RES 5530: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (Spring 2009)

My name is Elizabeth Griffin and I am beginning my first semester of graduate studies. I graduated in December with an undergraduate degree in Special Education from ASU. During my undergraduate studies I took 3 reading courses, and I became really interested in the materials and course work, which helped me decide to continue my education with grad school in reading education. I finished student teaching last semester, and each student I worked with had a disability and was below grade level in reading. I constantly wanted to find interesting ways to integrate literacy into their lives. I want to learn effective and positive ways to teach students and understand their strengths and weaknesses.

On a more personal note, I come from a family that has always incorporated literacy into their lives. When I was young my mother and father always read to me and encouraged me to read with them and I really enjoyed it, but around the sixth grade my interest in reading tanked. My interests didn't pick up until my senior year in high school when I had an English teacher who was AMAZING, I felt comfortable again with literature because of her instruction and support. I continue to apply the strategies and lessons she taught me. It may sound cheesy, but I hope to be a positive affect on students as she was on me.

Elizabeth Griffin

I am Ashley Catlett in Mocksville. I love reading and always have. Both my parents read to me and continue to be avid readers, even though they are not very highly educated. One of my favorite things is reading aloud to my 4-year old, Anna. I also love to read aloud to my middle school students. I usually have 2-3 books going at once, in between reading lots of adoption books and blogs.

As an ESL teacher and a soon-to-be adoptive parent of an African child, I am extremely interested in class and race issues. I read Delpit's first book when I got my add-on ESL certificate at NC State and had my eyes opened to a lot of things that I hope to explore further in this course.

I view reading and literacy as the great liberator. If you can read, you can learn and take care of yourself. It breaks my heart to see young adults who are basically enslaved because of their lack of literacy skills.

Good to meet you all!
Ashley Catlett

I think I was always meant to teach children to read. From the first moment that I began to read (I do remember it, although it is quite vague), I fell in love with books. As a little girl, I remember watching my father read book, after book, after book. He would read anything he could get his hands on – it didn’t matter the subject or the author. He never read much to my brother and I but my mom always did – every single night. My dad worked third shift, so my brother and I would snuggle into bed with mom, one on either side of her, and we would listen to her read. I still have some of the books she read to us –Edith and Midnight was our favorite. Here’s the link to the author’s page - http://www.darewright.com/books.htm. The pictures were actually black and white photographs of dolls in real places. This one was about a girl doll and her horse. The binding is worn and the pages have the crunchy feel of an old, forgotten book, however, I don’t think I will ever forget the moments that I had with that book.

As a kindergarten teacher and a fifth grade teacher, I always tried to give those same moments to my students. Even if I had a class of students that I knew had experienced those same ‘time for bed’ rituals, I would still read to them each day. I always wanted them to see and feel the magic of reading. The way it takes you to places that you may never otherwise be able to see. The way it can teach you things that make you wonder about even more things. At the same time, I always tried to help them see that they too could share their own stories with others, and that their words, their experiences have value.

On a more personal note – I’m in my third, and hopefully, my final year of my doctorate program at ASU. I’m collecting data for my dissertation and hope to be able to write through the summer and the fall. I’ve been extremely blessed to have worked with the reading department faculty as a masters student and now as a doctorate student. I now teach undergraduate and graduate reading education courses for ASU as an adjunct instructor. It’s a challenging, but exciting new career path and I love having the opportunity to excite both new and masters teachers about teaching reading and writing in their classrooms. I’ve been married for 3 ½ years and we have an Australian cattle dog who we absolutely love.

