RE_5539

Dawn, I too had an easy time relating to the author's personal experiences growing up. I, like you, had never really considered that these experiences and interactions with my family as a child shaped my literacy learning. Very rarely do we ever hear of these seemingly routine interactions as being ones that shape our learning and how we learn in the future. This is definitely something I will be thinking more about in regards to my students' lives and experiences outside the classroom. ~Allison Reese

The above comment is from me, I just failed to put my name and email address on it. Sorry!! ~Allison Reese

Hi Dawn!
I also identified with the "good girl" descriptions, with the memories of Vacation Bible School and Kool Aid. It bothered me some, though, to realize that the "good girl" image probably kept me "in my place" to a certain extent. Yes, I was academically successful, enough to receive a significant scholarship to a private college; however, that image of what a "good girl" should be also led me to limit my expectations of career choices. I hope that we, as educators AND as mothers, are allowing our female students and our daughters to entertain a broader view of who and what they are,and what they can accomplish!
I guess the idea that we are so influenced by our situated histories is one that scares me a little.
Betsy Baldwin

Also.....Dawn and others:

Have you ever read THE YEAR OF THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE? Find a copy, a delightful tale about a little girl living in the Appalachian Mountains of NC during World War I......you'll love it!
Betsy B

Dawn,

I also related to the "good girl" concept in this chapter. Reading about church, Vacation Bible school (I can still smell the delicious mustiness of the upstairs classroom), and Kool Aid (grape, please!) brought my childhood memories flooding back! The "good girl" in me led me to make safe choices in my life. My choices were so safe that I feel that I didn't challenge myself until I became much older. I want more than that for my daughter. While I want her to be a "good girl," I don't want that to limit her in her drive in life. We need to strive for that balance in our daughters and the girls in our classrooms.

Hi Dawn,
I enjoyed reading your blog. My mother took my sister and I shopping as well. We were dressed nicely and often very girlie. We had similar clothes, perhaps I had the outfit in one color and my sister in the other. Mom stressed neatness, respectable manners, and acting like young ladies wherever we went and no matter the circumstances. I didn't really think much of it then, it was just what we did because Mom and Dad expected respectful children. I understand now that that was an important value that she tried to instill in the two of us. If you want people to respect you, then you need to show and it and in certain cases dress nicely. That value carried over into her stressing the importance of school. When we went to school she took great care and pride in making sure we looked nice-hair brushed, clean clohtes, etc. You told us to take a little pride in ourselves. When it comes to learning to read, I believe we should remind our kids of that. Take some pride in learning to read, learn to accept your strengths in school and always give your best. Teachers will respect that. Naturally I respect all my kids, but I certainly try to compliment each of them each day on something--- manners, nice shirt, cool shoes, great smile, giving their best, etc. It makes for a more enjoyable day.

Dawn,

I am having a hard time seeing how my relationship with my family affected my identity as a reader. I didn't want to learn how to read so I could escape a lonely and mundane life like the women in chapter 3. However, I wanted to learn how to read because of peer pressure that I felt to try to catch up with the other children instead of lagging behind. On the other hand, I didn't want to disappoint my grandparents. I loved them a lot and felt a responsibility to make them proud of me because I knew they had adopted me from my mother (their daughter) and I often wondered what would have happened to me if they didn't. I felt grateful to be growing up in the care of an extended family, including my mother, who I loved and adored. Wow! After thinking about all of this, I guess my relationship with my family did have an impact on my literacy. This course is forcing me to think about and make sense of memories that I have chosen not to think about in a long time.

Vickie Howell

dawn,

i found your entry precious. knowing you as a friend and colleague it was amazing to read your words. our blog talked about the major influence of our caregivers in our lives as learners. what i found so amazing was that you wrote about your mother, who i never had the pleasure of meeting and yet while discribing her, all i could see was you. i also thought about how you are with you nieces...so similar to how you describe your mother's relationship with you and your sister. you truly are the the wonderful person that you described. we are directly effected by our caregivers...in your case, in a wonderful way.
donna byrd-wyatt

Wow -- you made a lot of connections to this chapter! You describe a lot about your learning experiences -- I'm still wondering: how did it shape your literacy? You mention that you now realize your girlhood shapes you, but I'm still wondering how. Just curious.

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