The Politics of Literacy

I really enjoyed tonight's class. It seems like we are going to be busy, yet learning a lot!

I am looking forward to compling a scrapbook for this class. My one challenge will probably be trying to narrow a topic. I have read the young reader's edition of Three Cups of Tea, so it will be interesting to read the adult version. I am looking forward to discussing this with my Literature Circle group. It was very interesting to hear Greg Mortenson speak to Appalachian students. I was thinking while I was watching him speak, how he was just a regular, guy who accomplished an extraordinary task.

I enjoyed tonight's class. I am looking forward to many thought provoking discussions. My goals for the class is to become more conscious and knowledgeable of the past, current, and future trends surrounding literacy. I feel the assignments, although right now, seem to be a lot, are geared toward me achieving my goal for this class. I have no suggestions, at this time, for improving the class.

I am both excited and anxious about beginning this course, in part because it is my first experience with a graduate level course, and I have not taken a college course since I graduated from Meredith in 1979. The assignments look interesting and thought-provoking. I am looking forward to exploring this approach to literacy.

At first I was unsure about taking this class because of the title. As I look at the units that will be covered I feel much better about the course. The topics of discussion are ones that I would like to learn more about. I feel that the assignments go well with the topics/units and add variety to the instruction. I am looking forward to learning about literacy and all of the politics that are involved. I don't have any suggestions to make the class better. I feel that the course and assignments are explained thoroughly in the syllabus. My personal goal for this class is to become a more knowledgeable teacher on the politics of literacy and carry over what I learn into my classroom, school, and community.

The address given by Greg Mortenson at Convocation really got me fired up about some of the topics we will be discussing in the course. I have to admit that I know very little about the politics surrounding literacy and schools. I hope to learn more about the policies and mandates that are being set out by our government.

I was really unsure about this class but after our class meeting and looking at our assignments I feel better about this course. The title of the class really scared me but I am looking forward to making the scrapbook. I think that it is going to be hard to just choose one or two topics to focus on since there is so much going on right now in our school systems. I am also looking forward to reading Three Cups of Tea because I enjoyed the young reader’s edition so much. This class will lead to a lot of thought provoking discussions which I hope will enhance my knowledge on literacy within my classroom and society today.

I am looking forward to class discussions and beleive that I will gain a lot of insight to what literacy really is! I am looking forward to creating a scrapbook. I beleive that this assignment will be very valuable to me as a teacher and call attention to what policies that teachers need to be aware so we can be and advocate for ourselves!

I loved this first class! I found the syllabus really interesting and I wish I was better at keeping up with the latest in education in the news and now I have a reason to! I really enjoyed the convocation speech by Greg Mortenson...which I knew I would because I loved his young reader's version of 3 cups of tea. I look forward to reading the adult version. I also found myself identifying with Professor Moorman because I adore traveling and exploring education in other countries. I did my student teaching in Western Australia, and studied abroad in Luxembourg in undergrad. I will share more in My Bag...
Have a great weekend everyone!

I am excited to be a part of this class! I look forward to the impact and perspective it will provide in my classroom. This is my first graduate class, so I am a bit nervous too. My family is happy I have finally seen the light and become a Mountaineer! I have heard a great deal about 3 Cups of Tea and look forward to reading it for myself.

I am so excited about reading Three Cups of Tea. I read the young readers edition this summer in hopes of reading it as a read aloud to my class. After reading it, I decided that it would be too hard for my 3rd graders to comprehend. But after reading the young readers edition, I decided that I wanted to read the adult edition. I am looking forward to this class, but I am somewhat nervous. We are going to touch on topics I am not familiar with.

I am excited about learning more about the political side of education this semester. I was at a school that recieved money from the Race to the Top grant that North Carolina recieved. In order for my old school to recieve this money they had to make a lot of changes. Because of those changes over 50% of the staff left (including me). So I am very interested in what and why things like this happen to good teachers and where the "ball drops" when things like this happen.