The Home Depot Community

In the world today, no matter where you turn, there are different communities everywhere. By simply walking down the street, it is simple to observe several different communities. Whether it is by race, gender or even a common skill, communities surround us everyday. In the article, Heath makes it very clear that communities exist and that each community has different rules and guidelines. Common ground is usually found through basic literacy skills such as reading and writing. However, different communities map warp or extenuate these literacy skills. The forms of literacy may be twisted into a language of which the community uses, or more vocabulary may be added in order to become more literate.

Over the past summer I entered a world of which I knew little about. I applied for and obtained a job at The Home Depot. This was a store that I knew nothing about and I had no clue what I was getting myself into. All I knew was that my father was a very knowledgeable person about home repairs, and I wanted to become just as well-informed as he. The only problem was that with my lack of knowledge, I felt that I stood no chance in a store full of experts. There was a ton of information that I was required to learn. The day I began, I felt illiterate and unable to communicate with some of my peers. Like Heath pointed out, there are two forms of literacy, written and spoken. I knew that in my new job, my spoken literacy was extremely low. So with a strong feeling of determination, I set off on a journey to become a member of the community at The Home Depot.

The very first part of the process of expanding my literacy came by choosing a field of specialization. From paint, to flooring, and then to lumber, I was read a brief description about what each field encountered. Being a hard nosed Irish man, I chose lumber solely because I wanted to do manual labor. After a field was chosen, I spent numerous hours in front of a computer enhancing my knowledge. I learned the majority of the basic lingo and acronyms for identifying products. Following these computer courses, I was told that it was time to enter the floor. This was a mistake.

When I took my first step onto the concrete floors of The Home Depot, I felt everything I learned storm out of my brain. Again I felt illiterate and unprepared. Luckily my manager was there and he realized I was somewhat intimidated. So for the first week, I shadowed him, following him around and observing his work. It was interesting to be his apprentice because I got a “big picture” outlook on what I was getting into. He taught me how to use both saws which The Home Depot uses. One was a table saw and the other, a panel saw. After learning the saws, my manager told what the majority of questions I would face and how to respond to them.

After a few weeks on the job, I slowly began to become literate with the community I was in. I understood where most of the products were located and the answers to the basic customer questions. I began to become one with my peers and friendships were made. Over the next month, I learned how to create decks from scratch on the computer and also how to drive a tow-motor.

Slowly, but surely, I became expert in the field of lumber. This was my ultimate summer goal, and even though I didn’t feel like I could achieve it, I accomplished it. The process of becoming literate in The Home Depot community is easy, but it takes time. Everyone goes through the same processes I went through. However, depending on the field, a few events may be different. In the end, by improving my literacy in the lumber field, I am convinced I know just about, of not more than my father does about lumber.