Amie Snow

I'm Stefoni Shaw and I love to read! That sounds like the introduction at a meeting for people who are addicted to something, so that is appropriate in this case. I am addicted to books! I love to sit and absorb a book from cover to cover. At times I feel as though I must offer advice to the main characters since I feel as though I am engaged in the plot with them. Sometimes, I need a few minutes after I put the book down to coax myself back to reality. The greatest gift I offer to my students is modeling for them this excitement and enjoyment of the written word. There is power in words, positive and negative. I do not choose to read only the warm and fuzzy novels, but grittier pieces that cause me to question and examine my own viewpoints and beliefs. Reading a book is similar to having a discussion with another. Instead of the communication coming across verbally or orally, it is a conversation of thoughts, ideas that are meditated, dissected, and then either added to one's concept of truth or perhaps filed away in place to be sorted later.
I think I have always loved to read. I remember participating in the Great Books program in elementary school for children with a penchant for reading. I remember touching and desiring every Little House on the Prairie book at each year's book fair. I remember my ninth grade English teacher, Mr. Juliano who made Shakespeare accessible and related classic literature with modern pop music. (He would sing Prince's "Kiss" song while we read Romeo and Juliet).
As a mom of three young children, I have spent the greatest hours reading with each child, and then watching them imitate the story to their own imaginary audience.
I have seen a little boy this year who has been termed "dyslexic" read me a page from a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle book this afternoon. The excitment he had to get away with me and share what he has worked so hard on was the highlight of my school day. The power of words.
As I write this I am unsure of what I love more, my own personal reading time or watching a child develop the ability to read and then choose to read independently over other activities. I need to think on that.
I teach second grade at Forsyth Country Day School. I have an amazing husband who will join me on the couch with his own good book, three children (4, 8, and 10). I am in my last semester of the Masters program and I have truly learned how to be a reading teacher. I look forward to the thinking and banter that we will exchange during this class.
Stefoni Shaw

One of my fondest memories growing up, was my father reading to me. He always smoked a pipe, and I swear I can still smell the thick smoke when I open up some of my books. I would crawl into his lap on the Lazyboy, and listen to his deep voice read the story as we rocked back and forth. I would get lost in books with him. My love of reading truly came from my father. He would spend money on books instead of more important things, like detergent. His apartment was filled with books. Each corner, each table, each shelf, stacks upon stacks of books. I'm starting to notice my house is looking more and more like that.

Reading never came easy to me. In classes, it seemed like I was the one who never understood what we read. I would have to read the text at least twice before understanding it. By the time I understood it, it was too late.

In third grade I was placed in a "remedial" class for reading due to results from the IOWA. After ten minutes the teacher sent me back to my class. It turns out that I missed one question on the test, and didn't match the numbers of questions, and therefore missed the majority. It is a moment in my educational experience that I will never forget. Being "labeled" for just those ten minutes was heart wrenching. I think that is part of the reason I became a teacher. I really want to help those students that struggle. And I also want the US educational system to move away from labeling and the issues that come with it. Some students learn differently, and I strive everyday to try and find ways to meet those needs.

I am currently a first grade teacher at J.D. Diggs Elementary School in Forsyth County. This is my third year teaching. I lived in Boone for one year, but was unable to get a teaching job there. I did enjoy substituting at all the schools in Watauga County and Avery County. I miss the snow! I went to HS in Winston, so I applied here, and here I am! I am very interested in technology, and have been using it a lot in my classroom this year. My students blog daily. We have also podcasted, made voicethreads and photostories! It has been very exciting! I look forward to doing research with technology and literacy in the near future.

I live with two roommates who are also my best friends. This proves to be a daily challenge. It's a love/hate relationship! We have two adorable cats, Shoey (mine) is a big fat (21 pounds) orange tabby. Leandra (part Siamese) is Kristin's cat who happens to be Shoey's mom. She also happens to be much smaller than Shoey and not orange at all. No one believes they are related. There is also a small bird in Kristin's room which never see, but hear occasionally. His name is Ringo.

I look forward to the conversations and readings we will be doing in this course.

-Sarah Feinman

I can't take credit for the above statement (I saw it on a t-shirt once), but isn't this a cool play on words? I think all of us in this class can vouch for the fact that reading is one of the most crucial abilities to have. We are lifelong readers & learners and want our students to be the same. This is why I decided to pursue my Masters in Reading Education; I wanted the students I worked with to have that same love of reading that I do and to be able to do it successfully.

