Election 2012

I am intrigued in the presidential debate because I am anxious about the economy

Story I Tell Again and Again

When I first met my "now-fiance" we spent a weekend at the beach.  We didn't know each other very well at all; we were being friendly and feeling each other out.  So while we were canoodling in the ocean,  he decided to go up to the towels on the beach and put up his sunglasses.  He asked if I wanted him to put up my ring so it was safe.  It was a sapphire-diamond three stone ring set in white gold that was given to me by my parents on my 18th birthday/ high school graduation gift.  I wasn't having issues with it being in the water; it wasn't loose on my hand, but I thought it'd show what great faith I had in him if I let him stow it for me.  I took it off, cafeul to not drop it in the dark waves below and he took it ashore.

Fast forward three hours...

List: Pull one line from entry

"But I thought it'd show what great faith I had in him..."

Writer's Notebook (Expert)

I am really good at puppy training.  When I got my dog three years ago, I read a lot of puppy training books.  Kingsley has grown up to be the most mannerly dog I've ever known.  She's well behaved and extremely smart.  When I began training her, I taught her about crates and how to be left alone.  It's really important that a dog learns how to be left alone, for short periods at first and then ending with as many as 10 hours undisturbed.

Literacy Practices Ethnography

"Hey! I just met you (Dr. Skinner)... 

And this is cah-razy, 

but here's my life in print... 

so read it, maybe?"

Over a two day time frame, I documented my literacy practices, specifically noting the "when, where, and with whom" I engaged using both print and non-print texts.  From the data I collected,  patterns in my literacy practices are readily apparent.  The types of conversations I have, the conversations I listen to, and the various types of printed text that I use are all related to my identity.   This ethnography afforded me the opportunity to examine the discourses that are a part of my life. From this two day study, I noted the following discourses: fiancé, teacher/student, and consumer...

Literacy
What is literacy?Diana: "books, subtitles, printed text" 

Merriam-Webster: "the quality or state of being literate"

Ok, so I was sort of right, but I've realized that literacy is everything under the language arts umbrella.  Literacy is not limited to books and printed text material, but instead encompasses all types of communication, both written and spoken.  This ethnography study has helped me recognize the ways in which literacy impacts my life in everything I do, including how I communicate, organize, entertain, and inform myself! 

The Ethnography 

I noticed that I primarily engage with literacy for information such as reading my cell phone (texts, reminders, calendar appointments, emails) beginning first thing in the morning, reading the teacher’s manual and lesson plans, catching up on the newest posts to Pinterest, or listening to the Schnitt Show on 94.3-WSC on my way home from work. I also noticed that I used literacy to communicate with others. I engaged in communication as I communicated via emails to teachers on my grade level or calling to set up appointments for the reception food tasting and premarital counseling.  Furthermore, I engage with literacy for entertainment. I read the fall issue of the Charleston Weddings magazine and watched the movie Definitely, Maybe with Ryan Reynolds.

The following are several patterns I noticed emerge that reveal a lot of my identity.

Future Wifey

I l.o.v.e. the fact that I'm going to be married soon, but I hate all the literacy involved in order to get down that aisle.  Just kidding- well, a little bit serious.  There were too many literacy instances to document during the ethnography project to express the magnitude of the situation, so here's a Wordle that highlights the thoughts of "who, what, when, where" and checklists I had running through my mind over that two day span.  I converse so much via emails, texts, and phone calls to my fiancé, Joseph, which allows us to communicate and organize our daily activities.  I use so much literacy each day as I'm communicating and gaining information, while I plan for November 17th.  I am really looking forward to actually "being married", but WAIT... that means the literacy will have to change to reading recipes, writing thank you notes, creating a budget, making grocery lists, signing house ownership contracts, and reading puppy training manuals (we want a puppy together before a b.a.b.y)!

Teacher/ Student

I spend the majority of my days in the classroom, so much of my life revolves around literacy.  I am constantly writing and checking my lesson plans, updating my calendar, reading stories to the class, listening to my students, reading for grad. school, writing for grad. school ( :) ), communicating to parents, communicating with fellow teachers, making colorful anchor charts for my room.  On the days that I documented my actions, I engaged in using literacy-rich Smart Board lessons with my students, pre-reading books to check for content and applicability to the lesson, documenting/writing down anecdotal notes about my student's abilities, and responding to school-related emails.   These paths of literacy help me communicate and stay organized.  Patterns reveal that I am a Type A, work-a-holic! I need everything to be organized in order to stay on track and I like to maintain relationships.  From the notes, you can probably glean that I am female, but my gender in this section is vague enough to be unclear.

Consumer

Based on my notes, it's obvious I have a Smart phone.  I'm not bashful; I love my I-phone and Mac Book Pro laptop!  I love that they are all synced together and work together with my school email account.  I use my computer and cell phone to check email, Pinterest, Facebook, texts, and buy things.  My inbox is full of coupon codes that lead me to sites like J.Crew trying to sell me clothes and Living Social deals!  I am a definite consumer, because I use the literacy on my electronics to buy things or make plans to buys things (ie. phone call to meet up for happy hour drinks).  My log describes me picking up bridesmaids shoes, buying the newest mixed-up fairy tales from Barnes and Noble online store, and making plans to eat at Vickery's.  From this, you would surmise that I am from the middle-class and most likely that I'm female (although the future wifey info gives me away).  I am also pleasure-reading Fifty Shades of Grey, only because everybody is talking about it.  My favorite authors are Karen White, Emily Giffin, and Patti Callahan Henry, and I am in awe of them (like stand in line for autographs from them)!  I felt like giving E.L. James a shot, and I've been very happy with the book so far.  For pleasure, I also thumb through wedding magazines and watch TV/movies.