Thursday, April 1, 2010

The power of the printed word

btt  button

I still remember the distinct moment that the concept of reading clicked, with a meglomaniacal realization that, all I needed to do was learn the words and I could read anything in the whole world. (That’s my kind of world domination.) Do you remember learning to read? What’s your earliest reading memory?




I do not remember a time when I couldn't read. My earliest reading memories are the books I loved as a child - The Snowy Day, Little Blue and Little Yellow, I am a Bunny, The Little Bear. Even though in some of those memories I was read to and in some I held the book, they all seem to my current memory to be memories of reading the books myself. I do remember learning to write - practicing the letters of my name on the telephone message pad sitting by the phone on my mother's night table. This was prior to starting kindergarten, but it is a vivid memory. I also remember Suzanne in 2nd grade deciding that she would teach all of the eager learners in our class cursive writing, which seemed to me a bunch of undecodable scribbles. It was a heavily guarded secret code of adult society and therefore highly desirable. I was in. The remainder of the class, the hoi polloi, was going to have to wait until third grade. I dutifully practiced my squiggles, only to find in 3rd grade that Suzanne did not know script at all. She had made it up. I was pissed. I think my writing has suffered ever since. I have the worst penmanship on earth.

8 comments:

Jaimie said...

I loved the books you posted. I dearly loved Snowy Day when I was young! Happy BTT!

Lisa said...

Here's mine

Frances said...

I remember how grown up I felt when I learned cursive. I would leave my dad little notes telling him that I loved him best in the world. I remember reading The Little Bear to my own daughter. I also did my first reading memory at my blog.
Enjoy the rest of your day :)

Sheila O'Malley said...

"the hoi polloi" hahahahahaha

Marie Cloutier said...

I can't remember not reading, although I do remember teaching myself with a little set of learning materials my mom got for me. then we'd work together on parts of it, too. those are nice memories!

Kathleen said...

The Snowy Day was one of my son's favorite books growing up. I must confess I loved reading it to him...such a perfectly simple but beautiful story!

Tina Kubala said...

I still write in cursive when I write long hand. So much faster and my print looks like my second grade print.

The Little Bear books were some of my favorite of all time, though I was not a strong reader in early elementary school so I mostly heard my mom reading Little Bear to my younger brother and I. She has a marvelous reading voice.

Ted said...

It was nice to stroll down memory lane with all of you!