We’ll use Perusall to annotate and read together.
I’m Just Me
I am Alicia Bates and I am an English Ed major. I want to teach either junior high or high school. Honestly, the choice will be made based on where I’m offered a job at first. :) I won’t be picky considering I’ll really need the job. I am a single mother with two kids and I work two part-time jobs. I live in Marysville and yes, I do commute two hours round-trip each day that I am in Chico. It sucks. The nice thing is that I absolutely love this school and have loved (with two exceptions-no, I won’t say who) all of my professors–specifically, my English professors. I love the teaching philosophy that I have been exposed to here. I have worked really hard to get through school within four years; it should have taken me six years. It’s been stressful and exhausting, but also rewarding and I’m so excited to get to the point where I can start putting all I have learned into practice and teach students in a way that (I hope) will get them excited and believing in themselves.
In regard to Szwed, he said, “We might here also postulate the possibility of a difference between public and private literacy . . .” (425). I think this is the ultimate categorization of literacy. I think all types of literacy can be divided into one of these two categories.
I think that as far as public literacy goes, there should be some kind of a universal definition. What that should be, I do not know. But, I believe it should be universal so that there is a balance of comprehension.
However, in regard to private literacy, I think that this can be whatever it wants to be. And, this, of course, will vary from person-to-person, family-to-family, community-to-community. Each individual has their own level (if there can even be levels in private literacy) and their own idea of “literate.”
I think that it’s important to allow for individualism, but at the same time, have a standard for communicating world-wide. But, again, I don’t have the answer as to what the standard should be.
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6 Replies to “I’m Just Me”
I can relate with you in a few ways. I’m in Yuba City and so, yeah. I know alllll about that 2 hour commute. It does suck (at the same time, for me, it’s the only time I get to myself so I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it).
As far as the job front goes, I’m the same way. I wasn’t sure I’d be interested in teaching junior high but after doing a little observation I realized they are funny and pretty awesome kids. But, being kids they can be a pain, but y’know–so can high school kids. I’d be happy either way.
I read a book last semester (Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer–worth a read!) that argued that a child who isn’t “into” reading just hasn’t found their book yet. A good friend of mine who has taught English for the last ten years agrees. I wonder how that would fit into Szwed’s discussion on literacy? Can we make a private literacy fit into the scholastic environment? It’s a complex topic, but I’m with you so far. The two main categories seem to be these two. Reading is so important for success in school, and that’s where Szwed excites me in his statement that schools need to address, incorporate, and respect the private literacies of kids outside the classroom.
I wonder, though, if we would need to be careful about standardizing anything. I understand where you’re coming from and maybe if we talked more about it I’d agree with you, but with such an non-standard people within any community, city, country, etc it seems almost impossible to achieve. And maybe undesirable.
It’s also totally possible I misunderstood what you meant by having a “standard for communicating world-wide.” I’m way tired and watching the Super Bowl. Wincing.
lol I did not mean “standardized.” I just meant a “balance of comprehension.” What that balance is, I’m not sure.
Hey Alicia and Lisa,
I’m also wondering about the role of some universal norms around literacy practices. Alicia, you’re right in that we need some sort of common language to communicate…but then I never trust the institution to set standards. Tricky.
And, as you know, totally get the commuting thing….drove back and forth to Berkeley for seven years while working on the PhD. Some days down and back four-five times a week. It can be pretty exhausting for sure.
So glad we’re finally in a class together after working with you in Eng 30 for so long!
I agree, I don’t trust “the institution to set standards” either. There is a lot of reform that needs to occur and it should not be done by the government or other such inexperienced (in the form of public education) people.
I’m excited, too! I think this class is going to be very informative and interesting. :)
I’m PRETTY sure that’s what I meant to say, about who’s setting the standards, ha. Swear, I’ve a tic when it comes to that word.