Week 1: Literacy Adventures and Misadventures


Initial Posting by 11:59pm on Thursday, 8/25/2016


Write reflectively about your experiences with reading and writing as you moved through different stages of your life. What aspects of reading brought you joy or excitement? What parts of reading and writing left you frustrated? What kinds of text(s) did you use at certain points in your life? In which settings did you experience a nurturing literacy learning environment? What experiences, if any, did you have that turned you off to literacy, reading, and writing? What kinds of books, movies, plays, comics, video game narratives, novels, or other genres do you enjoy, and why?

There is no need to answer every question from the paragraph above- the questions are there to give you a jumping off point to get ideas to the page. I want you to think of this as a “writing to learn” activity- a safe place to put your experiences without fear of being ‘wrong.’ Focus on being authentic to yourself and rendering some experiences related to your journey of learning and evolving as a literate person. Give detail to show what you experienced; rather than only declaring that Harry Potter inspired you, show how and why Harry Potter inspired you by making connections between your life and the story.

Why am I giving you this prompt? I believe that a journey forward requires some acknowledgement of what made up the past. It is important to note: history is NOT destiny! Understanding how important interactions with wonderful teachers, fascinations with certain texts, frustrations with particular literacy sponsorship situations, and your understanding of what is valuable and important in terms of literacy allows a jumping off point for growth and opportunity. In short, I am interested in getting to know what makes you, you. My job is to help you grow as a writer, and if I can get an understanding of where you are coming from, I can help you to find ways to get to where you need to go. Be true to yourself and your experiences, and have fun.

Please give your posting a title that is reflective of your reported experiences. DO NOT simply title your posting as Week 1 Discussion. We already know this is the first discussion area, and the audience already knows this is week one discussion area. Make your title appropriate for the content of your posting.

Response Posting to Peer(s) by 11:59pm on Sunday, 8/28/2016

Respond to at least one peer: Through either finding common ground or expressing a connection to a related theme- extend or build on what one of your peers has set up. For example, let’s say that Knightro posted a comment that he loved reading comics as a teenager, but his joy and excitement for comics was never shared by his English teachers. Perhaps you had a similar experience with another genre or form of literacy; perhaps you began using technical manuals to improve your performance in certain video games, and though you read these manuals with a sense of dedication and enthusiasm, when you tried to write a report at school about video game manuals, your teacher denied the legitimacy of this kind of writing.

You might also raise open ended questions to further explore the dimensions of a certain literacy experience. For example, let’s say that Gary Gamer reports that early on (1st through 6th grades), he struggled with literacy in classroom environments because he found the content boring- in fact he found the material so boring that he was often found daydreaming in class and was eventually diagnosed with ADHD, and was labeled as slow. Interestingly, Gary reports that he grew in confidence in 10th grade when he discovered Fanfiction about his favorite video games. Gary Gamer became hyper focused and could spend many hours reading Fanfiction. He even began writing Fanfiction by the end of his 10th grade year. You might help Gary develop his ideas further by asking some open-ended questions like the following: what kinds of literacy experiences, if any, were available in your later schooling (11th and 12th grades) that you became interested in as a result of the Fanfiction you were reading? How did reading and writing Fanfiction help you develop writing skills in other contexts? How might Fanfiction be used in writing classes to help teach certain types of writing skills?

49 comments:

  1. My Journey of Reading
    Growing up, I never really was a reader. I only did it in elementary school because I would get prizes from my teachers for completing a book in class. In third grade we listened to someone read a book on a recording off my teachers computer and I felt more connected with the text because of the way the teller used emotion while telling the story. I use audio books a lot now that I am older too because they are convenient and I feel connected by the tellers emotions as they read through the story with me. As I got older, standardized test would always get the best of me on the reading sections. There are very few things that frustrate me more than when a question asks what I think the authors means in the text. I understand big picture ideas, I do not like having to basically guess what I think the author meant in the text. The type of literature that I typically like to read is normally articles, whether that be a news article, magazine article, or any other short text that has all the information I am looking for in a easy to read format.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I also use audiobook now too! I personally am a very slow reader so sometimes it is nice to listen to a reader and speed it up. I understand the text so much better as well when you hear the readers tone and emotion in their voice. I love listening to books when i am driving in my car because it makes long car rides much more interesting (:

