My Literacy History. My Legacy.

   

It might be a total cliché to say that my first literacy memory is with my mom, but it is true. When I was in pre-K I was having a challenging time learning how to read. My mom was an Early Childhood Education teacher so she would sit next to me and spend hours trying to find the best approach for me. I do not exactly remember which approach she used, but what I do remember is her being so patient, unstoppable, and resolute. One day I was just ready to read and thanks to her dedication I was always one of the best readers in class and church. About my writing skills, my father inspired me. He enjoyed watching me writing on my notebook because he was so impressed of my fast writing.

Back in my country I enrolled in a commerce/business High School. At first, I struggled with technology because we did not have computers at home in my early years. My dad worked so hard that year to get a desktop, a printer, and internet connection. I remember my teachers showing me step by step how to manipulate the computer and technology and now I am so grateful because I have professional typing skills. Learning a new language was also a challenge for me. To overcome the challenge, I used to pick my favorite songs in English and translate them using a hard copy dictionary. Later, when my dad brought the computer, I started to use google translator and interpret the lyrics within the context for the song to make sense.

One day, my history high school teacher, Ms. Rodriguez, was wearing a custom representing a historical figure. She rolled played a monologue and now that historical figure is my favorite from my country Puerto Rico, her name was Luisa Capetillo. That day I decided I wanted to become a teacher and that I wanted a higher education. I have had amazing professors in my college years and have learned so much form them. Now that I started to practice my career, I can reaffirm that they were making sure I was ready to start my professional career.

Learning is a never-ending process that need to come from within oneself. Literacy comes from the time we spend in our own education. For me, education goes beyond what you learn in school. For example, I like to take advantage of how available information is nowadays. Of course, I need to use my critical thinking to cherry pick the information that I am going to use for my benefit. Whenever I am curious about any topic or whenever I am not understanding a particular topic I use the internet, the books and every person that can share with me the knowledge. One can be around amazing literates, people, schools, professors, and so forth. but if there is no willingness to learn then we are destined to stay stuck in the same place. Life, people, circumstances, school, family, my students, my generations are my inspiration to keep learning. Literacy and learning is our legacy.