Literacy Narrative

R2S_ReadingBio_RosellaGrimes_04172017

Do you remember when you first wanted to read for yourself?

My father was an artist and an avid reader. I do believe however my earliest memories were of me drawing rather than reading. However, I made the connection between print and paper and reading and writing at an early age. And I can honestly say that I don’t remember a time that I didn’t want to read for myself.

How were you taught to read?

My memories begin with what my mom told me - stories of nursery rhymes and mom and dad and grandparents singing nursery rhymes and songs. I began to read as my mom breastfed me and there was a rhyme that went with that – about airplanes flying from city to city (which I sang to my children). And then formal education began in first grade. And II was taught to read formally - phonetically.

My initial introduction to reading (and writing) was very welcomed. I was formally thrust into the world of print in the first grade. Learning to read was set aside as a sacred time in my house. My first grade teacher sent a folder home each week for parents to work with their child. And every evening my mom would set aside a time for us to do the work in the folder. I looked forward to the time spent with my mom. It was a time of warmth and closeness – a time for us to share a very special bond. I felt so close to my mom and I was learning to read at the same time and my mom was proud of me. Learning to read was such a rewarding experience in so many ways. And I loved all of them. And my mom ordered all the books off the scholastic book order form that Mrs. Walker (my first grade teacher) sent off monthly I do believe. And maybe it is here that I wanted to read for myself. After all, I had all of these books to read now. Actually, I thought we ordered all the books off the list to help Mrs. Walker sales and help her get free stuff. And then once I had all those books my mom had bought well it was the least I could do was to read them all. After all she had been nice enough and thought enough of me and was supporting my reading and the least I could do was read all of the books. And I did.

My beginning formal training to learn to read included Fun With Dick and Jane (the series) – lots of repetition – for example: This is Jane. See Jane run. This is Dick. See Dick run. Run Jane run. Run Dick run. While I was attempting to read mail and short books even before head start, kindergarten, first grade or any formal schooling I was never formally taught to read until first grade. One of the people most interested in my literacy performance other than my mom (and dad) was my first grade teacher Mr. Walker. Reading was important to Mrs. Walker. And I could not be the one to let Mrs. Walker down. And I could not be the one to sabotage/destroy her reading program by not being another one of her success stories because Mrs. Walker had a reputation as a good teacher. Mrs. Walker always taught 100% of her students to read successfully. After all Mrs. Walker had the first section. Oh, yes, Classes were grouped according to their abilities. So all the students who could read were placed in first section and the ones who couldn’t read were placed in fifth section and if

you could read a little better than enough to be placed in fifth section, you may have gotten placed in second, third or fourth section if you were lucky and played your cards right.

What did you like to read?

I liked to read a lot of rhyme books. I remember wanting to read books that had lots of illustrations – bold, vivid illustrations. I liked to read books about children like me. I liked to read books about faraway places and adventures.

What are your earliest memories of reading (or being read to)?

Prior to Kindergarten and First Grade, there was Headstart and before Headstart there was mom and dad and grandparents and nursery rhymes and laps and hugs and kisses and for me cousins who went to school and came back home and we played school. (I was an only child so I didn’t have siblings that went off to school and came back. Instead I had cousins.) While before entering first grade, I’m sure I picked up books and mimicked reading because my father was an avid reader, I was never formally taught to read until first grade and I must say boy was I ever ready.

Do you remember any of your very first favorite books?

Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak), Heidi, Helen Keller, Dr. Seus books, Charlotte’s Web (EB. White), Number the Stars (Lois Lowry), Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Sounder, Corduroy, The Snowy Day (Ezra Jack Keates), Madeline, Curious George, Ramona Quimby Age 8 (Jacqueline Rogers), The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Beatrice Potter), Harry The Dirty Dog, Bread and Jam for Frances ( Russell Hoban), Clifford The Big Red Dog, and oh so many more than I could ever begin to name. Oh yes and there were audio cassettes to accompany some of the stories. I distinctly remember listening along to the audio cassette for the story The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Do you like to use them in your teaching today?

And yes I still like to read them in my class today after all they are age old classics.