      Delete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Learning while reading
      As an ESOL student reading and writing at a collegiate level can be a challenge. Thoughts do not always translate directly, and learning to present my thoughts clearly is an important area of growth I am working towards. Although challenging, mastering vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension are rewarding in both my personal life and professional career. One way in which I am working at building my skills is through reading with my daughter. For example, I read with her the book I am Malala. While I was able to develop a better understanding of the culture and belief differences of the characters in the story; I was able to further developing my comprehension skills.
      Also, writing expressively can be frustrating at times. Often when I feel under pressure, I find myself writing and feeling that I am just going in circles about the same idea. The scariest aspect of writing is facing the blank screen or the white paper, and not knowing how to present my idea clearly. However, when I have time to organize my ideas, I believe I have enough of a basis to write effectively

      Delete
    2. Since I am also an ESOL student, I totally understand how you feel, esqecially follow our age growing, it is harder for us to remember and absorb the vocabulary, we have to work harder to understand or comprehent the articles. I had asked my cousin who attended college ealier. His advice is to translate all the vocabulary from introduction and conclusion first, then start reading. It will make more sense for you, at least it works well for me. From the past experience of reading and writing in high school, most of the main point are located in introduction and conclusion, and it will save a lot of times. Hopefully you will find it helpful.

      Delete
  3. Growing up Reading

    When I was younger I was always reading and begged my mom to get me more books from the book fair at school. My favorite part of reading was the aspect of being able to see exactly what was written on the page in my mind so clearly. This made me want to read more and more. I wanted to escape the real world and enter these fantasy worlds just by opening a book and reading. Sometimes I became frustrated about reading in school when I was forced to read a specific book. It made me disinterested in reading at all and since then I have not read as much as when I was younger. Now that I do not have to read certain books for a class, I am more interested in reading what I want. I prefer to read fiction and fantasy books because they can help transport me to a new land/world. One of my favorite book series is Harry Potter because of the way they made me love to read. My favorite part is being able to imagine/see exactly what the author is saying in my head.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was also frustrated when I was told I had to read a book especially if friends who read it before me had told me it was horrible. I love how books can transport me into a different world and I can find myself having a wand duel in Harry Potter or fighting off demons in The Mortal Instruments series. I found myself many times embarrassing myself in high school because I got so into the book during lunch that I had I missed the bell because of how engrossed I was in it. This then made me late for class!

      Delete
    2. Angeleke Kelaris
      I completely agree. I think reading is all about taking you to a whole new world. If you're not reading something that you enjoy it is so difficult to be able to properly connect yourself to the text and just becomes frustrating. It's an amazing feeling to be able to have a book that you can use your imagination to expand those ideas with.

      Delete
  4. Reading: a Hobby that Went South

    For me, reading was easily accessible and the concept was quickly grasped. From the age four, I loved reading short children's stories in the classroom, and soon went on to specifically reading chapter books by first grade. I was always the first in line at the Scholastic book store at school to get my dose of cool books. As I grew older, however, reading for scholarly purposes only kind of soured my idea of reading as a whole. I understood the concept of these types of assignments, to learn and gain more knowledge and whatnot. Class assigned books were often very boring and tedious to get through, though, and reading seemed more like a difficult task rather than a nice hobby. This frustrated me very much and quickly made my hobby of reading nonexistent. However, in my senior year of high school, my literature teacher really made me want to get back into reading because of her strong passion for writing. She made it clear that just because the class assigned books seemed boring didn't mean that you couldn't make them interesting in your own way. Thanks to her, I grew back into my habit of enjoying reading, not just in my leisure but also in the classroom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I believe that everyone is different when it comes to reading me personally reading is very boring but for you to grasp reading very quickly and like it is awesome because I wish I can same the same thing when it comes to reading.

      Delete
    2. I also believe for me that reading became to me more of a chore than a hobby like it once was. School makes you read all these books that aren't exactly entertaining and your love for reading diminishes with each boring page you read in school. I too rekindled my love for reading and I am glad to hear that you did too.

