Misperceptions

o Content does not matter

Correctness is what matters
o All about the end result
o There is one right way
Our Stories about writing
o I am a terrible writer
avoid spending time writing
not progressing
Why try? attitude
Procrastination
5 literacy experiences
o Harry Potter
Love of reading
o Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Escape
o Busboy
Body language of customers
Definitions and techniques of food preparation
o Sales Associate Pet Detective
Read people and match to products
Persuasion
Scientific language/terminology of pets
o The Debate Team and the Art of War
Kill words
Always
Strategy
Speak. Dont speak
Read tells
Is she bluffing?
Getting ready to Read
o They encouraged us to read books that challenged us, not something that was
below our reading level.
o Reading Team
o Summer Reading

Literacy Fluency or expertise in communication or interacting with other people in many

different ways.
 Dora
o Passion
Bilingual/Author
o Resources
Schooling/Working
Mother got discount at Book Store
Talked to relatives in Columbia
Father got her a typewriter
Got it from work
o Challenges
Location
Few Spanish speakers
Less wealthy
o Profession
Interpreter
Raymond
o Passion
Computers/software
o Resources
Went to same college as Dora
Wealthy family
tech store close to home
Father worked at School
Got a computer at age 12
1st grade had computers
connected to Stanford
o Challenges
None
o Professionally
Freelance writer of software
What is my passion?
o Music
What resources helped me pursue my passion?
What challenges did I face?
What are you, professionally?
 Dwayne Lowery
o Started with father reading paper about politics
Activists
o School
Graduated at the bottom of his class
o Work
Worked on a car assembly line
Read water meters
Went to D.C. for Union Education
Represent workers to management
Communicate to and about workers
Union Representative
Started hiring Lawyers/Attorney
o Legal Briefs
Forced into retirement
o Early and somewhat bitter retirement
Going back to his roots
Political activist
Full Circle back to his roots
Literacy changes
Flexibility = Do better professionally
External forces Matter
***LITERACY IS POWER***
Only Daughter
Personal Story
More of an informal story
Interesting
o Significance of her and her fathers relationships
o Family
o Being Carry Underwood
o Her dad finally accepted her passion for writing
I am the only musician in my family.
I am the only one who truly understands what it is I want to do.
I find it difficult to talk to my family about what I want to do with
music
Musicians have their own language that only other musicians
understand
Many times music got in the way of other aspects of my life, such
as finding a job or whatever the case may be, and I could never
make people understand that being a musician requires so much
time and effort that it is hard to find time for other things in life
when I am trying to fulfill my passion for becoming a musician.
Does Lexis story connect to larger forces Economic, cultural, material
I think that she is now able to connect with other musicians/composers in a language
that only musicians understand. Music is a language that we all understand, but it just has a
way of connecting on a deeper level with other musicians.

PAPER 1
Malcom X Standing up for yourself, standing up for what you believe in, motivation
Dont Panic: A Hitchhikers Guide to my Literacy personal influences on literacy, different
forms of literacy
Sponsors of Literacy Brandt Who/what helped you to get where you are today
Literacies: How is Writing impacted by our Prior Experiences? Chapter 2 intro your literacy
now depends on the influences and people that you come in contact with throughout life
Cisneros Only Daughter Making others understand something that you want to do, being
successful, family support or lack thereof

How to generate ideas

o Look at notes from class
o Brainstorm
o Cluster
o List
o Free-writing
o List ideas related to your own literacy
o Try to include some big-picture ideas
What economic, social, or institutional forces affected your literacy?

Which of your literacy practices is most important to you, and why? What does your selection
say about your values, priorities, you as a person?

Music is definitely the most important literacy in my life. I started playing an instrument when I
was very young. My grandparents were probably the biggest supporters of me. Both my pap
and gram bought me new instruments for me to continue my journey. Everyone always said
that I would be able to grow up and become famous and earn a lot of money, although that is
not what is important to me. I dont care how much money I make. Is it important? Yes. But as
long as there is enough income to support myself and a family in the future, that is what is most
important. Having exuberant amounts of money is not the goal here. People always ask me
what I want to do after I am done here at Seton Hill, and I say that I would like to go get my
masters or doctorate somewhere. Those degrees are not that important to me, they are simply
a signed piece of paper that looks good hanging on the wall. Those papers are not what is going
to get me a job, its the ability at which I can play my instruments. That is what I want, I want to
become the best musician that I can be.