Katie 0echslin

Literacy ReIlection


When I Iirst was given this Literacy Memoir assignment, I thought that it was
going to be another useless Iirst paper that every English class makes you write about
yourselI. Now that I have written the Memoir, and read the Ieedback Irom others as well
as my own Ieedback, my outlook on this assignment is completely diIIerent. BeIore I
was seeing my literacy history as meaningless crap, but now I realize that every class I
have taken has either beneIited me or changed my views on writing and reading.
Now that I am reading my memoir again I can see that I was trying to represent
myselI as an avid reader and hard working writer. I was trying to communicate literacy
wise that although my writing is not the best, I am working to make it the best it can be. I
really tried to include as many experiences as I could, but it`s hard to really remember
everything that went on school wise Ior me. I am sure that I leIt out a lot oI small things
that may or may not have helped the reader and any other people get a grasp oI my
literacy experiences. That is ok though, because the ones that I did share were the ones
that really changed me the most.
My tone throughout my whole analysis is deIinitely a grasp oI understanding.
When I began to write the analysis I was lost at what I was supposed to writing about, but
as I really started writing and got into the questions I was given, you can tell that I am
grasping the whole concept. I think this is a deIinite tone in all oI my literacy
experiences because although some oI my experiences were not the best, I made what I
could oI it and tried to take nothing but positive reinIorcement Irom it. Also, with
concern to my writing and reading skills, I really tried with this memoir to explain what I
Katie 0echslin


need to work on and tried to let that tell me some oI the ways I need to work on
everything.
The person that read my memoir agreed with a lot oI the things that I was talking
about. They actually said that my past experiences with writing and reading reminded
them a lot oI all oI their experiences. This makes me Ieel a lot better about myselI,
knowing that I`m not the only one that has gone through these things. Although they
don`t enjoy reading as much as me, they do agree that writing is not their Iavorite thing to
do. Something that I had not though oI beIore that they really opened me up to is the
Ilow oI my sentence structure. I really appreciate them telling me things already that I
need to work on in addition to what I have already stated. They also told me that I should
always keep an open mind to new ideas and new experiences and try to grow into new
things. I couldn`t agree more with what they are telling me to do and I will deIinitely try
to do the best I can do take a positive attitude on everything.
Something that I want to change about the representation about my Literacy
Memoir is my negativity. I want to work on being only a positive person, because I have
noticed not only through writing, but a lot oI other things I tend to only think negative
thoughts. Like with relationships and Iriends, I always think the worst in people or the
worst in a situation. I realize now that an attitude like that will get you nowhere in liIe. I
need to go into new things with a clean slate and a happy smile on my Iace. This goes Ior
writing and reading as well. Whatever new turns and new things happen his semester in
this English class, I need to go at them with a smile on my Iace. Even when things get
tough or I Ieel like I wont be able to succeed, I need to just believe in myselI and know
that I can do it.
Katie 0echslin


This experience deIinitely taught me to be more in touch with my writing and my
literacy as a whole. I know now that I can open up to this class and that I can be myselI
within it. This deIinitely made me also think about all my diIIerent writing experiences
and how I could have probably handled them lot diIIerent. Knowing that now though, in
the Iuture I will handle all oI my situations in totally diIIerent ways. This also taught me
that communication is everything, even with your writing. II you don`t communicate
with other people and ask Ior help, you will never get better. Always relying on yourselI
Ior the answers will never get you as Iar as it can iI you have another persons advice. I
enjoyed writing this paper and I enjoyed learning more about myselI as a writer.