      Delete
  5. "Olivia, Please Stop Reading"

    I have loved books since I was little. My mom read stories to me and my school used to take us elementary kids on a short walk to the local bookstore every week. My favorite series were Junie B. Jones and The Magic Treehouse back then and into middle school. Eventually, I fell in love with the Inheritance Cycle series and the Twilight series. I read Twilight from front to back in three hours while laying on the floor of my friends room, meanwhile they were all downstairs socializing at the sleepover she was throwing. I remember after reading the first book of the Inheritance Cycle, Eragon, and watching it on dvd that I convinced myself that the woods in my backyard ravine was Alagaesia. This led to a big fallen oak tree being Saphira, my dragon. I've always loved how when I read the world just falls away and boom there I am in the book with the characters. I feel their pain and happiness even fear. I can almost escape reality for a bit and transport my self to a different dimension. You can imagine that Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, and Medieval feeling genres/books have been my all time favorites. I love the action, relationships, and bravery in them. Surprisingly I haven't ever hated reading to the point I wanted to quit, sure there has been times where I hated the book but never the reading itself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can easily relate to your enjoyment of fantasy and fiction, with action and bravery playing major roles in the books. These are categories that fit within the realm of the comics I enjoyed as a child. The genres allow for some pretty creative worlds that the author can set the stage for in their works.

      Delete
    2. I love that feeling as if you were right there with them going on their adventures, feeling the pain they're feeling or feeling the happiness they are going through. One of my favorite parts about reading is that indescribable feeling of happiness, sadness, anxiety, etc... as if you were another character in the book.

      Delete
    3. I grew up reading and loving some of the same books! I loved imagining myself in the characters' shoes and the locations. It is definitely one of the best things about reading, in my opinion.

      Delete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Growing up I was never the kid to pick up a book a read. As time went on my parents tried to change my ways of reading but it didn't seem to work. I can only read when something interest me I will get unfocused very fast. I can only read something that is dealing with sports or current events that's going on in toadyism society. All in all everyone has different views when it comes to reading but now that I'm in college I am going to read more so that I can become more knolwlegable

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I also do not really care for reading texts that do not interest me, but I found that audiobooks really helped me by just having to listen to the story and not having to read along with the text.

      Delete
    2. I'm the same way. Reading has never been something that interests me unless I find a really good book that I can connect with on a personable level. Hopefully this year we can both learn to push ourselves to read more.

      Delete
    3. I totally agree with you. I lose concentration easily when reading. Also, reading during the day was not an option any/every noise would distract me, plus reading is not one of my hobby. In my first year of College I used my bed as the place to study and read (big mistake), after half an hour I used to start getting comfortable and falling at sleep. I used to refuse reading on my desk. After the first semester of College was when I finally realize that I was not going to graduate if I did not break that bad habit. I did by the second semester trying to study at the desk (still at night time when it was noiseless) and I was able to graduate. I still struggle when it comes to read however, I am able to concentrate if I make the right choices.

      Delete
  8. Superman Childhood

    As a child in elementary school I never really liked or enjoyed english class. I either thought the stories were boring, didn't like the teachers, or didn't like the work. By the time I was in about the fifth grade my father finally went into the attic and dug out his collection of Superman comic books giving them to me. This moment sparked my interest in reading, through the crazy adventures of the man of steel as he saves metropolis from certain doom time and time again. One of my fondest memories is when my friends and I would compare our favorite heroes and create scenarios in which they fought deciding who was the strongest. Finally as I got older I began enjoying the literature in school that focused on action, such as the epics written by Homer, "The Iliad and The Odyssey".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am in the same boat as you. At first I never really found a genre or even a medium of literature that really held my interest. I either did it for the grade, or was required to do so for early reading logs, book reports, etc. But then the time came where literature got a little more "grown up" so to speak. I too enjoy the Odyssey and the Illiad. I really like the action genre whether it be fiction or non fiction. It really is nice when your read a book that gets you as involved in reading, as the characters are in the narrative.

      Delete
    2. Israel, that’s awesome that you were able to find a genre that got you reading. Unlike you I’ve always loved reading and English courses, but I can relate to that connection to a specific genre. Similarly I found that I enjoyed magic\fantasy books that played on reality such as The Alchemist and The Brothers Grimm. I love Homer's work as well, it was probably one of my favorites in high school.

