How Reading Changed My Life

“How Reading Changed My Life” is the book from where the piece of fragment that we read was taken. This book was written by Anna Quindlen. I was able to relate to Quindlen’s perspective and strongly agree with her. Although children have more extra time to read their favorite books over and over again, adults were children and if they liked to re-read books in the past because the book was in their interest, they will also reread their favorite novel in the present.

An astronomer killed my religion. More accurately, reading an astronomer’s carefully chosen and thoughtful words changed my life forever. I was raised in a strict religious home in my early childhood. Both my parents were Jehovah’s Witnesses, and being the good Witnesses that they were, they often chose to shelter their children from the worldly influences surrounding them. There were many things in life forbidden to me, many truths locked away. Unfortunately for my parents, I’ve always been curious about the world and literacy was my key. It wasn’t until I was 13 years old when I first discovered Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. Reading Sagan’s reflections on the world and humanity ignited something in me that had been smoldering for a long time; the idea that I did not need religion to find purpose and meaning in life, rather I must only look within myself.

As I thought back over my elementary school experience, I realized I did not get a lot of support or changes made to help me in the school environment. The first couple of years after I was diagnosed, my Mom would fill out a lot of paper work at the beginning of each school year but the only benefit I remember getting from all of this was extended time to take test, which I never used. Through discussions between my mom and at the teachers recommendation, they made the decision that since I never needed the extended time it was not worthwhile to continue filling out the forms, so my Mom stopped. I remember my Mom talking about the teachers recommending to not fill out the forms since they were not needed because it ‘labeled’ me.

Living with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) can be complex and no two individuals are exactly alike. Symptoms and problems are often unique and may vary in type, number and intensity from person to person. (Akron General) Some indicators suggestive of ADD are: Being easily distracted, forgetting things, procrastination, difficulties making decisions, verbal impulsiveness, expressing thoughts in speech or in writing, having periods of depression or low self esteem, frequently late or rushed, reading comprehension or retention, emotionally sensitive, easily upset, low frustration tolerance, easily bored, impulsive spending, personal or family history of substance abuse, depression or anxiety, strong need to have things their way and a intense need for excitement.

I first started out my learning experience at a school called River Valley Charter School (RVCS). This school was a montessori school that relied heavily on independence and alternative styles of learning. At RVCS their were multi aged classrooms so I grew quickly with helping and learning from those younger and older than me. This eventually helped me in building skill for the real world environments. This though was overcome with negatives. The school was ill prepared for any student with learning disabilities. The group of teachers and students that understood dyslexia was next to none. Everyday that I went to school I felt different in one of the worst ways possible. I knew that I was the same as everyone else but when the teacher took me into the other room for special teaching, that I knew never worked I felt stupid and at the time retarded. The teachers that taught me at RVCS everyday taught me little skills that would help me accomplish my daily goal. And because of this lack of teaching and care I lost confidence in myself. I stopped caring about the

When I was in third grade, my grades began to drop for no reason. My parents had thought that I just needed to get my eyes checked out. I later found out I have Dyslexia and ADHD. I went to a private elementary school where everyone got straight A’s. I was the complete opposite; I got

All my life I have been a lazy person, doing just enough to get by. Most of the time, in high school, I was content with just a “C”. The only time I wasn’t, was if it was a class I liked, and I paid attention to. If this was the case, I could have received a 99% on a test and been dissatisfied. But, for the rest of my classes, which were most of my classes, that I didn’t like, I never paid attention to or did homework, and I still managed to do well on tests. So basically I didn’t do anything except take tests and I still got satisfactory grades. In school I was so lazy that there could have been a project due worth about 20% of the final grade and I still wouldn’t do it.

How has literacy impacted my life? From learning to read sight words and write sentences to progressing all the way to thick chapter books and lengthy essays, literacy has been a long and incredibly significant journey in my life. Literacy has been a fantastic and influential adventure because of exciting personal experiences that first took root at age two, the inspiration of an elementary school teacher, Mrs. Peake, and memorable events including the Accelerated Reader program and discovering my favorite childhood book series.

Literacy plays a huge role in many people’s lives everyday, whether it is learning how to read and write for the first time or writing a five-page essay for the hundredth time. We experience literacy differently and have our very own unique stories on how it has impacted our lives and had made us who we are today. It is an essential aspect that I use in my everyday life, such as in relationships, daily interactions with others, and learning. It has become such a powerful aspect and human right in which it allows one to speak his/her mind and in some cases express their opinion to the world. My personal literacy history has shaped me into who I am today because without my experiences I would not have been able to gain the confidence and

"Taylor why can't you read this. This is so easy," I remember my younger sister Ashley saying to me. My path to literacy started in Kindergarten when I struggled to learn how to read. We had just moved from Kennewick, WA to Denver, CO a couple weeks before my first day of kindergarten. I had always been into playing school with my two sisters and pretending I was the nerd that knew everything when it came to reading and math. The real shock came to me when I started Kindergarten and everyone could read but me. I felt stupid. I would come home and try and do my reading homework with my mom and my three year old sister could read things that I couldn’t. I tried my absolute hardest at school and I just couldn't read. I could do everything else such as adding and subtracting and could even writing my name 26 times in a minute but it felt impossible for me to be able to read.

I was privileged enough to have done my kindergarten and grade one at the now historic Primary School which closed when after my grade one year due to bat infestation, sounds safe. I then moved on to Peachland Elementary school where young Kitty wasn’t seen as the brightest bulb in the box. In grade 6 when graduation on to middle school and a new town of Westbank where the school was they told me I was going to struggle because of my ADHD. I look at that diagnostic and somewhat false and hurtful, because it made it seem like they had no lust to make me succeed. As the end of 7th grade came around I had worked hard to try and prove to my elementary school that I can

As a kid, I wasn't focus on school, living in the Dominican Republic as a young child challenges you to make decisions that later on will affect your life. Unfortunately, I was that kid that didn't focus on my education, instead I decided during that timed to cruise along with the events happening in life. I did not have any self-awareness of the opportunity out there for me, all I was aware of was my surrounding and didn't pay attention to what really matter.

If you couldn’t read or write, how would you tackle your daily life? Being literate is a crucial part of everyone’s life; reading and writing are essential for a person’s success. Every single day, it’s used, whether it’s for an Advanced Placement Language class or reading a billboard as you’re driving past. As a child, I grew up reading on a daily basis and I believe that I am as successful as I am on behalf of it. Countless memories have been created, thanks to the multiple books that have been read and the umpteen amount of papers that I’ve written. Throughout the numerous years of my education, my teachers and parents left a long lasting impact on my reading and writing skills.

If I had the choice of what I could do all day every day, I would lie down in a pile of pillows and read a book from cover to cover. But there are so many people that have turned away from reading; they think of it most likely as a chore. But should we really stop reading because it’s such a bore? Would it do anything bad to us if we didn’t pick up a book once in a while? If we were to read more often it would benefit us and help our brain grow and be able to retain more information.

I haven always loved the things I love now. But one thing I can always remember is that my mother has always been a reader. Ever since I can remember, my mother has always had a book with her wherever she went. Well, when I went into the first grade, my mother was so excited for me to learn how to read. She wanted to show me the wonderful world of books and where they could take me. The only problem was that I hated reading. I had started to learn how to read in the first week of school and I couldn't do it. I just couldn't get the hang of it. I would try and try and try but never reach the goal. So, when my mother realized that I refused to read anymore, she became worried.