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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Working out Literacy

This past week, I have been thinking a lot about how I define literacy. I always thought I knew what it was, but to craft a definition is a different story. However, I have decided to approach it through the lens of what IS literacy. As I was reading Shirley Brice Heath’s article “Literacy and Social Practice” the prior definition of literacy really resonated to how I DO NOT view literacy: “literacy practices at formal institutions, such as schools and workplaces, related to—and often clashed with—those fostered within homes and local communities” (102). Before literacy was studied, how did teachers involve students in the readings, writings, etc. if personal application was not taken into consideration?

Literacy, to me, needs to apply to a student’s lifestyle. They should not be doing work in school that has nothing to do with their life outside of the school’s four walls. Even when the ninth graders read Romeo and Juliet, there needs to be a real life type of connection. So, this past semester, I had my ninth grade students complete a Facebook profile for one of the characters of their choosing. This forced them to REALLY understand the character and look at the character through a modern-day perspective. Literacy should be about connecting the work to the student’s life. Even though I am still crafting my definition of literacy, I know what is involved in my definition. It is just a matter of taking my ideas and putting it on a piece of paper…where it actually makes sense.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Literacy & Writing

"It is the ability of writing to free us from our embeddedness in the personal relations involved in oral interactions that leads to the achievements cited above: We can be detached, critical, reflective only because writing allows us to express ourselves outside of the constraints of ordinary everyday intercourse...[writing] did not simply extend the structure and uses of oral language and oral memory but altered the content and form in important ways" (Street, 35).


As Brian Street discusses literacy and writing in "The Meanings of Literacy," he brings up the point discussed by researchers Goody and Watt that the beginning of modern society was indicated by the shift from a illiterate or nonliterate society to a literate one (35). The quote above shows the importance or power seen behind the written word. This switch from a purely oral society to a written society changed how people interacted. It was no longer focused on memorization but on the availability of written record.

Sylvia Scribner, author of "Literacy in Three Metaphors," supports and expands on Street's idea of writing and literacy by saying that "the ideal literacy is simultaneously adaptive, socially empowering, and self-enhancing" (18). Also, in "Myths of Writing," Frank Smith states the two major parts of writing are "to create experiences and to explore ideas" (234). Literacy, in terms of writing, is essentially an outlet of expression that may be used to critique, reflect, or explore. However, the most important part of literacy and writing is the ability it has to empower the individuals who know how to properly and effectively implement it in their lives.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A Love-Hate Relationship

Memoir writing-something I have become all too familiar with over the past year. I've grown accustomed to it, but I'm still not ready to admit that I actually like doing it. Just a year ago, I would have said something different. I, flat out, hated memoir writing. After having taught and graded tenth grade memoirs and read memoirs, such as Gary Paulsen or Penny Kittle, I wanted to sound like a real person...not some boring person the reader can't even picture. However, all it took was one great experience writing a memoir last semester that changed my perspective on memoirs. Not only was I pleased with my writing, I actually enjoyed writing it. 

So, for the purpose of writing another memoir, I have decided to write a memoir on writing a memoir. Sounds cheesy, right? Well, I'm actually pretty excited to write it. I really want to reflect on my writing process and why this last memoir experience was so much more enjoyable to write (and read too). I'm looking forward to using my experience when teaching my tenth graders their memoir assignment in the coming month. Here's to another enjoyable memoir experience!