Journey Essay Journey

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Journeys

Deborah Brandt, a professor in the English department at the university of Wisconsin-Madison, writes about literacy sponsors, by definition, the people, ideas or institutions who helped us become literate. “Her research shows ways in which, while opening some doors, literacy sponsors may close others.” My first literacy sponsor slammed the door right in my face and made me never want to open it again. Thankfully though, after some time, the door opened again, and I was able to walk through and realize what I had missed out on. My first and worst literacy sponsor was my first grade teacher in elementary school. I had to read out of a book to the teacher at her desk so she could check reading progress. I was very shy when I was young, so the thought of having to read out loud to the teacher in the first place was nerve wracking. I remember feeling hot, and barely able to breath walking up to her desk. When I got there I tried to read but I was just staring at the page and then stuttering out words at a painfully slow pace. The teacher quickly became impatient with me and she told me to sound the words out slowly. I tried to tell her I was trying but she said …show more content…

This got harder as I got older. Teachers were expecting more out of the students as they progressed through school. So, when the students in class had to go one at a time around the classroom each reading a paragraph, I would count the students ahead of me and count the paragraphs to find the one I was going to have to read. I would read it over and over and over again and until I had it basically memorized by the time it was turn. But no matter how0 many times I read it, even knowing I knew every word and how to pronounce it properly, I would still be in near panic. Shaking and stuttering my way through. Other students would laugh at me and accuse me of being unable to

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