Rough Draft- Learning to Read

     Reading is one of my favorite activities to do and has been so since elementary school. It is amazing to open a book written by someone else and to live the life of the character through words written in the book. The book opens up a window to the authors mind and allows you to read and visualize what the author thought up. While I love to read now, that was not always the case; in second grade I was reading at a kindergarten level, the lowest ranked reading level in our school. I just had a hard time understanding how to transfer written symbols into spoken words. Because I had such a hard time reading words that were more than a single syllable, I stopped trying learn and just kind of floated through the reading lessons. Eventually I found motivation and I learned how to read. My skill level skyrocketed by the end of the year.

     In my second grade class we would have a reading lesson twice a week where we were separated into groups based on our reading skills and then had to read books at our skill level out loud. The levels were designated by colored stickers which stood for the reading grade level, basic colors for K-6 and then a sparkly sticker for middle school or above. Most of the other kids in my class started out at a second or third grade level, but I was at a kindergarten level along with two other kids. I was kind of embarrassed to be placed in the lowest reading level, but I told myself that it wasn't that bad because other people were with me. About once a month there would be a reading assessment to determine which level you should belong in. After the first assessment only one kid increased a level. Then by the third assessment almost the whole class had increased by one or more levels and there was only one other kid and myself left at the kindergarten level. I started to think that I just couldn't read so I stopped trying. At the assessment right before the parent-teacher conferences before winter break the other kid who was with me in the kindergarten level passed it and increased a level. I started to become frustrated with myself and I told myself that words don't matter, as long as I can understand numbers and math then I can become successful when I'm older.

     During the parent-teacher conference my teacher explained her worries about how my reading skills hadn't improved at all that year. She explained that reading is an important skill that everyone must have if they are to become successful in life. I told her that I wouldn't have to read if I was good at math but she said that higher level math and science required you to be able to read. My parents then said that they would make me read at home every day. For the first week of the winter break I still didn't really care about reading and I still didn't think that it mattered. My parents got frustrated with me and I was grounded. While I was grounded I thought back to what my teacher said and I realized that, if she was right, then I would need to learn how to read or else I might not be able to get a job. I came to the conclusion that I would actually start to try to learn how to read when school started again.

     The first week of school was just as difficult as it had been before, I struggled reading sentences much harder then “I took the dog on a walk.” But I stuck with it and, without realizing it, my ability and speed slowly began to increase. By the first assessment after the break I had increased my level to a first grade reading level, I was so happy to be able to change the colored sticker and my folder and I was proud of myself. By that time my two best friends were at the sparkly sticker level, or middle school level. I decided that I would try as hard as I could to catch up to them by the end of the year. I kept trying harder and harder to learn to read now that I had found my motivation and by the next assessment I skipped the second grade level and went straight to third grade. I felt really good, not only had I reached the level that I should be at, but I also went a level higher. Also I was actually beginning to enjoy reading. At the time I had no idea how important reading would become to me, all I knew was that I had begun to learn how to read. By the final assessment I was at a sixth grade reading level, just one level below my friends. I was really nervous during it hoping that I would reach my goal of catching up to my friends. After the assessment I was scared to hear my results, but when the teacher told me I was so happy, I had finally caught up to my friends and I got the sparkly sticker to put on my folder.

     I started out barely being able to read simple sentences and I finished being able to read whole books. Not only that but I had increased my reading level to the tops 95% of second graders and I was up there with my best friends. All I needed was motivation to learn how to read. This idea of motivation and how I found it has stuck with me my whole life, every time I want to learn something new I usually start out motivated for a couple weeks but then I lose interest. Eventually I think back on the activity and I find something in my life to motivate me to do that activity. Usually then I see a big increase in my skill with that activity and I can stick with it. For example, when I first learned how to skate I had fun but I eventually grew bored with it, until a couple of my other friends began to skate. I offered to teach them the basics and after that I have skated whenever I can.

     After second grade reading became one of my favorite things to do. I would stay up late past my bedtime to read and I would get up early before school to read, much like Malcolm X did in his narrative. I stopped reading because I had to in school, and instead began to rad because I wanted to. Throughout my life as I have changed and my interests have changed, I still enjoy just sitting down and reading a good book.