As far as my own reading background, I can't remember a time when I wasn't reading. My parents tell me stories of when I was a wee one, picking up a book and muttering nonsense words while acting like I was reading. As soon as I figured out how to actually read, I devoured anything I could get my hands on. My mother is also a teacher, and every person in my family loves to read--it just came naturally I guess.

As I mentioned previously, I'm a high school English teacher at Ashe County High School. This is my 4th year of teaching. I live in the heart of downtown Boone and LOVE it. My husband and I just moved back to Boone after 4 years of being away--we lived in Bristol, TN before that. If we can have our way, we'll never leave again. My husband is also in grad school, going full-time for College Student Development and works as a GA in the Outdoor Programs office. We are big outdoors enthusiasts and will do anything as long as it's outside. We have a 5 year old chocolate lab who is a sweetie, but not the brightest bulb in the box. I'm originally from South Carolina, where it's hot and flat, so I absolutely love it here. I love Farmer's Markets and good, wholesome food. I like to read about food. I'm slightly obsessed with anything made with pumpkins or sweet potatoes. I'm left-handed. I love to shop. I love coffee and hot tea. I'm 26 years old. I'm a former athlete (volleyball) and now love to do yoga & pilates.

It's nice to "meet" you all! I am thrilled to be in this class and really look forward to hearing everyone's viewpoints on our topics!

Christy Rivers

My name is Jayne Thompson. I'm a second grade teacher at Union Cross Elementary in Kernersville. I'm also wife to Fred and Mom to sons Eric,19, and Matt, 16. I've been teaching for eleven years and still love it, most days anyway. I'm about three quarters of the way through this graduate program and plan to finish up this summer.

I'm in this program because I love reading. I can remember the moment that I learned to read. My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Caulder, was reading a big book: Dick and Jane. Perhaps it helped that it had my name the story. I felt special and I paid attention. The "lightbulb" flashed for me the moment that I understood that the letters mapped to sounds and the sounds came together to form words. It was a great feeling to "crack-the-code." The rest came easy for me and I've loved reading ever since.

As a teacher, I thrive on creating those "light bulb moments" for my students. Of course, I realize now, that reading does not come so easy for everyone. Over the years of teaching reading, I've become passionate about working with struggling readers. I've really enjoyed learning strategies and methods that work for them. The light bulb moments are fewer, and less frequent, but they mean so much more with a struggling reader. I feel lucky each day that I get to share my passion for reading with my students.

Jayne Thompson

Why Me? That is what I remember thinking anytime a teacher asked me to read in class or said it was time for reading or writing. I disliked reading and writing all the way through high school. Number one I was a slooooooooooooooooooow reader. Not to mention I would choke when asked to read aloud and I would miss several words. On top of that, writing did not come 'naturally' to me and my grammar was horrible, teachers would write all over my papers with red pen. I didn't really see the point of reading or writing. Both of them frustrated me and I never enjoyed them so why bother. Growing up I seldom saw anyone read. Life was so full of challenges for my family that we were not read to much at all. I went to 15 different schools before I ever graduated from high school. So needless to say, I never really learned to like a school before we moved again. Because of this my education was somewhat broken. Every school I went to had different standards, curriculum, and ideas for where I should be preforming.

