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I was born!
I was born in Del Rio, Texas. -
Until I was not the only child anymore...
My mom said she would read to me and I still have some of the books she would read to me but they are now colored in. I assume I thought I would add some more color to those pages. Every night though my mom would read to me and pray with me. I was really into Princess books because I was one. -
Brother was born!
My mother had prepared me in the sense that I was aware I would have a baby brother and that I would help teach him. I think she like many others thought if I took ownership and had a role in his life I wouldn't hurt him. -
PreK
I started PreK this year. I had a teacher that dressed like Ms. Frizzle. She was so vibrant and always reading to us. -
Day Care
This is where I started learning to read. I had a daycare teacher that had ordered Hooked on Phonics. She started the program with us and I started to pick up basic skills on reading. She even suggested that my parents buy Hooked on Phonics to start at home as well. My parents did this at home while Mrs. Morales did it at daycare. She was a join to listen to and would give treats if you tried your hardest during work time. -
Kindergarten
This was a year that I still remember. My teacher was amazing and has inspired me to become a teacher as well. This year is the year I stood up and told my class I would become a teacher just like Mrs. Partee. She read to us in funny voices and the love she had for reading just filled the room and made you want to learn to read just like her. She was also the teacher that could sing well and would sing books to us. She was amazing and would let us explore books and make up our own words. -
First grade
First grade was a struggle, my friends were all picking up how to read and I was not at the same pace. I was behind and although my parents continued to help me at home and read with me every night it still was not enough. To sound words out was a mental workout, and to comprehend what the stories meant was almost impossible. My teacher was very encouraging but things just weren't clicking. -
Turn Point, 2nd grade!!!
This teacher knew her stuff. She got me tested for dyslexia and sure enough I was. This whole time I was not dumb, I was just needing a little extra help and now that we knew what was going on I could use different tools to help me figure out this reading thing. She was amazing and truly helped me. She did not make me read books because at this point I couldn't. She would record herself reading to me and I would listen and then she would help me read it after. She was a blessing. -
No summer off
Since I was diagnosed with dyslexia I spend the summer after 2nd grade working with a dyslexia teacher who taught me different way to focus and help me learn to cope with dyslexia. I hated reading at this point, it took way to much effort and it wasn't like I understood what I was reading anyways. I remainded seeing her all through 3rd grade and the the summer after 3rd grade as well. Since I attended a private school I had to go on my own time because school didn't hire her my parents had. -
Public School
Starting in 4th grade my parents made the choice to move me to public school so I could recieve help and special testing accomidations. This was the year I was determinded to be regular and to stop being labeled at dyslexic. This is the year I took TAKS and the test booklet was huge because that was an accomidation, I was not blind though and it was embarressing. I was determined to get this reading thing in check. I worked very hard and got out of the program, I wanted to be treated normal. -
AR
Starting middle school we were supposed to read some many books, test on them and score so many points also known as AR. If you would meet your goal you would get to go to an AR party at the end of the year. I was determined to reach the goal. All my friends were smart and we all took advanced classes so yes I had to work harder but it was worth it. I learned to reread books and my mom always made us do homework and read before anything else. My mother always made time to read with me. -
High School - High School Graduation
I knew I had to get into college and I knew that I needed to make it into the top 10% of my class to do so. I knew that that would require me to read and I might as well enjoy it and learn from it if I was going to be doing that much reading. I was also on the varsity basketball team and coach did not like us to have any C's so if we had any C's it was off to tutoring and I did not want to be at school by 6:30a.m. so I tried really hard, and learned to like reading. -
College
College is really were I fell in love with reading. My college friends read and would talk about the books they were reading so wanting to become part of those conversations I started reading. Since it was books I wanted to read and not forced to read I started to enjoy them. I to this day enjoy reading because it takes me away and just for the moment I am on an adventure that does not cost me so much money. -
Teaching
Since I have become a teacher I realize I need to show my students that I love reading so that they can learn to love it as well. I have learned to make those funny voices and show the students it is ok to still sound out words and to go back and reread. I want my students to enjoy reading just as much as I do now.
