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As a kid, I loved to read and write. TV shows like Reading Rainbow fueled my love of books and language and drove me to read everything I could get my hands on. Books like Junie B. Jones, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Goosebumps filled my childhood and led me to write my own stories and fill my diary with hopes of being an author one day.

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My mom was my biggest influence when it came to literacy. Growing up I always saw her curled up reading a novel, and as I got older we would read the same books and discuss them. She would read me bible stories before bed and tell me stories of her own life as a young girl. She would show me her letters she wrote as a teenager that expressed her feelings and influenced me to do the same.

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In middle school, I stopped reading for pleasure and only read my assigned readings in class. Although I remember reading The Outsiders and The Giver, the books did not impress me or inspire me as a reader. My grades in English plummeted and I was no longer interested in what was once my favorite subject.

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Sophomore year of high school I had Ms. Harper for Honors English and she changed my entire perspective. She challenged me as a writer and opened my eyes to the beauty of literacy and how words are like a puzzle and when fit together they complete the picture. She made the stories we read in class come to life and encouraged me to be a better writer and a better reader. She used humor in her lessons and related topics to things that we as teenagers could understand. We read books from diverse authors and she even used song lyrics to talk about poetry. I had her again for AP English senior year and what she taught us that year still sticks with me to this day.

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I left high school with the intention of becoming a high school English teacher so I can inspire my students as Ms. Harper had done for me. There have been times where I've changed my mind because it seemed too much. However, I've learned so much that has grown my love for English studies. I have sharpened my critical thinking skills and reading comprehension. I became better at analyzing, organizing, and outlining my work before piecing it together. I have even dove into poetry which was once intimidating to do, but it has made me appreciate language and syntax so much more.

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Put some respect on English Majors names

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Put some respect on English Majors names

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I have learned so much in my English education, but English 131 has opened my eyes to the bigger picture. Teaching literacy is not just reading and writing. Students absorb everything in the classroom, and as teachers, we have the responsibility to make them feel seen and heard. They need diversity, inclusion, and access to various resources in order to make literacy come to life. It is what Ms. Harper used in her classroom that got through to me that I plan to continue with my students.