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Ashley Cooke

CSL 570

May 27, 2015


Dr. Megay-Nespoli
Literacy Autobiography Outline Explanations (Art Collage)

Ever since a young age, I had developed a deep interest in learning and reading. While
most children were asking their parents for scooters and the latest Hit Clips music, I was
asking mine for artist sets and books. Kids throughout the neighborhood would be running
around playing Manhunt and other games at night, while I would be in my room playing
school, studying, or delving into another world through use of books. Pretending to be a teacher
was one of my favorite pastimes. Looking back, I often conducted interactive read alouds,
explicitly modeled, and developed my own writing assignments throughout my childhood years.
All of which happened to be with the stuffed animals in my room, as well as my younger sister.
In school, I was often referred to as the Teachers Pet growing up because I would always
volunteer to read aloud, be a note taker, or assist with any other task necessary. Other students
would also sometimes call me a Show Off or Smarty Pants because of my love for school
and ability to comprehend new material quickly. Although these negative comments would
sometimes affect my self-esteem, my teachers always saw my potential and challenged me
further with rigorous and engaging assignments. I would continue to take immense pride in my
work, while trying not to let others rain on my parade. This diligent and academically motivated
work ethic only continued to flourish as my literacy skills developed and education level grew.
The attached collage encompasses photos throughout my schooling that have had significant
impacts on my educational beliefs, practices, and views of reading and writing.

Books: Go, Dog, Go!, assorted Eric Carle, assorted Dr. Seuss books, Junie B. Jones by
Barbara Park series, and Nicholas Sparks novels (Top row of images):
o These books help to show my literacy progression overtime. As a young reader, Go, Dog,
Go! was one of the first books that I was able to read independently. This consisted of
me memorizing the words and intonation from that my parents used when reading, from
which I then had the opportunity to read this book in front of my Kindergarten class as a
guest reader. This text was one of my favorites for its silly nature and rhyming structure.
Eric Carle was a favorite author throughout the elementary years for his simple style of
writing as well as artistic illustrations, art has also been a major interest of mine over the
years. As I got older I bridged into reading Dr. Seuss completely independently through
use of phonemic awareness skills to decode words. I then began reading one of my
favorite series about a mischievous girl who always got into some sort of trouble, Junie
B. Jones. Upon high school and college, Nicholas Sparks caught my interest in terms of
novels, though I do enjoy reading scholarly articles that help enhance my teaching craft.
People who have influenced my reading and writing skills over the years (Second row of
pictures):
o Patrick and Kimberly, my brother and sister, have influenced me to want to be a better
reader and writer. Being the middle child out of the three of us, enabled me to take on a
different role than most. My older brother received special education services throughout
his school years and I would often assist him with his homework and assignments. With
regard to academics, I was more of a big sister than a little sister to him. My
younger sister always looked for me to be a positive role model as well. Growing up we
would always play school together and I would model being the teacher and help instruct
her in our role playing as the student. Between my two siblings, I always wanted to do
my best to help not only myself get through school, but the two of them as well.

Ashley Cooke
CSL 570

May 27, 2015


Dr. Megay-Nespoli

o My parents largely influenced my interest in reading and writing as a child. My mother


always took me to the library on Saturdays to read to me, helped me to pick out books,
and made sure that I was involved in various reading activities. She would always read
stories to me when I went to bed until one day I told her that I wanted to read stories to
her. From then on, my love of reading flourished. Growing up, my father had a very
demanding schedule working as a Police Officer; however he still made sure to place an
emphasis on reading and doing well in school. He would always ask questions about any
story that my siblings or I were reading and tried his best to take a sincere interest.
o From the ages of three to five, I attended speech classes to assist in articulating sounds.
My speech teacher made me more confident in speaking and allowed for others to
understand words that I was saying. My parents noticed that I had difficulty at a very
young age and sought a Speech Language Pathologist for assistance. My brother also
received services for speech. Our parents wanted to ensure that we would have the best
experiences with language throughout my education.
o My prekindergarten teachers, Miss Harriet and Miss Laura, fostered a love of learning.
They encouraged me to try my best and always made sure that there were engaging
activities to partake in. Artistic endeavors were my favorite from a young age, which
there were plenty of throughout prekindergarten. They developed a reading log system
for families to use which required interactive texts to be read aloud to the children each
week. Due to this, my parents became more aware of the active role that literacy needed
to have in our lives growing up. My prekindergarten teachers heavily influenced their
upbringing style for us children, in turn helping me to have many literacy skills today.
o Many of my other teachers had large influences on my educational choices. They
constantly challenged me to attain my highest potential while providing me with rigorous
assignments and tasks. Teachers saw my potential and ensured that I remained challenged
throughout schooling whether it was through the Magnet Enrichment Program,
accelerated classes, or Honors. My teaching styles is heavily influenced by all of these
different people. Their wide backgrounds have exposed me to diverse ways of thinking
and learning as well as diverse and interactive ways to approach reading and writing.
Literacy experiences with my family and grandparents (Right hand side photos):
o My maternal grandmother always bought me a book to read each Christmas, birthday,
and holiday in between. She was always sure to be there when I unwrapped the book and
would read the story aloud immediately. She animated stories, which brought them to life
through adding different voices and intonation while reading. For a short period, she was
the only person that I would allow to read books to me. Her reading style is one that I
currently have.
o Around the holidays, both sides of my family would often recall stories from their
upbringing and orally tell them to the children. Each Christmas Eve, my grandparents
would think or a story from their childrens upbringing to tell us grandchildren while also
adding a small, exciting twist. All of my aunts and uncles would chime in with different
perspectives and thoughts on the same event. Each Christmas, this now continues with
my cousins and I telling stories of our childhood together.
o Additionally, around the holidays, my paternal grandmother would always bake
Christmas cookies with me. I was able to use the dough to practice writing my letters,
which helped to build letter knowledge and prewriting skills. While baking, my
grandmother would pretend to read a special story from her cookbook that would help us

