Personal Statement: Learning To Read The World

“The more you read, the more things you know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” This is how Dr. Seuss thought of reading, and I think of it in much the same way. Literacy is everywhere and influences us every day, therefore, it plays a major part in each of our lives. I believe that reading is an interactive activity in which learning happens, or as Clay (2001) defines it, “…a message-getting, problem-solving activity” (p. 1). Reading is the process through which one reads information and from doing so, constructs meaning about the material. The more exposure and practice one has with reading, the more knowledge one gains. In this paper, I will begin by discussing my own personal educational philosophy, then continue by stating and explaining four of my beliefs about the reading process and the research that is found to support each of them before sharing the remaining questions I have about literacy. I am an existentialist, and a strong supporter of a balanced literacy approach. My beliefs about literacy come from these foundations and perspectives that I embrace. For students to be successful in their literacy development, I believe that identity acceptance in the classroom is crucial, instruction for all students must be differentiated, direct and explicit instruction is at times necessary, and vocabulary is a significant component in the ‘Big Five’ of children’s literacy development.

Schools often require reading materials containing unfamiliar subjects to students. Recognizing that there is significance for critical understanding of the text itself as well as the act of reading, this explains why many students today struggle with reading material that is not relevant to their lifestyle. Freire portrays that by the statement, "reading the world precedes reading the word, and reading the word implies continually reading the world" (Freire 286). A person should read their world, and then interpret it. They can then use their existential experience of the world to connect to what they are reading in print, and better understand it.

Renee Herde makes a valuable point in the fact that students need to feel safe in their learning environment so therefore it is necessary to promote and enforce a high level of confidentiality and respect to hear what one another has to say. Each learner should be encouraged to say what they feel is necessary and should be responded to accordingly, because if they have the need to voice their comment to a classroom full of other people it was obviously important for them to let it be heard. Someone to just disregard their thoughts is a lack of respect possibly making the learner less inclined to join in future discussions; this should not be tolerated.

The process of learning to read is one of the most essential skills to master. One might not remember originally tackling this task, but it is certain that parents put copious amounts of effort into teaching this necessary skill to their offspring. As cultural backgrounds differ from person to person, methods of teaching do the same. The main topic in Andrea R. Fisher’s piece titled “Becoming Literate: A Lesson from the Amish” is the process and procedures of becoming fluent in reading in the Amish community. Throughout the piece, lots of sophisticated language describes the process, and the piece greatly benefits from such diction.

We should not be blind to arguments made by our peers and professors, rather we should argue for our specific beliefs. If these beliefs turn out to be incorrect, we should be willing to change our stance on the issue.

"The Big Uneasy," by Nathan Heller addresses one of the biggest topics on college campuses today: the safe space vs. the need for diversity of opinions. “Shielding students from unwelcome ideas (is) unhealthy for the workforce and the democratic commonweal.” Students believe they have a right to decide what information they learn and liken it to their choice in diet. However, just as the body needs a varied diet to thrive so too does the mind. Many of the educators struggle how to balance the demands of students with their lesson plans and learning goals. “The trick is to find a way to get us open and receptive rather than defensive,” says Wendy Hyman. The other side of the coin is that many of the students protesting for changes came from

Students should never be scared to express their opinions; they shouldn’t feel scared of what would happen if they did. Many academics will contend that, at least ideally, classroom debate should be lively, even heated at times. Emotions may run high.

English is the subject of fantasies, imaginations and endless possibilities. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you'll go.” (Dr. Seuss) This quote is one of my favorite quotes; it shows how important reading is, and the journeys it can take you to.

Before coming to Northeastern University, I was only encouraged by my teachers to read for content. I was participating in school in order to better understand ideas so that I would be able to achieve high marks in class. This approach proved to be very limited and detrimental. The distance between myself and what I was learning turned school into a burden rather than an opportunity to expand my horizons. When I came to college, my perspectives on the world had changed for the better. I began taking inspiration from my identity, culture, and passions in order to enhance my contributions to my courses. This in turn helped me develop a healthier relationship with academia and inspired me to take a more comprehensive approach to learning in general.

The student must not be scared in their educational environment and be able to voice their opinions. For instance, if a question or confusion arises during a lesson, the student must ask for clarification for their own understanding on the topic. Likewise, the student must also take action if they are struggling in school because it is their responsibility to ensure that they understand the material that is covered in their classes. In addition to asking questions and seeking help, communications between students is essential to maximize the learning experience. It is not rare for a student to pose a different interpretation on a topic because each and every individual has their own unique perspective, and that is why it is important for all students to communicate about their own ideas. As a result of the different ideas, it can enlighten other students and that is the formula to successful thinking. Furthermore, this opportunity can ignite a passion for the students. Communication is a practical skill that is necessary for a successful future in society. While active participation can be beneficial to one student, some people can argue that it is disrupting the classroom learning and it can be detrimental to other students. In certain cases, that may be true, but more than likely the question being asked is a question that multiple students have but are too shy to ask for themselves. To engage

In the practice of teaching, it is the responsibility of a teacher not only to teach students subject matter, but to teach students in order to enable them to grow and develop as a person. While it is essential for students to have an understanding of academic material, it is also equally as important that when students finish their education they have skills to use in

However, if students are to reach the goals of explicit curriculum, I need to create lessons that will meet the diverse needs of my students. I have done this by using a variety of different strategies when teaching such as think-pair-and share, graphic organizers, and

Over the past month, we have been studying the concept of reading and writing in different communities. To assess this, we have read two different texts. Richard Rodriguez’s the achievement of desire”, from his autobiography “Hunger of Memory”; and Lucille McCarthy’s “A Stranger in Strange Lands: A College Student Writing across the Curriculum” from “Research in the Teaching of English”. Both answer key questions regarding what it takes to become a great reader and writer, however, from the reading that I have done, each one only answers one part of the question. Rodriguez’s main focus is in the aspect of reading, whereas McCarthy mainly focuses on the writing portion. Both do a decent job of analyzing and putting forth a view of how they believe a person can best perform in these environments. This then allows us to use their concepts and create our own version, based on their points of view. But why should we care? Most people at this level of academia will have developed a system of writing that works for them, and will have a difficult time breaking from it if they’re process doesn’t meet the criteria that Rodriguez, and McCarthy put forth. The reason it’s so important is because of implications these ideas have. Both authors put forth concepts that are indirectly related to one another and that are highly beneficial to all who will apply them. They will force you to conform to new environments in order to succeed, this in turn will make you more

Reading and writing are two of the most important tools in my life, because without them I would not have an education. They form the basis of a class; for example, completing a lab in chemistry would not be possible without following a written lab procedure. These two skills are taught at such a young age, and as education advances students must continue to strive to reach a higher level. I can remember in elementary school, we were always pushed to reach the next reading level once we had successfully mastered the one we were on. It was always a competition for my sister and I to be at a higher level, I usually won. Even though I was excelling in reading it was the complete opposite for writing. It is something that has never come easy

"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.