Kelsea Meadows

Professor Raymond
UWRT 1104
9/12/2016
WP#1
At a very young age, perhaps 3 or 4 years old, my mother would read the same story to
me every night. Though I cannot recall the title of the book, I can still remember all of the
pictures and the story. This was the first book that I learned to read. My mother read that book to
me for 2 or 3 years, having me read parts of it to her as she taught me how to read. It was usually
the simple sentences that contained no more than 6 words, all rudimentary, that she would have
me read. My mother would continue this nightly routine with me until the eventual day when I
was able to read the whole story to her.
Many experiences and circumstances during my rather short 18 years have influenced my
literacy. I spent four and a half years living in the North. More specifically, Pennsylvania and
Indiana. Sadly, my experience in both states was not positive. I remember in the first or second
grade, I was sent to a small class that focused on students with bad handwriting. Penmanship was
a large part of your writing grade in Pennsylvania and my brother, Jesse, and I received poor
grades due to our poor penmanship. When in this small class, the teachers believed my poor
handwriting was because of the way I hold my pencil, seeing as I do hold it oddly. The teachers
put a hard triangular sleeve onto my pencil so that I would be forced to hold the pencil how they
saw fit. It hurt my fingers and made my penmanship worse. Ever since I went to these classes, I
have never enjoyed writing. Both my brother and I did not fit well in the school system in
Pennsylvania.

When I moved to North Carolina at the age of 9, I had grown to be a fluent reader for my
age. I have always read at a level fit for 2 or 3 grades above me. However, that library in
Anderson Elementary School was one of my favorite places. I began reading a book or two a
week, each book meant for the middle school level. I remember going to the very first book club
meeting only to get the list of books then to never go to another meeting, This is where I
discovered my absolute love for reading. I love I seem to neglect now.