      Delete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Growing up I loved to read. I was the youngest in all of my family but I was the first to finish reading the Harry Potter series (that was published) at the age of 10. Moving on to middle school and high school I lost my passion for reading as I got heavily involved in other things. That didn’t stop me from challenging myself by taking AP Language and AP Literature in 11th and 12th grade. It wasn’t until 12th grade in AP Literature that I found my passion for books again. It was our summer break assignment and we had to read the novel Jane Eyre. While reading the book over the summer I didn’t realize the depth and meaning it had until we analyzed it as a class and then read Wide Sargasso Sea. It was at this very moment that I realized that my passion for novels and reading never died it just got lost. I picked back up on reading my senior year and read more books than in the past 7 years combined. Since picking up my passion again I enjoy reading books with romance and books that have a dystopian feel to it. 1984 by George Orwell is one of my favorite books I’ve read since it has both the dystopian and romantic feel to it. Although my passion for reading was once gone, I’m so happy it has come back.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Growing up I was always a great reader, being grades ahead of my peers with reading level and being able to comprehend larger novels. I have always enjoyed reading the Sci-Fi genre of books my favorite probably being the Harry Potter series (cliche I know). But reading those kinds of books I could do for weeks on end. One summer I was grounded and finished the entire HP series in about two weeks. Writing on the other hand has never been my strong suit. I am able to always come up with creative and excellent ideas but I never know how to put them on paper in the form that it should be. I hope to learn and make improvements to my writing skills this term!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel the same way. I loved reading the Harry Potter books and other fiction books, but I was never interested in writing myself. Sometimes I do come up with amazing and different ideas, then I could never translate them to paper or they never came out the why I imagined.

      Delete
  12. As I grew up, I never really had a strong interest in reading. Yes, I was good at reading and I seemed to do very well in my elementary school reading classes, but i never wanted to read for fun in my free time. I remember the first book I actually enjoyed reading in the 5th grade. It was "Small steps" which had to do with a girl who got polio (which is a disease that paralyzes you) and her journey to become mobile again. I don't really know why but this really sparked my interest in reading, i probably read this book 3 full times before i decided to start exploring other novels out there. I really enjoyed "The Hunger Games" series after that. Instead of watching hours of TV before bed i would actually pick up a book. I thought I was good at reading before but after some practice i ended up reading at a very high level compared to my peers. I hope that i can continue to improve my reading skills and also help with my writing skills.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me as well! I have always been a good reader, but as a child I was always avoiding unnecessary reading tasks until my initial spark.

      This was posted by OlaToyin Olasimbo.

      Delete
  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  14. When I was a young child I absolutely loved reading. Each night I would stay up past my bed time to indulge in one of my favorite novels. I would always try to stop reading when I would realize that it was getting late, but as one chapter would close, I would be guilty of reading many more. I remember enjoying novels such as the clique, magic tree house and Junie B. Jones, which were all easy, yet entertaining books. As I grew older and entered high school, my extreme love and passion for reading ended. My time was devoted to extraneous dance classes and I only had time to read books that were required for school. In addition, I did not like to have to be told to read certain books that did not interest me because it made me not want to read at all. Fortunately, I had a teacher senior year that challenged us to think outside of the box and do many projects about our readings which made me enjoy reading once again.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Magic Tree House: My Spirit Guide to Reading & Writing

    I was absolutely obsessed with the Magic Tree House book series during my younger years. When I say obsessed I mean obsessed. I actually made my dad build me a tree house in the massive oak tree in my backyard (fun fact: it’s still in my yard!). I just felt so attached when I read those books, they involved history and tree houses- two of my favorite things. In the fourth grade Mary Pope Osborne came to my school and wow you would have thought I was meeting Mother Teresa by the way I was praising her. She gave this long speech about how writing allowed her to create a world of her own and that we could as well. That night I flung my pencil across the paper and wrote a story of my own, I’m pretty sure I just inserted my name into a wannabe Magic Tree House story that already existed but hey it got me writing. This is one of my earliest connections with literature and writing. I do believe that Mary Pope Osborne had a great impact on my enjoyment of reading and inspired me to use writing as an outlet for creativity. Whenever I feel like giving up on reading a book or writing a paper I think “what would MPO do?” Just kidding but seriously I connect back with that memory of her speech and it honestly motivates me.

