Reading History Memories

I do not really have many memoires about my reading history; probably because I am old and this is something I haven’t thought about in twenty some years. As everyone else is more than likely flooded with vivid memories of their childhood reading memories, I am imagining a dusty filing cabinet tucked somewhere within my brain, labeled “literary memories”. As I pull open a rusty drawer that is hardly on the tracks in this cabinet, moths and dust come fluttering out! So with that being said, this is all I remember.

As a young child, I remember being home with my mom practicing my ABCs. I also vaguely remember  working on 1980s school paperback workbooks that my mom bought at Walmart. They were for different subjects like math, reading and practicing writing and possibly had some word problems. I never went to pre-school, my mom just did her best to teach me at home. She had no training at all and didn’t even finish high school herself, but she was patient and I know she tried as hard as she could.

Once I went to Kindergarten I was very shy, but not really behind the other kids. I have very little memories of Kindergarten through probably 6^th grade, other than who my teachers were. I do remember going to get milk once in a crate in Kindergarten, but that doesn’t have much to do with reading!

The only vivid memory I do have regarding reading, is the internal terror and horrible fear I had of reading aloud in class. I was not as fast at reading as some of the other kids and I swear I could hear them judging my abilities and speed against their own as I tried to sputter out the words as fast as I possibly could. When trying to read as fast as one can, in front of others, it is very easy to get tongue tied and flustered. I remember hoping and praying time would run out before I got called on. I was painfully shy and this exercise of reading allowed seemed like torture to me.

Luckily, I lived through the experience…

Non-Rhyming Poem

Line 1:  Amy
Line 2:  family oriented, funny, creative, introverted
Line 3:  Wife of Nick, Mother of Isabelle, Mother of Bryce
Line 4:  Lover of...my family, creativity and humor
Line 5:  Who feels...hopeful, excited and loved
Line 6:  Who fears…snakes, ghosts and my kids getting hurt
Line 7:  Accomplishments…Isabelle and Bryce, events, design
Line 8:  Who would like to see...my kids excel, the Sistine Chapel and David
Line 9:  Resident of ... Lake of the Ozarks
Line 10: Bruck

Firsts

As a Post-Baccalaureate student embarking on my first-ever class with Columbia College and my first college class in over 12 years, I find much has changed since the beginnings of my college career. I didn't even have a computer in my dorm room, which is probably not the case with anyone today. Being able to learn about teaching reading in the content area from the comfort of one's own kitchen is a very new and exciting concept for a person who spent countless hours, many years ago, in a very traditional educational setting. Studying reading strategies while my husband cleans out his coffee pot with foul smelling apple cider vinegar and as my children crunch nacho cheese Doritos in my ear is a near mind-blowing experience, to say the least.
I look forward to the new material I will be introduced to. I especially appreciate the concept that technology has allowed new avenues for me to obtain the knowledge I will need to take my many years in various artist fields and love of art and history and translate it in a way that will help others unlock their potential and appreciation in the same area.
As I conclude my first-ever blog post, I look forward to rest of the firsts I will encounter on my journey at Columbia College, but none more than that the first class I will teach as a contracted teacher. I am quite certain I will not allow Doritos in my classroom.