So you might be wondering why I am in the Reading program and how I came to love reading so late in life. I was in my sophomore year of college, still only reading what was required of me, when my life completely changed, I found out I was pregnant with my son. I didn't know what I was going to do but I knew I had to finish school. I moved from NC to CT to live with my parents. I enrolled at Eastern Connecticut State University and began on the education track. I had awesome professors and I loved all of my classes, however my reading classes were my favorite. At first it was not because of what I could teach my students but because of what I was learning. I was learning how to become a reader and a writer. It was the most amazing feeling. I had always doubted myself and thought that reading and writing were not for me, at least they weren't anything I was ever going to enjoy doing. Boy was I wrong! As I learned to love reading I started buying books all the time and reading constantly to my newborn son and for myself. From that point on I knew that I had to help kids and families that did not understand the importance of reading and joy it could bring to each and every one of us. I finished my degree and moved back to NC. I taught first and second grade in Forsyth County for three years. In my first three years of teaching I worked with many kids that were struggling readers. I found my self often feeling like I wasn't doing enough for them but I didn't know what else to do. I would ask other teachers for help but we were all to often in the same boat. I knew then that when I needed to go back to school to get my masters in reading. I needed to learn more about how to help my students and other teachers help their students.

Then I found the job and one of the loves of my life, more@4/EC preschool. I now have the privilege of working with kids and families that live in tough situations that make them at risk students. My goal, as a PreK teacher, is to help close that gap by giving my kids and families experiences and resources that they may not otherwise have. Within that, my main goals is to teach my parents the importance of reading with there child, even if they are not an "expert" reader and to give them strategies and ideas of ways to make it fun. I also work everyday to help my kids develop a love for books and reading. I hope that if I am able to make a difference so early on that the kids I have will not miss out on so many years of the true joy of reading and they will not have to think; Why Me?.

A little about me outside of reading: I have been happily married for three years to my husband Joshua. We both had children prior to our marriage, my stepdaughter Chloe, 11, and my son Alex, 8. Our kids are awesome and they are best friends. We all love to do anything outdoors: bike riding, hiking, sports, etc. My husband and children are pet lovers so our family would not be complete without our two dogs and two cats. We are also extremely excited to being adding a new addition to our family in May. We are having a little boy!

Amy Spade

For me, reading has always been a passageway to another world—a never-ending journey. When I was a kid, I loved fantasy literature. I still vividly remember sitting in my father’s huge hall closet reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, secretly hoping that I, too, would find a portal to another world.

As I started to mature, my reading interests broadened, but I still craved that adventure element. During Middle School, I began reading historical fiction and memoirs. Reading fascinating accounts of Nelson Mandela, King Tut and Genghis Khan brought history to life in a way that I had never experienced. I began to think of my social studies class as a way to gather background information for my personal reading. I always wanted to know more. Just simply understanding that that the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids was not enough. I wanted to know who built them, why they were built and how they moved those massive stones. Although I was blissfully unaware, these formative years are what framed the person that I am today.

Since I began my professional career, I often catch myself intertwining these same elements into my teaching. Whether I am telling the students about the Great Wall of China or the beginnings of Islam, I present the information as if I were telling a story. Rather than just focus on memorizing dates and events, I try to interconnect everything I teach as if it were part of a large work of literature. My ultimate goal is to instill in my kids the same passion that I have for the written word. I hope that they can also find their path in life through reading.

On a more personal note, I have been teaching seventh grade for three years, and I absolutely love it. I am engaged to a wonderful (and very patient) man who also teaches in the chaotic jungle that is Middle School.

I look forward to learning from all of you.

Heather Coe

That's right! For most of my life I have viewed reading as a means to an end. I did not realize how much I viewed reading that way until I began this program. Since my dad was a minister and my mom was a teacher, it seems they were always reading. However, even as a child I noticed my parents did not seem to read for pleasure--or maybe I did not realize what they were reading WAS pleasurable for them.

My mom obviously realized the value of reading to my brother and me. Reading was a part of every day, and I so loved to hear my mother read. But I did not particularly enjoy reading for myself. I wonder now if my feelings toward reading might have been different if I had not been "caught" in the middle of the pendulum swinging from the "Dick and Jane" era to the phonics frenzy. I was a very good decoder but grew tired of the boring stories in my basal reader. By fourth grade, I lost interest in reading until I met The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe! I will never forget Mrs. Kirkpatrick reading this book aloud each day after lunch. And I thank her for making me want to read again.