    ReplyDelete
  16. As time passed


    Originally, when I was younger, I absolutely despised writing and reading. As a small child I avoided them constantly. By the time I was eight or so, my interest in these activities sparked. They went from being absolutely tedious to being a mediums of entertainment and self expression. Ever since then, I tried to read everything and anything I found intriguing. Most tended to be fiction and fantasy, while others were romance novels when I became a teenager. Unlikely ideas always have interested me, especially the impossible or unknown. Rather, than watching movies or television shows, I often spent my spare summers reading. I surrounded myself in fascinating worlds. This fed my thirst for excitement in my spare time. When I was fourteen, I wrote fictional story. This story was a fantasy featuring a young girl who traveled through an enchanted forest and finds an exciting new land. While the story came out rather average, it sparked a strong interest in writing for me. I could express my ideas, no matter how far-fetched they may be to the entire world. The same applies to reading. Some possibilities can only occur in texts and I must read them to explore their story.



    This was posted by OlaToyin Olasimbo.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Throughout elementary school and most of middle, I would read any book that I could get my hands on that were far higher than my grade level.Books that dealt with fantasy and sci-fi were among my favorites. H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" was one of my all-time favorite reads (horrible movie adaptation though.) However, as I got into high school and became more and more invested with football, I lost the passion that I once had for reading books. I could no longer find a book that could hold my attention and that interested me (okay that may be due to concussions, but who knows?). It's something that can be likened to watching a great TV series and finishing it, but afterwards you go through this sort of depression as you can't find any other programs that can even come close to that level of greatness.
    When it comes to writing, it's something that I have never really liked doing. It's not because I'm bad at it, but it's mostly due to me easily getting bored while writing, or feeling unmotivated. In these cases, I'll write a short essay compared towards other people and say what I have to say in it without dragging it out. My AP Lit teacher senior year knew I was one of the better writers he had, but also knew that I didn't like to write. Before the AP test he tried his hardest to motivate me to actually write all 3 essays completely, to which I responded with "I'll try." Come the AP test, I looked at the essays, started on one, got halfway through it, and then got bored. So I went to sleep. And that, ladies and gentleman, is an anecdote about how I disappointed my 12th grade AP Literature teacher.


    -Boris Allen

    ReplyDelete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I did not like reading and writing when I was young. English used to be my least favorite class because I thought it's boring. However, I was really enjoying in reading the history textbook while in high school. I have learned many interesting stories that happened in the past. My reading and writing skills are also greatly improved as I read more books. During the college, I want to continue to explore and read more good works with different styles and make myself a better writer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am glad you have found a specific interest in writing. I have the same issue as you, because I do not feel the passion that you have for history. Although i have passion, I have not seen those passions through the books I have read. With that being said, explore history book, maybe even stories that aren't educational but with an historic background. the more you love it the more you will write, and this class with definitely bring that to light.

      Delete
  20. Ever since i was young, i have never been the biggest fan of reading. I felt like it was more so a hassle, as to a real enjoyment. During highschool, i was forced to read books that i really didn't give a shit about, and had no meaning to me. Yet at times i would find that perfect book in which i would truly connect with and put myself into the story. I believe the best place for me to sit down and enjoy a book is at the beach or somewhere quiet in which i can connect with the characters. Whether it is a book, movie, or play, my favorite genre will always be romance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree your opinion. I was forced to read some books in high school such as :[The Catcher in The Rye][Hamlet] .I wasn't too serious about that but I found the interest of the books. They are actually great books!. I believe without the force in high school, my English wont be improved. Somehow I have to thanks my English teacher :).

      Delete
  21. When Reading Was Simple
    When I was young I always read the most popular books. I assumed that if everyone else was reading and enjoying them then I would do the same. I remember I had a complete collection of the Nancy Drew series and would spend my nights laying in bed, a flashlight over my head, flying through each enticing chapter. As I grew up, I continued reading mostly to give me a break of reality. Whenever I was stressed or frustrated, I would read to distract myself and focus my attention on a story that wasn't my own. Although I do not read as much anymore, unless it is a school requirement, I do miss the simpler times when my biggest problem was figuring out if there was going to be a fifth Percy Jackson book added to the series.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. A life full of stories
      Growing up, the library was always my favorite place to be. I love all genres of books, but suspense/thrillers have always been my favorite. My favorite authors to this day are Stephen King and Dean Koontz. The most recent book I've been reading is 'Relentless', by Dean Koontz. I love the way the stories can pull me in and make me want to keep reading it. The cliffhangers and plot twists at the ends of chapters compel me to keep reading on and I cannot fathom what the writer is going to make happen next. The best part about good books for me, is when it stimulates my imagination and I can picture everything in my mind. With movies and television shows, you simply do not get the kind of unknowing that lets your imagination fill in the blank spaces. It tells you and shows you what to picture and see in the story. I love how a good book can let you see it in your own way and it lets your imagination free.
      -Christina Mutz

