I cannot remember anyone reding to me before I went to school ar anyone trying to reach me to write  anything, not even my name.  I do remember looking at books and trying to tell the story from the pictures and pretending that I could read the words.  I wanted to be able to read like my big brother and sisters.

I have been out of school for more than fifteen years so my elementary school years seem long ago and faw away in my memory.  However, I have spent lots of time trying to remember the way that I learned to read and write and I have only vaguw memories of those early experiences.  I do remember in first grade we started out by looking at the alphabet letters and learning to recognize them.  My first grade teacher wrote the letters on the board and then I would get a writing sheet to practice the letters to allow me to learn to write the letters correctly.  Then, I would get a practice sheet such as on a and how it makes apple and ant.  I was taught reading through the idea of just recognizing letters and words and memorizing them.  However, I do not recall ever being told the sounds those letters or the reasons for why they were put together as they were in my lessons.  I was taught the idea to just learn the letters and words and to memorize them as effectively as possible.

My teacher read us books starting with the Jack and Jill books as I call them.  The teacher read us other nursery rhythms to introduce into reading and writing.  I still love to hear nursery rhymes when my kids come home reciting them from their own school day activities and I guess kids will always love those nursery rhymes.  I can remember how good it felt to take home one of these nursery rhyme books and read it to my little brother.  He thought I was so grown up because I could read.  My confidence for reading was inspired through those little nursery rhyme books and I am glad to see my children learn them today.

I wish I could locate some examples of my school work such as writing pieces but my mother did not keep any of my elementary work.  I am a mother now and I treasure my children and I love to save little keepsakes from their school careers as they progress over the years.  I save samples of their work starting in kindergarten such as their Journals and I continue as they progress throught the older grades.  I keep all their art pieces, progress reports, and report cards.  I think these will be wonderful reminders of their childhood days as they grow older and we reflect back on them.