I read quite a bit on my own during fourth and fifth grades, but I remember reading for pleasure coming to a screeching halt with the start of middle school. There was so much to do there was no time to read! I read only to complete assignments. And that is the way my reading life went through high school and college. I remember thinking how good it would be to have some time to read again after college but then the reality of being a first-year teacher struck. And, so just like my parents, I have found myself reading mostly for professional development, not for pleasure.

When I taught fifth grade for several years in Davidson County, I really enjoyed engaging my students with literature. I remembered how much fun I had reading when I was that age. Although I knew it in theory, I also realized how critical reading was to learning in all disciplines. My interest in helping struggling readers was born.

I left the classroom to have children, and my little break turned into a much longer hiatus than I had planned. Although I am not currently teaching, I cannot wait to return to the classroom. I am not the same "Mrs. Rasey" that I was. As I my daughters and I have taken many adventures together, page by page, I no longer read as a means to an end. Reading IS the end!

As I consider our class topics, I look forward to learning even more about how I view literacy.

Lisa Rasey

One of the most memorable moments of my life was in 1996 when I was in third grade. It was an election year. My classroom was holding our own election, which often happens in schools across the country. I did not fully understand the importance of the mock election; however, I knew it was exciting. I hurried and casted my vote in the big box at the front of the room then took a seat. When she read the results, I was ecstatic because William Clinton had taken the majority. Later that evening, I overheard my parents talking about the election and realized I had done something terrible. I was supposed to have voted for Bob Dole! My parents were republicans! Up until this very moment, I kept my classroom vote a secret from everyone. I never told a sister, a parent, a friend, no one. I was going to learn more about these candidates and exactly how our government worked. So, I began to read.

Before this, I was not an avid reader. I was not necessarily a weak reader; however, I was simply not interested. After this mishap in third grade, I became quite intrigued with politics. I began reading every bit of information I could find about candidates and government. I would read books, magazines, and even attempt to use the internet, which was just becoming available. There was something about the content that kept me reading for hours. I was the only 8 year old in the world who read Time Magazine instead of ZooBooks. I learned right then and there that I was exactly what every child pretends not to be. I was a nerd.

My interests in reading and politics continued to develop and were further cultivated by my mother’s decision to run for political office in my fourth grade year. The campaigning and meeting state and national candidates was the highlight of my life. I was so excited!
Throughout middle school, high school, and even college, I continued to broaden my horizons and read in all areas. I learned that not only did I love political figures, I loved nonfiction in general. I was intrigued by biographies and autobiographies. Through reading, I gained in knowledge and fueled my “nerdiness.” Although I hid it from the world, I had a passion for reading and a drive to learn.

Today, I am an avid reader. I have bookshelves full of an assortment of novels, and although my viewpoints have changed a bit, my literacy roots are quite evident. My life story is told in the shelves on my walls. From the biographies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama to accounts of presidential terms in office such as A Thousand Days, one could easily see that I still have a passion for political science, which is fueled by present day events and the histories found in hordes of literature. Without this innate desire to learn and a true interest in people and government, I might have never learned to appreciate and enjoy literature. I might have fallen behind and not been able to succeed as I have in life thus far. Therefore, as one might predict, I try to find the passion in every child. Although it may not be in academia, that passion could be the spark that ignites a love for reading and learning like no other subject could.

As for my personal background, I am a fourth-grade teacher at Galax Elementary School in Galax, VA. I was recently married to none other than another educator. I graduated from Appalachian State on December 21st of this past year. I love teaching and inspiring others to find their dreams and hold on to them. I am incredibly optimistic and will probably never stop setting goals for myself. For those wondering, I have not ruled out a political career in the future. However, if I ever left education for politics, I promise to be on your side. Oh, and I am still a nerd.

