Literacy Narrative Brainstorming:

1. From: “Lydia’s Story”

“The table was bulky and heavy; normally, it took three men to move it.” (Pages 129-130, Paragraph 4)

2. From: “Proficiency”

“To my surprise, I did pass every part---except writing. “Writing! Yeah, right! How did I manage to fail writing, and by half a point, no less?” I thought to myself in disbelief.”                                           

3. From “Lydia’s Story”

“Her tongue became dry and her lips were cracked, but she only was aware of being terrified of water.” (Page 130, Paragraph 3)

4. List of possible topics:
1. The first assigned book I actually finished
2. Learning how to read Dr. Seuss
5. Purpose: reasons for telling this story: I think it will have an aspect of humor and other students will surely be able to relate
6. Audience: It should be pretty easy for other students to relate to this story given that we all go through this at some point in our education careers.
7. Stance: I wish to have a serious stance but also have an element of humor and irony to the story to keep it light and interesting.
8. Media/Design: Most likely my writing will be primarily print (typed print). At the current moment I cannot think of any pictures that may help me illustrate my point.
9. What do I see? (counter?) I see an unusually small book, somehow still filled with a ridiculous amount of words, crammed pages, and a sloppy sheet of notes at my side. My thick dark cherry desk, clear of all---most distractions. Three windows slatted by the open blinds. Outside I see that it is a cold crisp day, blue sky no cloud cover in sight, but cold as a winter night. A small space heater cracked up to three adjacent to the blue cloth office chair that I am sitting in.
10. What do I hear? I hear the fan of my computer switching on and off, I hear the pinging of the heater next to me as the metal expands and contracts, I hear the faint crackle of the wood stove downstairs, My dog laying on the landing whacking his tail repeatedly against the sheetrock, bringing a smile to my face.
11. What do I smell? I smell an old book, well loved, checked out many times to many different students over a period of 10 or so years.
12. How and what do I feel? I feel amused with myself for actually committing to this project, even for the lack of sleep and 5:00 mornings that it is giving me.
13. What do I taste? I taste a second cup of coffee
14. Description of people: Teacher: Grey hair, balding, round glasses to complement his figure, short with his dress shirt tucked into his belted jeans, has an angry smile on his face, like that you would see in an asylum. He hangs a sign from his desk saying “I do not suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.”
15. Recall (or imagine) some characteristic dialogue: Dad coming downstairs, “you’re up before me!?” “don’t have too much of a choice” I say yawning.
16. Summarize the action: At times---seemingly more times doing this than what I needed to be doing---I would catch myself wondering off in my thoughts, eyes still gunning down the page but not actually reading. I’d stop myself, remembering that the quickest way to fix the situation is to just acknowledge the fact that you were off track and keep going.
17. Consider the significance of the narrative: I always had this odd outlook that I was somehow too slow of a reader to finish books by their deadline. Then I thought about some activities that I am naturally good at. Some of these others struggle with greatly, but with hard work---and a lot of it---they to can achieve or surpass what I can do on a given day.