My Experience Gaining Literacy/ Writing Skills

I have had a long exciting journey through out my educational experience gaining an appreication for literacy and learning to write. Gaining literacy, for me, was a process that was lived by many in my school district. Seventy percent of the students in my K-12 school district were not reading at their "grade level". There are many factors that may had contributed to that devestating reality, that is why I can relate to Raymond's article. Before seventh grade, when I became apart of the Silvan program, I was not able to read. Yes I could pronounce words by mean of memorization, however, I could not recall what I had read five minutes after I read it. I remember feeling a sense of inadequecy, unfulfillment and failure. How could I succeed at life if I did not enjoy reading, after all every other comercial or poster in school enphasized the fact that reading was fundamental. After, participating in Silvan's learning program, I began to attain feelings of self pride. That was probably the beginning of my love for english.

My nineth grade year in high schoool, I was fortunate enough to have a teacher who had took her experiences gained throughout college and produced a classroom full of models of structured yet free writing. I felt as though she had given out all the secret that teachers hint at but never give out. I can relate this experience with that of Rose's when he speaks of, "journey up through the top levels of the American educational system will call for support and guidance at many, many points along the way". I had gained so many valid points throughout that class that I have taken with me throughout my college career so far, and I plan to increase and build upon those skills gained on the way.