Literacy Narrative Organization

In class we were working on are literacy narratives and Lacy asked us to make an organizational chart to help us write.  I thought I would make a chart that showed my literacy history in chronological order.  I thought this would be easiest because it put all of my information in an organized manner.  When I was making this chart, my thoughts flowed easier thinking about my literacy history because it made me think about all of the different events.  I was actually able to think of a lot more events that happened when I was doing this assignment.

Midterm

For our midterm assignment in English 1101 we were assigned to go to Atkins Library and find a mentor text that would assist in writing our literacy narrative.  Once we found the mentor text of our choice we were asked to do a "write beside the text" in our day books.

My group went to the library on Tuesday morning at 8 a.m..  It was an extremely muggy and yucky Tuesday morning.  This weather made me want to crawl right back in my bed but I knew I couldn't do so.  My group was supposed to meet at the front entrance of Atkins Library.  When all of my group members were there, we headed into the large and extremely overwhelming library.  We stood at the front desk at the computer but didn't exactly know what to look for.  We were searching and searching but didn't know where we wanted to go with this project.  Chris then thought of the idea of using The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.  I wrote down the call number and we were on our way.

We got to the 2nd floor and found to CIMC section and began looking.  We were totally confused to why we were looking through text books and other kinds of teaching aids.  We couldn't even find the text book that we were looking for.  The group came to a unanimous decision and decided to go back down the to front desk and find another Tom Sawyer location.  In doing so, we found the real Tom Sawyer book in the juvenile section on the 5th floor and we headed up there.

The 5th floor is much, much smaller than the 2nd floor so it took us no time to fine the isle that our book was on.  I started down the isle and was looking for the appropriate call numbers.  My group members were following behind me to make sure I didn't miss anything.  On the right side, on the middleish shelf, I found the mentor text we were on the mission to find, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  I pulled the book off of the shelf and we flipped through the pages and began our five minute "write beside the text."

As I was writing in my daybook I realized that this is probably the best book that we could have chosen to aid me in writing my literacy narrative.  My group was really happy that we decided on this book because there were so many different elements that we could all use.  I actually really enjoyed this assignment because it gave me the opportunity to really think about my literacy narrative and how I could incorporate many different elements.  My group worked really well together in this process.  We knew what book we wanted and we were on the mission to find it, and we did so.

Bary

“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up” – Pablo Picasso

I thought that this cartoon was very enjoyable and extremely relatable.  It focused on how when we were younger we had the freedom to write and draw, but as we get older we no longer have that freedom.  I think that this is so incredibly true.  When I was in elementary school I could draw just about whatever my little, naive mind wanted to draw.  If I were to draw or write something obscene now I would either get in trouble or be wrongly judged.  I think it is unfair and even wrong that we have these not only restrictions but judgements when we write something that is "obscene" to some people.  Like this quote says, many people lose their creativity when they get older because they have so many restrictions on what they can and can't write.  I know for me, these restrictions/judgements make me not so excited and interested in writing.  When you have a set topic you have to write about and so many rules when you're writing it seems to take the fun out of writing. 

Where I'm From

I am from parents
two loving, supportive parents
two fun-loving older sisters
one playful, large golden retriever

I am from a cozy home
from the large oak tree in the yard
I am from the clean,
laundry smelling home

I am from the chaos
from the bonding moments
I am from movie nights
from Sunday family dinners

I am from parents
two caring, compassionate parents
two amazing older sisters
one joyful, loving golden retriever

From Ralph Fletcher, Breathing In Breathing Out: Keeping a Writer's Notebook


"Not many of us are brave or brazen enough to go public and let the world judge our early failed writings.  That's where the notebooks come in.  It gives us a private place to write badly."

My daybook is my safe place to write down my thoughts and I will not be judged.  Like writing, many people are afraid to go out in the world and show their true personality.  I feel safe around my closets friends and family and in my home.  My daybook is my safe place to write.  Nobody will judge me for what I write or how bad my grammar is.  Writing in my daybook is one of my favorite things to do.  I can let all of my thoughts out and they flow so easily.  Writing in my book is very liberating.

Letter to writing group

On one of the first day of classes we had to write a letter to our writing groups that pretty much let them know more about us.  I didn't really know what I should write because my life isn't that interesting. All   I could talk about was what I did in high school and what my hobbies are, boring I know.

We had to write this as a homework assignment and I was excited to reflect on my life before coming to UNC Charlotte.   I had been struggling with the transition into college because it was a huge change in my life and I wasn't used to being this different person per say.  As I was writing I realized that I am who I am and I will never change, no matter the circumstances.  I will always enjoy the same things as I always have and no matter where I am.

In class the next day we got in our writing groups and passed our letter around to each person.  When each person finished reading my letter the left a comment on it.  It was really cool and interesting to go back and read these comments because each person said something different.  It was cool to see how I had so much in common with these people even though we came from different places and different backgrounds.  I thought that it was a great way to get to know and understand each other.

Reflection of "Mapping Childhood Home/Community"

One of the first things that we did in our day book was draw a map of the neighborhood we grew up in.   Once we were finished, we were instructed to write a piece about our memories in that neighborhood.  Most of the time when it's 8 o'clock in the morning my brain is a little slow to process things, but on this morning when I was asked to write this piece I was immediately excited to begin.  I was so excited to write about the neighborhood that I grew up in because I have such great memories of it and had a blast as a kid growing up there.

Once I began writing, my thoughts flowed so easily and I wish I had more time to write because I had so much more to say.  The more and more that I wrote the better of a mood I got in.  Thinking about all of the good times that I had growing up in that neighborhood as a kid just made me so happy.  My creative juices were flowing and I couldn't put the pencil down.


When it was time to stop writing I put my pencil down but my mind didn't stop wondering.  I just couldn't stop thinking about all of the fun times I had.  I wanted to go back to the pool and play sharks and minos for hours at a time just baking in the sun.  I wanted to go to the Kent's house for a giant game of capture the flag once the sun went down.  I wanted to go to PJ's house where we would order pizza and stay up all night.  I wanted to go back to the times when I didn't have a worry in the world.  This piece got me thinking about how great of a childhood I had and how I wouldn't change it for anything.