Ashley Cooke
CSL 570

May 27, 2015


Dr. Megay-Nespoli

to remember how to bake the cookies. As she became older, this tradition changed from
stories that she created on her own, to more convenient and accessible stories like The
Gingerbread Boy. Growing up I was surrounded with such rich literacy in reading and
writing, as well as listening and oral language.
Education and literacy levels within my family (Right hand side photos):
o In terms of education levels within my family, I do not come from a family of education
professionals. I am the first to attend a Graduate Masters Degree Program out of all of
the children within my immediate family; as well as among my extended family of aunts,
uncles, and cousins. I am the only one out of my two other siblings to complete a four
year Bachelors Degree Program, as well as the first to enroll in Graduate School. My
sister is however following in my footsteps and is currently an undergraduate student here
at St. Josephs. Both of my parents earned Associates degrees at Nassau Community
College. My father is a distinguished Lieutenant in the Police Department and my mother
has been a stay at home mom for my entire life. Growing up, my mother was an avid
reader however presently would not consider herself to be so. My father disliked reading
and literature immensely, however developed a love for public speaking and instructing
seminars.
o Neither of my paternal grandparents attended college, however both did graduate from
high school. My paternal grandfather obtained his license in real estate to support the
family of seven, while my grandmother worked as a teachers aide before becoming a
stay at home mother. Although neither of them attended college, there was a pressure to
succeed in school placed on the children. Several periods of moving around throughout
the country for work led to adjusting to different living arrangements, however education
was always of the utmost importance. My grandparents made sure that it was financially
possible for all five of their children to attend two years of college for an associates
degree.
o Neither of my maternal grandparents attended college, nor did they graduate from high
school. Both my maternal grandmother and grandfather attended school only up until the
eighth grade. My grandfather enlisted in the military shortly after and served in World
War II for the United States Army. While he was serving in the war, my grandmother
worked as a secretary for a vacuum company and continued to do so for many years.
There is a fourteen year age difference between my mother and her eldest sibling, so the
role of education changed within the family as she matured. My grandparents placed a
large emphasis on education and performing well in school throughout my mothers life
since they lacked an extensive one. If any of their children slacked off in school, there
were often consequences to be faced at home; such as additional housework. My
grandfather was not a very literate man and could only read basic texts, he would always
have my grandmother do any heavy reading although their education levels were the
same. His areas of interest including wars, U.S. history, and cars came easily to him
because of his motivation. Growing up, my grandmother was always the one to read
stories to her children and grandchildren.
o With both sets of grandparents lacking a college education, it was ever more important
for my parents to earn an education for success. Similarly, my parents have worked hard
their entire lives to provide me with the opportunity to have rich, educational experiences
necessary for success.
Awards and achievements (Left hand side, middle/bottom):

