homework 3 (my sponsors)

My literacy fall roughly in-between that of Branch's and Lopez's. Branch had substantial access to technology and new upcoming information at young age. Lopez on the other hand, very little access to technology and upcoming information, and when she finally did it was at a much later age than Branch.
I have had access to technology since I was a little girl. Not so much computers like Branch but I did have a TV I could watch. Sometime in the years if ten and twelve my dad had bought a computer. It was a family computer although I rarely ever used it. My parents did not think I ever needed access to the computer, such as having Myspace, Facebook, twitter, etc. The only time I really ever started using it was when I was about thirteen. I had to type a paper for one of my classes. My parents let me use the computer then when it was school related. The more schools became dependent on computers the more I had to use it. I used my dad's family computer all through out high school. All my friends had their own computers wail i was the one that didn't. I did not mind though I was never online much besides for school. Smart phones did come out so it basically was like having a mini computer on you at all times. This is incorrect. I had to pay for my own phone so therefore I could not afford Internet access all the time. I used my data sparingly eliminating the assumption that i had Internet access at all times. I did not own my own computer until i went to college because my dad figured I could not bring the family computer so he bought me one of my own. Money was not the reason I never had my own computer till now. My family though having my own computer was not necessary and a wattle of time and money until I was out of the house.
I had access to technology and information at a young age just as Branch did, not as much access but I still had access. I was not always aloud and able to use that access so I end up more towards the way Lopez was brought up. Although, I was more fortunate than she was at times because my family is of higher class and could allow me to do more things. It is unfortunate but true.
My primary sponsors in life were my parents, my tennis team/coaches, my brother, and lastly my school. My parents taught me my manners, how to be a lady, and how to portray myself to others, basically all of my desirable social skills. My tennis team is my group of friends and they taught me my social skills of a teenager. They taught me sarcasm, how to make jokes, how to laugh, and how to have fun on and off the court. My tennis coach tight me of course how to play tennis but that is not all. He also taught me how to be a more mentally tough human being, how to make good choices, and how to be smart in all things I do. My brother, man this is a long one, but to sum it up he taught me sports analysis, video gaming, extensive movie binging, activities to do indoors and outdoors, how to fight and protect myself, the definition of tough love, and most importantly the definition of love from a sibling. You should be able to see that everything i have listed has everything to do with ones personality. That is because everything I listed is what created my personality, it is what makes me, well, me. The one last sponsor i have not explained yet is school. School has taught me everything I know, academically that is. School did not teach me how to be a lady, how to have fun, how to love someone, or how to fend for myself. School had simply taught me some history, science, and how to grammatically read and write correctly. They have nothing to do with the way I act. School is in place for knowledge of the past, present, and future. Whether or not I want to take that knowledge and do something with is is my choice.
I believe everything that has been given to me, all my sponsors and my schooling have been given to me in such a way that no one else can have it. I alone have the knowledge I have because i am the only one that has lived through my experiences and schooling. It is all worth it. All the knowledge i have received is more that I could want. I can not wait to have more of it.
The only sponsor I wish I had more of when i was younger to know more about it now is that of cars. I was never really exposed to anyone or anything that could teach me a little about cars. I wanted to know how to change my own tire and my own oil so i had to look it up. No one ever taught me and I wish someone or something could have.

things i am literate in

What are some things I am literate at?
the fundamental strokes of tennis
mindset plays that should be executed during specific circumstances in tennis
facil expressions that express people moods
baseball starts
dental hygiene
all things cooking
where, when, and how to fish
where to and when to hike on a mountain
what to prioritize

In class questions

What is something you wanted to read?
Something I have always wanted to read since middle school was Crime and Punishment. I hear it has always been a really good book to read. I never did read it in middle school because reading for fun want really a priority I had and it is also a more difficult read so I pushed it off until I could grow my vocabulary. Once I entered high school I though I was ready to start reading Crime and Punishment but as I was talking to my Literature teacher about it she told me that I would be reading it as an assignment next year. I then waited to read it because I thought it would be better to move along with my classmates in the book so I fully understand it.

What is something you worked hard to read?
Something that I have worked hard to read is The Odyssey. I struggled reading this because the wording of the novel and the vocabulary used was, for the most part, foreign to me. It is also a fairly long book and a lot godson throughout the book so it is also hard to remember every little detail that i read. I don't think I would have been able to understand the book to the exited I do without the help of my teacher.

What is something you wanted to write?
Something I wanted to write is defense notes and argumentative nots when I was on the debate team. I love to debate. What I love more is winning a debate. I would normally do research on the upcoming debate and have ready all the points and could use in defense of my side and in accusation of the other.

homework 2 (Malcolm X)

1. Who seems to be Malcolm X's intended audience? How do you know?

I believe Malcolm X's intended audience is every race, "black, brown, red, and yellow people" (page 124) that is discriminated or treated unfairly by white people. I believe this because Malcolm X explains through this exert of his autobiography about how bad white people are and how much blood and dispute lay on their hands. Malcolm X wrote this in a way that almost convinces the audience that white people are nothing but cold blooded harsh human beings. Besides that point he also wrote this in a way where it gives many people that do not have education but have the drive to make a difference hope that they can accomplish that. Even though Malcolm X makes some bold statements about whites he has evidence and explains his reason for thinking the way he does.

2. how does Malcolm X define literacy? how does this definition compare to school based literacy?

