Intro

Hi! My name is Meagan, and I am a third-year English Education major here at Kennesaw. I really enjoy school! I know that makes me a nerd or a dork or whatever, but I embrace it :) I love taking notes, learning, reading, discussing, writing, researching, and almost everything that goes along with education. I decided I wanted to be an English teacher in sixth grade. I had the most amazing teacher, Mrs. Hoagland. She made learning enjoyable, and really tried to reach her students on more than an academic level. Her classroom was a safe place for expression and a haven for learning. After seeing the passion with which she taught, I decided I wanted to be just like her. That summer, I moved from Boston, Massachusetts, to Marietta, Georgia. The two cities were polar opposites. The last thing I expected was to be further inspired, but that is exactly what happened. My seventh grade Literature teacher, Mrs. Wiles, was the Southern counterpart to Mrs. Hoagland. Mrs. Wiles turned her classroom into a rainforest, a cafe, an obstacle course, but most importantly, she turned it into a breeding ground of inspiration and learning. Every day was an adventure in her class, and I believe she inspired more students than just me. My desire to be an English teacher was bolstered and fortified--nothing would stop me. My love continued throughout high school and college, and I am so excited to finally be in upper-level classes that will push me even further into my love of English. My friends and family completely support me in my pursuit to be an English teacher. I have always gotten that I was "made to be a teacher," or, when I talk about my aprehensions and fears, my friends and family dismiss them, saying, "Don't worry about it; you'll be great and you know it!" or something like that. My parents are nervous about my job opportunities once I graduate, and honestly I am a little scared, too. However, I know that God will provide the perfect job for me, even if it is somewhere I never expected. Speaking of graduation, I have a lot of plans! I plan to get a job, and while I'm teaching, I want to get my Master's degree. I am debating if I want to minor in Spanish right now, so that maybe 10 years down the line I can teach English in South America. I have also promised myself that after I graduate and get a steady job, I am going to get another dog. :)
I am a little nervous to be a teacher, because (among other things) I think the American idea of literacy has changed. I am not surprised that it is changing; this world is constantly evolving with the help of ever emerging new technology. In fact, I think it is technology that is aiding the change in the meaning of literacy. To be literate used to mean one could read and write. However, nowadays, to be literate means to acknowledge that there are different ways to read than just from a book, and be able to read those different genres. Reading a blog, for instance, would not be considered "real" reading twenty years ago, because there was no such thing as blogs twenty years ago! But now that the majority of reading occurs online, there are different rules and etiquette for reading and writing online. This has definitely influenced American ideas of literacy.
I look forward to learning about everyone else! Happy Blogging!