Ashley Cooke
CSL 570

May 27, 2015


Dr. Megay-Nespoli

o Over the course of my educational career, I have received numerous achievements related
to academics. The earliest achievement that I received was the Fire Prevention Safety
Contest for my school. Students needed to complete an artistic poster contest in addition
to either a written or oral sample explaining what to do in an emergency situation. I used
my artistic skills to illustrate a picture, as well as articulated a safety plan that I
established with my family. I achieved this honor not once, but twice, throughout my
elementary years (Both in Kindergarten and Grade 3). This was a topic of immense
interest that came naturally to me since there are many firefighters within my family. In
the third grade, I was honored as the most organized student of the month, which was
based off of my organization skills both in reading and writing, as well as throughout the
classroom. In the sixth grade, I was selected to be a member of the Character Education
Committee, for writing a reflective writing piece on positive character education. I was
able to improve my poor self-esteem that came from others negative opinions of my high
achieving, through use of writing and sharing ideas. I then utilized my speaking and
listening skills and became a positive peer mentor in the elementary school. At my sixth
grade graduation I was honored as one of the few selected students chosen to enter the
accelerated English and Spanish programs the following year based off of my knowledge
of conventions and understanding of the English language through reading and writing.
o My reading and writing abilities, as well as mathematical problem solving and scientific
inquiry abilities, enabled me to be one of ten students selected to represent my
elementary school in a three year Magnet enrichment program intensive. Throughout
middle school I pushed myself further with my reading abilities across all content-areas,
thus leading to my induction in the National Junior and National Honor Societies. My
writing skills flourished throughout high school, enabling me to enroll in College level
courses up to two years early while also assisting in earning an additional $5,000. My
well-rounded literacy skills remained evident throughout my undergraduate career, as I
earned a place on the Deans List status every single semester and was inducted into
numerous honor societies.
Library, bookstores, and other literacy involvement (Right hand side):
o The library was a place that held a very important role in my life growing up. Aside from
home, school, and the dance studio; the library was where I frequented most often. Every
Saturday, my mom would take my siblings and me to the library to select books that we
could read at home. We didnt have many books when I was very young, so this was our
way of constantly having a rotating library of own house. Each of us selected books of
our own interest and checked them out on our own library card. In order to get a library
card, my mother made sure that we were able to write our own name (as they needed a
signature). Every day she would practice writing our names with us until we were able to
do so independently. My mother additionally signed me up for library programs as well
as the summer reading program to foster my reading abilities. The importance that my
parents placed on literacy and the library while growing up affects my current teaching
instruction because I want to ensure that all of my students have books to read that give
them the same joy that I experienced. For this reason, I have developed a classroom
library that allows my students to select books, read, and reflect both in school and at
home.
o The library provided me with a sense of independence. I was free to explore the
childrens section and often asked the librarians for assistance in finding books of

Ashley Cooke
CSL 570

May 27, 2015


Dr. Megay-Nespoli

particular interest to me. My early favorites to read were anything by Dr. Seuss, before
progressing into Eric Carle, and later the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park. I was
reading all of these before the recommended grade level, which impressed the librarians
and my teachers alike. According to my mom, I taught myself how to read in
Kindergarten. Through memorization, use of the alphabetic principle, and sounding out
words using my knowledge of phonemic awareness, I was able to decode basis texts. My
Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Diekroger, even had me present Go Dog, Go! as a guest
reader to the class. This enticed my interest in reading very early on.
o My parents did not have immense amounts of money to splurge on books in my
elementary years, so going to Barnes and Noble to buy new books was not much of an
option. They did however take us to the thrift store and garage sales upon receiving a
good report card in order to select new books that we could keep as our own. This
provided additional motivation to succeed in school, as well as developed a lifelong love
of learning and reading. Additionally, I wrote my own stories in journals and on the
computer for my own enjoyment. As my siblings and I grew older and my dad received
promotions at work, we became a more financially secure family. Throughout my teenage
years, trips to the library and even the start of Barnes and Noble became more frequent
with my consistently high grades in school. Fiction texts were my favorite growing up,
however throughout my college years I have been more inclined to read nonfiction texts.
Speaking and listening skills (Last row of photos):
o Throughout the beginning of my elementary years, I was extremely timid and disliked
speaking in public as well as groups. Speaking in front of crowds on stage, reading aloud,
and interacting with others did not come naturally to me. If I needed to present anything
on stage, I would often be found holding a teachers hand for comfort while wanting to
exit the stage as soon as possible. It was not until the third grade that I began to become
more comfortable speaking in front of others. My class performed a dinosaur play that
year, which changed everything for me. I took a deep interest to this topic and wanted to
be as involved as possible in the planning and execution. I assisted my teacher in writing
and revising the script, creating props, and developing the set before, during, and after
school. Due to this interest she asked if I would feel confident to have one of the lead
roles, to which I thoroughly enjoyed. The immense pride that I took in that continued
with me through the later years as I would often step up as a group leader and was a
student others looked up to.
o Working with groups was disinteresting to me, as I was often the student who did all of
the work and received little of the credit. It was not until I found my voice that all of my
hard work was noticed as a strong leader and worker within group activities.
Collaboration became one of my strengths and enhanced my literacy skills for reading
writing, speaking, and listening. The experiences that teachers provided me with are ones
that I continue in my classroom on a daily basis. The encouragement of the sharing of
ideas in a welcoming environment is what opened me up as a learner and contributed to
many of my successes. Today I am able to share this kind of environment with my
students.
Magnet Enrichment Program:
o From the fourth through sixth grade, I attended another school for one full day each
week. Here I was able to engage in highly motivating and engaging intellectual activities
with my peers. I was able to foster my craft across all content areas and was pushed past

Ashley Cooke
CSL 570

May 27, 2015


Dr. Megay-Nespoli

my potential on a regular basis. The collaboration and research skills have contributed to
my successes today. The intense amount of differentiated instruction and focus on the
individual student that I received from teachers in this program allowed me to hone in on
specific strengths and weaknesses. Ads my writing craft expanded, my reading skills
diminished. I worked extremely hard to ensure that both remained above par.
Differentiated instruction with regard to reading and writing is essential in my current
classroom. It enables me to focus on individual needs and interests why developing
thought-provoking and dynamic discussions and writing samples on the students part.

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