What Literacy Isn’t?

To be entirely honest, I hadn’t done much thinking about literacy before the beginning of this class. If someone had asked me what literacy was I probably would have thought simply someone’s ability to read.

I did grow up in a house where reading was emphasized. I was the little girl carrying around a favorite book instead of dolls. My mom is a book lover and I fulfilled her dreams of passing on her favorite books to her daughters (my sisters are a whole ‘nother story). I read so much that I had read all of the books my 4^th grade teacher had in our class SSR library so I was allowed to bring my own. I have been very privileged in my literacy sponsors for reading.

That’s what I thought literacy was. Literacy was taking the Lexile quiz in middle school and having the only book within my range being “War and Peace” and a strange calculus textbook.

NOW I think I have a much better grasp on what literacy is… but also so much to learn because each day an old idea is torn down and something else built on top. Most importantly, I think, is that I’m aware of my own literacies and that not everyone had the same sponsors as I have had.

That’s the most interesting thing I’ve learned from this class so far: the idea of literacy sponsors. I have had extensive diversity training in my time here at Chico State, and I’ve been taught to think as inclusively as possible, but I had never thought of literacy as much more than either being able to read, or not.

I hadn’t thought about the impact others would have had on someone’s reading habits. Now, reading Just Girls, I am indeed reliving my middle school years, and noticing that there were so many different sponsors and influences on what/if someone read.

I thought I knew what literacy was, now I’m unsure of what literacy isn’t… but I feel great about that!

What I’m saying is, I now know I have a lot to learn, but I am excited for everything I thought I knew to be wrong.