Brittany Guy

Hello to everyone. A/S/L Ha Ha! Just kidding. It has been awhile since I have done this so I thought I would just check out my blogging lingo! Well, my name is Whitney Gilbert and I am a second grade teacher in Morganton. I grew up in Cary, NC in a working class family. My mother ran a staffing agency and my father was a US Postmaster. I have always loved reading. My first memory of really trying to read is of my father and I walking through the grocery store as he pointed out different words and had me try to read them. My family made learning seem fun and interesting, like a game, and we were always exposed to higher tiered vocabulary. This, of course, fostered my love of reading and writing. I especially liked poetry and have been published in several anthologies. I also really liked writing short stories.
I was able to go to great schools with other students of similar backgrounds and never went to school hungry or scared. Education was regarded as highly important by everyone in our community and almost everyone went to college.
When I decided to move to Morganton, it was because I wanted to help children who did not have all of the advantages people in Cary were priviliged to. I was not prepared for what I encountered at our little school in Burke County. I quickly found out, my first year teaching kindergarten, that most of these children worry about what they are going to eat or where they are going to sleep and I realized that education took a back seat to everyday life. That is when I decided to pursue my Masters in reading. I became privy to the concept of having a mere six hours a day in which I could instruct a child in the skills necessary to become literate and I wanted to do the best job I could in that little time. I have learned some great things in this program and have really began affecting change on these little lives. I look forward to this semester and learning more about how my students' every day struggles impact their learning.

Whitney Gilbert

Hi Everyone,
I've enjoyed reading your background pieces and am excited that we have quite a diverse group here --- though we are all united by our passion for literacy and learning.
I asked you all to think about your own histories as a literacy learner, and I will do the same. My first very vivid experience of assuming an identity as a reader was in The Bluebird reading group in 2nd grade. This was the advanced group, but I was always acutely aware that I was being pulled away from my peers for something "special." The Bluebird table was in the center of the room for everyone to see and hear. What I remember most is the feeling it gave me -- not of pride, but of sadness. It didn't feel fair to me at the time; something just seemed "off" about the entire practice! It must have had something to do with my closest friends not being Bluebirds. Reflecting on this moment makes me understand that even at that age, I was aware of the inextricable connections between the social and the academic, between language and identity.
That 2nd grade year really is the root of my love of language. I was a middle school LA teacher for 6 years in Atlanta, and my PhD is in literacy. If I could not read, and could not write, I don't know how I could live fully. Thus the impetus for this course -- to critique ways in which those whose language, literacy, and identity are *not* valued in the classroom, and what we can do about it!
I look forward to the course and lively discussions.
Alecia Jackson

Hello everyone.
I am late in joining the group, but let me introduce myself. I am in my fourth year of teaching third grade at Webb Murray in Catawba County. I have a wonderful supportive husband of 20 years, a beautiful daughter who is a freshman at Davidson College and a handsome son who is a junior in a high school/early college program. Baxter and Zoe, just barked, to remind me to mention them. Baxter is a terrier mix and Zoe is a bichon poodle mix,(one of my daughter's friends asked "What is that a teddy bear on crack?")
I stayed at home with my children for many years, joining the work force just three and half years ago. I wouldn't trade those years for anything! But I have fallen in love with teaching! One of the goals I have for myself and my classroom to spark the love of reading. I read each day to my class, just as did my sixth grade teacher, Mrs Wade. I still can hear her voice reading "Island of the Blue Dolphins" and "Where the Red Fern Grows". To this day they are still some of my favorite books.
Growing up I was an avid reader. My mother was always telling me to cut out the light and go to sleep, my response was always the same, just one more page. When she came in, many pages later to cut out my light, I would say goodnight, and when she was back in her room I would get out the flashlight from under the bed and finish reading my book. In the days before I worked full time, I had to get everything done before I started reading, because I wouldn't stop reading until I finished the book. Alas now, I have to put down the book. However, as I read in the course expectations and requirements, this will allow ample time to reflect and think on the readings yet to come.
I going to go read now.
Until next time,
SuSu Watson