Response to Question 1: 1/15/08

Growing up in Canton, OH, I was lucky enough to live only two blocks from the local public library. I can vividly remember my mom walking myself and my sister to the Stark County Library while pushing my brother in the stroller. I remember every summer my mom would make my sister and myself and then my brother when he was old enough to read, enter the summer reading program. I was more into the competition aspect of the reading program than I was actually into the reading aspect of it in the beginning. The top reader in each age group was always rewarded with a handsome prize at the end of the summer, such as a dinner at Olive Garden or a free trip to the movies, things kids would get a kick out of. Over the years I still was quite competitive in the summer reading program and always tried to be beat the other kids by reading more books, but as I grew older I began to not just look at it as a competition, but a fun time. As I got older I had to start reading chapter books which took longer and were more grueling to get through, but I did not try to speed read anymore, now I would spend my summers letting the books take me to far away and creative new worlds.

My mom cannot recall the exact time or age I began to read, but she remembers that I was becoming quite literate before entering kindergarten. I remember my kindergarten teacher, Miss Bailey, helped us learn how to become familiar with letters and words by making the class watch a educational program called “The Letter People.” It is exactly what it sounds like; it is a series that uses talking letters to teach the class to become better readers and writers.

Along with the public library, “The Letter People” and kindergarten as a whole having a big impact on my literacy, I feel as if my mom played a big part in the positive outlook I have developed about literacy. As long as I can remember up until the 8th grade my mother would read to me every night before bed. I remember her starting out by reading Curious George books and Bernstein Bear books and then as I grew more mature reading books such as Jane Austin and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. By my mom reading to me each night it not only helped me become more literate, but helped me to not just see reading as something that I had to be able to do to be successful in life, but I began to see reading not only as an educational experience, but as a growing experience. I started out by reading basic level 1 chapter books to now reading books such as The Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby.

All of these experiences I have had with literacy have helped me develop a positive outlook about reading. If I would have had negative experiences with reading when I was little, chances are I would not enjoy reading. Since I had a good experience with literacy growing up, I do find reading relaxing and fun when I am in the mood to pick up a book and drift away to another world. Since so many things in life revolve around literacy, I am very grateful that I had such a good experience with it when I was younger.