Mac. The word-controlled texts were very helpful in increasing my sight vocabulary. The basal readers also increased my automaticity so that I could read more with ease, not having to focus on decoding. I was able to put all of my mental energy into comprehension. Throughout my elementary school years I began to form a love for reading.

In fourth grade, I fondly remember reading the Judy Blume series (Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing). My teacher, Mrs. Phillips, would read aloud to us everyday right before lunch. We had interesting discussions that usually left us with a cliffhanger. Mrs. Phillips enjoyed cliffhangers because she liked leaving us wanting more. She was a very encouraging and inspirational teacher. Her love for reading was modeled through her lessons and interactions with the students.

By the time I was in middle school I began reading for my own enjoyment. I really enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie series and the series about Anne of Green Gables. In middle school I started to have some trouble with the intense vocabulary. The teachers would give words that were totally out of context. I was not able to directly relate them to a story, thus making it hard for me to understand the meanings of the words. Still today as an adult, vocabulary is something I still struggle with. As a teacher I realize how difficult words can be, therefore I use many techniques to bring words to life for my students.

Although reading seemed enjoyable, high school put a damper on my growing interest in reading. During high school we read many great stories, however the follow up activities usually only involved answering questions from the book. Due to the limited discussions we had about the novels, I began to lose interest in the reading. Now as an adult, I sometimes find it difficult to find spare time to read for enjoyment. Many times I find myself reading only on the weekends or holidays. Having the ability to read has provided me with a life skill that has allowed me to accomplish many things, most importantly my profession as a teacher. Many things have influenced my desire for being in the teaching profession.

My desire to be a teacher began during my early years in elementary school. Just as most children do, I played school every day with my stuffed animals and anyone else I could round up. I enjoyed using old textbooks, workbooks, and children’s books to practice my teaching skills. I had some terrific teachers whose love for reading and teaching young children shown through in their daily actions within the classroom.

My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Benton, was a small woman but she was full of life and ambition. She made learning fun and interesting. The one thing that stands out in my mind about Mrs. Benton was the daily stories she would read to us right before naptime. Her voice was soft but she read with expression. Her love for reading was obvious in the way she conducted her class.

My fifth grade teacher, Mr. Parker, was an unusual type of educator. He was an ex-serviceman who conducted his class as if we were in the Marines. He is one teacher I never forgot. We learned through laughter, music, marching candances, contests, and stories. Every day was different and usually more exciting than the day before. After being in Mr. Parker’s class I realized that teaching was the profession for me. I wanted to inspire students just as he had.

Becoming a teacher was always an option in my plans for what I wanted to do after high school. While in high school I worked with kids in children’s church and in bible school. During high school I had the opportunity of shadowing a teacher from one of the local elementary schools. This particular experience finalized my decision to enter into the teaching profession. During college I worked at a daycare part time. I worked with a variety of children, every age from birth to twelve years old. Being around children had been a natural part of my life. Teaching seemed to be the next step in my life.

The teaching profession is one that is rewarding, as well as challenging at times. Every year my students make my job worth while and enjoyable. Their innocence and curiosity help to keep my teaching flame alive. Over the past three years I have developed several beliefs about teaching.

First, I believe that every child can succeed in learning to read. Every child has the potential to learn. It is our responsibility as educators to provide meaningful instruction that enables our students to learn in a literacy-enriched environment. Teaching children to read is not an easy task but using good teaching methods and materials will allow our students to grow as learners.

Second, I believe that parental involvement is a key factor in the success of the students in my classroom. Parental involvement is not optional; it is essential and necessary to the development of our students. It is obvious in the classroom which students come to school with prior knowledge and experience in the world of literacy. Having my parents involved in the classroom and at home is one of my goals this year. Currently I have several struggling readers in my classroom. I have teamed up with their parents and have started sending home leveled books. We all want to help these children become more confident in their reading skills. We have been working on their fluency and word recognition skills. So far, I have six out of eight dedicated parents who are helping their children at home. They read the leveled books every night and time their fluency. There has been a tremendous difference in the way these students approach reading in the classroom. They now have more confidence in their reading ability and they have developed an excitement for reading. I truly believe in the saying that “it takes a village to raise a child”. With everyone working together I know my students can and will accomplish anything.

Third, I believe as an educator that every child in my classroom is unique. All of my students have different personalities and learning styles. As the classroom teacher it is my responsibility to teach to all of my students’ individual needs. Some students are auditory learners, while others are visual learners. I make it a point to try and reach all of my students when I’m teaching. In the classroom I use manipulatives and hands-on activities. These teaching practices allow my students to learn the new concepts with better ease.

Last, I want my students not only to grow as readers, but I want them to develop a love for reading. Providing my students with interesting and fun activities allows them to see that reading is fun and enjoyable. Becoming readers opens the door for many opportunities they will encounter throughout their lives. In our growing society it has become essential for adults to know how to read. I know that teaching my students to read is the best gift I can give them. It’s up to them how they use it.

Every child in this world can be successful. It is up to the parents, teachers, family members, etc. to model and influence these children in their journeys to becoming life long learners. By working together anything and everything is possible.