Malcolm X was a wise clever young fellow. He taught himself how to read and to write, therefore he thinks of being literate in a different perspective than schools do. Schools believe being literate is being taught in school how to read, write, and eventually form complex thoughts. I believe Malcolm X though being literate was simply being able to understand what you, do or do not like in the world and being willing to make a difference when it comes to something you do not like. It has nothing to do with being taught reading or writing in school. Although he does state that both of these aspects are very important in making changes. Malcolm holds reading somewhat sacred because he learned all he knows from books he has read and writing has helped him portray what he wants to say more effectively. In the words of Malcolm X, "If the American black man will start thinking about his human rights, and then start thinking of himself as part of one of the world's great peoples, he will see he has a case for the United Nations. " Malcolm X is saying that once the American black man starts standing up for himself and his rights people will begin to realize what horrible discrimination they have been put through and changes will be made. This is why Malcolm X believes that literacy is being able to understand problems and being willing to fix them.

how expectations impact me

I started to play tennis tennis when I was twelve years old. I was naturally pretty good at it a lot of people said. I ended up loving tennis but when I turned thirteen I had to quit for a little bit due to all the traveling me and my family were doing to pursue my brothers baseball career. When traveling slowed down i began to play tennis again at age fifteen. My dad began to realize I had great potential to be great at tennis if I worked hard at it.
I then began to train. I trained up to seven hours every day on the tennis court and in the gym for another two. Once I'm coach though I was good enough to start playing in tournaments I was in a tournaments every weekend. I got very good rather quickly. Because i pick up skills so fast and worked hard to do so everyone expected me to ail everything. I did not. When ever i lost i would have a plethora of people outraged saying i could have won if i tried harder. Because of this i trained harder everyday. The last tournament I was in i was neck and neck with another star player whom i though was better than me. I still was trying my best to beat her one because i wanted to win and two because i didm not want to disappoint anyone. I pushed so hard i ended up seriously injuring myself in that tennis match. I tore three ligaments in my knee and by the time i was able to play tennis again i had missed my opportunities for tennis and was never the same tennis player.

My Interest in Writing

Reading and writing have always fought my attention since I was a child. I was not always the best student to get picket to read out loud or to share my paper with the class, but reading and writing on my own was always a joy to me none the less. 

Reading books that were assigned, that I basically had to read, was not my favorite thing to do nor was any one else's. I much rather would prefer to be able to pitch the book I wanted to read and do my assignment on that. That is not how school went so I did as I was told and did the assignments. I did not get into school requited book assignments until i was in tenth grade. Why this year I bet your wondering? I mainly became interested in school required book assignments because my teacher at that time, Mr. Jones was his name, opened up new ways for me to approach reader and analyzing the books we read. He showed me how there is much more depth and meaning to every book but most people do not take the time to see them. The main book that triggered this realization and fascination was Pride and Prejudice.  Each time he c;ass had an assuaged reader i was actually excited to do it because reading now interested me. The next day in class we would sit and talk about the meanings of each of the reading just to make sure we didn't miss anything. 

homework 1

Alexie grew up on an indian reserve but the difference between him and the other boys grew up on the reserve as well was that Alexie excelled at school.
On the reserve the people were not expected to be able to read and write like the common people do in schools. All that was required and accepted of you is that you were able to sing the tribe songs, tell stories and joke, stand up for themselves, and fail at the non-indian world so you could be ceremonially accepted into the tribe. That is precisely what it meant to be literate on the reserve. reading and writing wasn't required.
Most indians did fail at school because it was normal to do but that is not the only reason. Many a times the schools did not understand indians talents and way of thinking. Because they did not understand them and they were out of the norm they were not accepted so they would still fail even if the answers may have been correct in some degree. There were some indies that did want to try and do good in school but it became so hard for them because so many people such as their classmates, their friends on the reserves, some teachers, etc. were not supportive and did not try and help. When indian children would tell their complex stories and jokes not many would sit and listen because indians were already labeled as unintelligent so everyone assumed whatever they were saying was not important even if it was to them.

How did I learn to wright and/or read?

When I was little I went to private school which has a slightly different approach to english class. My school taught me phoenix rules and sight words before everything else. Because I was not taught the basics of spelling, like souring words out to spell them, before phoenix rules and sight words i have never been a good writher.
To learn how to wright the words correctly on paper I would practice writing letters on dry erase boards  then transfer then to paper when I felt confident enough.
I learned how to read after I learned how to associate words with pictures in books my parents read to me. I also started sounding words out when i tried to read books with my parents. I began to recognize the way words look the more I read them so reading beach easier to me the more I wrote to read that same word.

What kinds of writing/reading have I done in the past?
I have done many different kinds of writing. Everything from research papers, to autobiographies, to fictional stories. I love to wright because I like expressing my ideas, but I also do not like to write because when it comes to grammar and spelling i am not good at that, which in turn takes away from the meaning my paper has.  I like to wright literary analysis papers mainly because many stores have hidden meaning or layers of meanings and i am good at looking outside the box to find the majority of those meanings.
I have read many type of literature such as poems, dramas, plays, biographies, fiction, and much more. I enjoy all of them when that have more than just one meaning to look at which is almost all of literature.

Early memory of reading

I have always remembered being able to read fairly well. Although, I would have a hard time reading smoothly in class like I did by myself. I did and still do enjoy reading I just keep busy soften it is hard to make time for it.

Early memory of writing
I always had the best penmenship award when I was younger.  I could wright neatly and nicely in print and in cursive.

Early frustration with reading and writing
I had a hard time reading to crowds or in public for some reason. I am not a shy person but when it came to reading it seemed as though I was.
When I was younger I prided myself on my penmanship because my grammar and spelling were never as strong. I tried to get better at spelling as the days, months, and years went by but I never seemed to get any better at it. Not being able to spell well held back my potential to excel in my writing and English classes over the years. I have always been in advanced and AP course literature classes but have struggled at points mainly due to my lack of being able to spell correctly