      Delete
  22. Reading for me is a very important element in life. When I was 4th grade, I have no friends and I was kind of lonely. At that time reading was the only thing near by my site. I love reading stories, strange tales, and emotional prose. I enjoy the moment when I can clearly understand what the author was trying to say through his words. I feel like I have some kind of connection between me and the author, and my emotion will follow the plot of the book goes up and down. When I was watching the TV, my mind have zero images; when I was reading books, I can see the pictures in my mind. That's why I find more interesting to read books than watch TV. The only thing that keeps me away from books is my English reading abilities, because I am not a native American. However, as I read more and more English books I will eventually improve my reading skills, and I believe every books in the world are wonderful! ——————Ziwei Huang

    ReplyDelete
  23. My Life Is Like A Book, Expect I Don't Read
    Throughout my life I have had phases of when I read and when I do not. I have always enjoyed the reading because of my strong curiosities and interest. Growing up as a kid who loved cars, I've always read car books, magazines, and always surfing the web finding things to know about. I loved finding out interesting things, and much of my knowledge on my interest has come from reading. But compared to the average student, I have not really read much. Don't get me wrong, Harry Potter was read through faster then the fans cried when Dumbledore died. Yet, now I hardly read besides surfing the web and social media. I do not like saying this, but it is simply the truth. I used to love reading, but interests changed. Things get busy. Although I could make the time, I feel like I do not have the ability to sit down and read when there is so many other things going on around me. With that being said, I have always wanted the chance to read a book that changed my mind, or life; in a major way. Something that would give me a new perspective, or motivations that would change the way I am for success. i have never really had a book that truly changed my thought process in some way, and hopefully in college find such writing that can have a profound effect on my life. I await the opportunity open minded and grateful.

    ReplyDelete
  24. The truth is although I was very capable of reading at an early age, I was a bit of a rebel. I never really found my place in the literary world. Nothing really peaked my interest or was able to hold my attention across hundreds of pages. Things like comics never really made me excited, and neither did poems. I commented on a previous post saying I love action novels or other forms of literature that are fast paced and have a high tempo. However, now that I think about more I have acquired a taste for non-fiction books. I have become a novice businessman recently, or at least an aspiring one, and I really enjoy reading business news. But its not only the news, I know from experience that my attention is so thoroughly grasped when reading academic business literature that I hardly stop or quit on a book before I journey passed the last page. So, I guess my point is that as I have aged, I have grown to realize the importance of reading and self education to the point where I do it as a hobby.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I’ve always enjoyed reading poetry, specifically from the beat generation. Writers like Allen Ginsberg, Charles Bukowski, William Burroughs, and Jack Kerouac are some of my favorites. Burroughs once said “Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” This really settles with me, as I am an avid over thinker. I read a lot of beat poetry during my junior year in high school. I was going through a rough time-as most people do in high school- and the way these poets just seemed to rid the negative energy from themselves really sat with me. Even though I knew I was not as troubled or going through as much strife as these men, it still was nice to feel understood.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can relate with you completely on your quote from Borroughs regarding relaxation and comprehension. I too tend to overthink just about everything, and it can cause a lot of unnecessary stress that clogs my mind. I learned that by envisioning everything I read in my head, it made it easier to comprehend all of the little details I always itched for before. Being able to control the way a story is portrayed in your own perspective is by far my favorite aspect of literature.

      Delete
  26. Learning to read with a purpose
    Growing up I had always been opposed to reading, and literature as a whole. I dreaded having to open a book and I found every alternative. It wasn't until I started reading the Captain Underpants series around the 6th grade. It was the first time I had been able to read and actually picture the scenes in my head, it was finally enjoyable for me. I began reading more and more about the movies and video games I loved and doing so made me a much stronger reader. It was this that sparked me fascination and appreciation with the art of literature and led me further and further in my career with literacy.

    ReplyDelete