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Emily Haass ENGL 1101 012 Dear Ms. Sippy, This assignment really had me thinking back, and I realized my personal literacy narrative was built up differently then others. But even though I learned in another way, I still am capable enough to do things others can. I dont remember any memories really of me as a child reading or writing since I did not like to. I know I read when I was young, but it wasnt anything special that stood out in a way that changed me. It didnt start until my 8th grade year when things began to click in me of how important it is. So instead I recall memories of other people and their way of being literate that had an effect on my literacy development and life. It really pointed out more the type of person I am, and most importantly it pointed out people and events in my past that effected who I am right now. Sincerely, Emily Haass

My Literacy Narrative is Who I Am

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My literacy narrative is who I am, its diverse, from being all silly to being completely serious. Over the years of observing my family and friends, Ive picked up some of their traits to create my own. It has its good and bad sides, but thats who I am. This is me, Im that New Yorker girl with an accent and attitude sometimes, but Im also that sweet down to earth professional girl. Im learning and building my knowledge everyday of what are the proper ways to act depending on the circumstances. But most of all, being literate is making me learn how to be a responsible adult in the world and in society. Growing up in New York I have always had a different way of talking then others. Until I was eight years old, I listened to the tone of how my family and their friends spoke, and it has just been with me ever since. I dont remember so much on how I was in school or how I read while I was in New York, but when I moved down south I recall things. I remember being the new girl in second grade, trying to meet new people who all talked differently than I did. My teacher Mrs. Smith was so intrigued by me, she made it seem like it was such a big deal that I moved. I didnt really talk in elementary school, I was very shy. It took a while for me to come out of my shell. So I kept a little diary that Ive seen in my memory box, I didnt really write anything interesting, just things about my family and some things on the people in my class that I thought were different. I would write how I felt about their way of acting, what I thought was annoying or something that made them different. I thought about the concept before, how people learn so much a young age that it stays with them for years, and its true. Living in North Carolina the past ten years hasnt changed my original roots, I dont use yall or aint, and Im glad with staying the way I am. Ill admit that

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Im not a fan of reading, when I dont have anything to do I dont pick up a book and read, its a quality in myself I think is a negative. I notice those who like reading, and even better who started at a young age, have a better understanding of English literacy. I wasnt interested like others for some reason, I dont have one thing I focused on; nothing really caught my eye that much where I stayed with it for a while. Im that person who wants to try to get an idea of multiple things where I have a little understanding at least. I do the same amount of work in every class. If I struggle with a topic, Ill stay on it for a little longer, but I havent had anything that I kept getting more information on. A person becomes more literate the more time they spend on the task I believe. That is exactly a main reason why everyone different. We all focus on different items that intrigue us, and that is what makes us who we are. Writing for me is very similar to the way I think and act. Im the observing type of person; I watch the way people act and react to things. By doing so, I sort of take notes of what I like or dislike, and it creates my own. I will always remember the most serious moment I have personally ever experienced was four years ago, when my usual goofy dad had this argument with his brothers. There were some powerful hurtful words said, but the rest of what he spoke was so poetic and political in a way. His tone and vocabulary I recall was spectacular. The way he handled himself was so classy, it really made me look up to him. Seeing that made me be more mature, it pointed out ways a person should act in that kind of situation. Since then, its just connected with me that writing is something that should be graceful in a way. There should be some heart and soul behind the words that are written. When I read something I want to be able to see something other than words. I like the thoughts behind the concept, it makes whatever Im reading more interesting. Writing is about getting your idea across in the best manner to the

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readers. Eighth grade was my worse year with English, Mrs. Ensley was my teacher and she was very picky with us saying the word um or like. I always seemed to be the person who when she would call on me, I would struggle with getting my thoughts out and would just start saying um. She would take points off and gave me my first C on my report card, I was a little aggravated with both of us. Disappointed in myself but also thinking she was just using my problem of speaking to make a joke out of me in front of the class. She probably knew she scared me, and did it on purpose. With her pointing it out to us all, I noticed how stupid it sounded to be talking and using um and like. I never thanked her, probably because I just wanted to leave, but because of her I think before I talk and take my time. Which I think is a key part of being a writer, it takes time to get your best work out. A person can go over it many times until its right for them. Mrs. Ensley prepared me to be a thoughtful speaker, writer, and person, which is something everyone should be in todays society. Todays world I believe is about the comprehension of multiple tasks and having the ability to handle them ourselves. Multitasking can take a person far in life, they can handle more things. My parents always taught my sister and I to be an individual person, to able to take care of ourselves and not have to rely on someone else. We live in a fast pacing world, where everyone is competing with each other to be the best, and its going to only get more competitive. We all know different things, but we really want to know everything. Ive had to wake up and realize, no one is perfect and cant know everything. All that is important is to be the best that you can be. During freshmen year of high school I would get so worried about not

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being the best because there were so many other people who I thought were smarted then me. So I developed anxiety, and it kind of changed me. It made me more cautious of my priorities and how to deal with things that came my way. But the best thing to this day I think of is what my mom told me when I was overwhelmed, to just take everything one day at a time. To take whatever obstacle is in front of you and overcome it when its there. There will always be someone who is better in something, but you are better in another way. My sophomore year of high school is when I really started to look at writing, and it just got better from then. My teacher Ms. Horton just had this way of teaching that literacy and writing was something I could control and make my own. That everyones writing will be different and fit to their own personality. I think that is why I didnt start until a later age, I was that child who did what they wanted to do or what they were told to do. I didnt find an interest in books when I was young, it wasnt until high school where the required books we had to read I would like. When I read, I try to make a movie in my head so I can imagine whats going on, to make it seem more real life and understanding since Im a more visual person. Ms. Horton since that year to the now has always been there for me. Being an advisor to me, writing recommendations for college, and making me president of National English Honor Society. She saw something special in my writing and the way I am. I will always be grateful for her, for believing in me and helping me have confidence in myself and my way of writing. I describe myself as a personal writer; I like to write about people, events and my thoughts. I try to write the way I sound when I speak. Junior year of high school is when I really started to explore my writing techniques. Its when I got involved with yearbook. I now had this responsibility of having about three thousand people who were going to read what I wrote. I

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didnt want to look dumb, I think thats every persons fear about writing, is the judgment and criticism. I loved interviewing people, getting their side of the story, and connecting different people together by one topic in a school filled with so many. I felt I fit in better, because yearbook was all about observing, and showing others what they might be over seeing. To let loose of sometimes strict writing and make it our own. A student could go the entire four years without noticing a person was in the same grade as them, or even in their homeroom. I wanted to show those items that were overlooked, to show the importance and hard work behind them all. My perception of my writing is more than a paper or story to me, it is me. Its my details and my thoughts, I write wanting it to be a purpose. To be more than maybe just a grade, to open someones eyes. Reading anything is learning no matter what, so might as well write something thats different than what is already out there. I may not have a good story about learning to read or write the first time, but I think I have a pretty good story about the impact of reading and writing on my life.