Literacy Literate

I’m not sure what I thought this class was going to be about when I signed up last fall, but I definitely didn’t think it would involve re-enacting my middle school years and building tiny robots.

My perceptions of literacy have been entirely altered, although I’m really not sure what I thought literacy was to begin with. I guess I thought it was just being able to read and write.

Now my mind has been broadened and I understand literacy so much better. I feel literacy literate, or at least on my way there.

Literacy seems to somehow encompass anything anyone knows how to do… It has become sort of overwhelming, but I think I’m getting somewhere now.

Looking back on the year I can almost see my understanding changing. The part that really got me and has stuck with me is the reading we did about literacy sponsors. I have a great interest in diversity and equality, but somehow this was not something I had truly thought about. Its easy to see that different groups may have less reading or writing skills due to circumstances, but after thinking about all of the things that are “literacy” that aren’t just picking up a book, its obvious that it is so much more. Everyone is constantly being molded and influenced by their surroundings, families, school, media, and anything they come in contact with or even what they DON’T have contact with! I really enjoyed thinking about the different literacies one might have and how their sponsors affect them.

Of course I also enjoyed reliving my own sponsors from middle school while reading Just Girls. I was absolutely influenced by the books that I chose to read. I was friends with one of the more popular girls simply because we shared an unhealthy love for the Twilight series. I had intense flashbacks to the stress of yearbook signing. I was inspired to talk to my sister who is just finishing the 8^th grade and in the same way that I was influenced by the books I read, she is influenced by her friends who apparently think “reading is for nerds”. (So I guess she’ll just keep reading my books in her room and not at school).

In the end, I think the part of this class that has broadened my view of literacy the most is working in the make hack play group. How we ended up teaching people how to make robot fingers for an English project and for any sort of grade is still somewhat of a mystery to me. Maker culture is definitely the most interesting concept I encountered. I love the idea of teaching by making, and learning by doing. However ridiculous we looked with straws on our hands, I have to think that I am now more literate in… something. Yeah there’s definitely something there…

First off, being able to find a project we wanted to tackle, and trying to build it ourselves was challenging enough. Then, to teach those things to others with hands on activities was a whole other experience. I have never had more fun or felt more accomplished in the library than when Anna and I successfully made our Gami-bots, (and did it without scissors).

Here at the end of the semester I feel that I have learned so much, yet have so much more to learn as well. I definitely have a more exciting and colorful view of literacy than when I stepped into class in January.