I could read before I could speak. Or at least before people could understand me.

 

I had a pretty thick lisp and stutter and usually didn’t talk too much. I watched the world and read about other worlds, enthralled in the stories around me.

 

I was born on a military base. My family was strict- like a tracking system in my phone kind of strict. After my dad retired from his second tour of duty, he joined the FBI. I’m proud of what he does for my country, but seeing the worst of humanity brought a new type of paranoia into his life. He protected me against fears imagined and real, and taught me to be suspicious and brave. We moved to Texas when I was about five and stayed there for over a decade.

My mother was extremely sickly and my dad always took care of her. They weren’t really right for each other and divorced when I was pretty young, which was best for everyone. I took care of my mother and sister after that. My dad stuck around for my sister and I.

 

My sister wasn’t too healthy either, but she was happy all the time. She looked up to me only the way a little sister could, and that feeling filled me with warmth. I still remember it, although we live far apart now.

I loved riding horses, reading, drawing, and adventuring. I’ve moved over thirty times and get uncomfortable if I stay in the same place for too long.

 

The plan was for me to do a tour after military school. My father was a captain and didn’t want me to start as a grunt. After that, I was going to use the GI bill to go to art school so I could live in a studio in SF. I got my first job at 14 and started saving up for a car for when I was discharged.

My plans changed and so did my goals. I got a shake in my hands and couldn’t draw anymore. I moved to San Jose for my senior year of high school and left Texas behind with mixed feelings. I needed a new dream.

It took me two years, but I found another passion; teaching. A professor decided to help me out and got me a job as an English tutor. I loved it more than anything else I had done.

The tutoring center was kind to me. I began to study grammar in my free time so that I could be better, maybe even the best in that area. I was promoted to head of training and even got to create my own department. I began tutoring privately and even got an internship teaching.

I hoping this class teaches me the policies of tutoring at this university. They are different than my old job.

I read the news on a daily basis. I also read emails, reviews, texts/ communications, iFunny, and either a school or fun book since I don’t have time for both. What I read varies each day depending on what I’m doing, but usually contains those base things.

 

I write a ton of emails every day and usually take notes. I’m a kinesthetic learner and my hands hurt pretty bad so I don’t write or type a whole lot.

I record or type things I need to remember.

Speaking for so long with a stutter has really helped me with teaching foreign language learners how to pronounce and spell. I learned grammar pretty late as well so I enjoy teaching others how to solve problems similar to what I had.

 

I really related to the text because I came close to failing a few grades because of my speech issues. I was usually mocked, and disliked talking. Even when I finally got rid of them, I was unconfidant in speaking in front of people and it usually impacted my grades. I always felt like it made me seem less intelligent, even though there are plenty of intelligent things I am capable of. I worked at it and got better.

I think this is a lot like literacy because of the way speech impediments and literacy are treated by the school system. There is this idea that every single person needs to be good at every subject, or at least decent. I’ve always disageeed with this individualistic idea that you must be good at each subject so that you don’t have to rely on others. It’s pretty capitalist and devisive. If people worked together in adult lives, rather than it being every man for themselves, that would be ideal. Why have chemistry be a part of defining intelligence for each individual when only a fraction of these population is good at it? Why have people who hate art be forced into art classes? I think people should be allowed to specialize and work with each other.

Sure, a basic understanding of the world is essential, but people should not be forced to learn the intricacies of a subject they hate and will never use.

The text really stresses the point that there isn’t one way to be literate, or even intelligent. Everyone has different talents and abilities, and that’s just fine.