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Name: |
Kim Furrer |
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| Place of Birth: | St. Louis, MO | |
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| Date of Birth: | July 15, 1986 | |
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Academic Major: |
Theology | |
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| Intended Occupation: | Youth Minister/Religion Teacher | |
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| Race: | Caucasian | |
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| Religion: | Roman Catholic | |
| Immediate Family Members: |
Dan, Laurie, Julie(14), Amanda(10), Jeff (8), Matt(7), Tim(7), Katie(3) |
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Economic Circumstances: My family has always been alright when it comes to our economic standings. With each year, though, the budget gets tighter simply because of the amount of children enrolled in Catholic education. Parents' Professions: My mom went to banking school and worked as a secretary as well. She is now a stay-at-home mom. My dad went to school for art, architecture, and fire fighting. He is now a full-time fire fighter, as well as a house painter. |
| Early Literacy Practices/Values: Back to Menu |
| Learning to Read: |
| I remember learning to first read letters the summer before kindergarten. Because I was the first born, extra emphasis was placed on my ability to read and write the alphabet somewhat before I started school. I did not attend preschool, so my parents took it upon themselves to get me ready for school in the fall. |
| A Story of Learning To Read: |
| I remember that I used to always have my Grandpa read to me when I went to his house. I would always run to the back room and choose a book (although it usually was the same few books). One day, however, I told my Grandpa that I would read to him instead. I specifically remember choosing the book "Are You My Mother?" by Dr. Seuss. I came up and sat on his lap holding the book; then I started reading. It wasn't the first book, obviously, that I had read, but I will never forget the feeling of reading to my Grandpa in return for all those times he had read to me. |
| A Story of Learning To Write: |
| I have always been a pretty decent speller, and I was always a pro at those grade school spelling tests as well. I remember how excited I was when I came in second in the third grade spelling bee. I was so happy, actually, that I started to give myself spelling tests at home. I would try to think of a really difficult work, and then I would try to write it out. To check if I was right, I would pull out the dictionary and try to find the words I had chosen. I think that simple game has effected my love for writing, even to this day. |
| Things I Read and Wrote: |
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I used to always read every word written on cereal boxes; that
was actually my favorite part of breakfast. I would copy down some of
the things I read on the boxes as well. I could never really
understand why my mom always thought that that was a funny game. I was also very in to reading mystery books from the library book mobile. The Nancy Drew Series was very popular among the girls in my class, as well as the Babysitter's Club Series. As an adolescent, I was always on the internet Instant Messaging people. A major form of my communication with my peers has been through emails as well. Along with the internet, music lyrics have been a large part in me literary growth, and in connection to that, I have really been involved in writing a lot of poetry. Creative writing has become my favorite type of writing, as well as a hobby of mine. |
| Places and Times I Read: |
| I have always read a lot while I am laying in bed at night. As a child, and even an adolescent, I find the most relaxing time to read is at night when it is quiet. Nowadays, however, I find timeduring the day to read. Writing is the same way; I have definitely taken deeper liking to the two as I have gotten older. |
| Library Use: |
| I always obtained access to books from the school book mobile. Because it was taken directly from the St. Louis County Library, I didn't go the the library as much. The book mobile came to school once a month, so I regularly had access to new reading material. |
| Computer Use: |
| I did have access to a computer at home. When I was younger, I obviously did not use it as much; however, I did play computer games more than anything. As I got older, I used the computer to mostly type papers and to surf the web. Now, I use the computer for everything. I use it to research, to type papers, to put together pictures, to communicate with people, and the list could continue! |
| Reading and Writing Online: |
| I remember that, at school, we used to take turns using the computer. When I was younger, the school had games like School House Rock and Reader Rabbit. As I got older, though, we would take class time to learn through educational websites. I specifically remember using the internet to read and write reports about various saints in religion class. |
| Family Literacy Practices/Values: Back to Menu |
| Value Placed on Writing: |
| There was, and always has been, a large emphasis paced on reading, writing, and education in my family, in general. School had always been a main priority both for me and also for my younger siblings. Homework was always first on the list; my parents always took time to sit down and help us with our reading and writing as well. My parents have always expected good grades, and because of that, my writing skills have continued to greatly improve. |
| Parents' Levels of Education: |
| Because my dad changed his mind about majors so many times, he was in college for much more than four years. My mom, on the other hand, didn't finish school at first. Instead, soon after I was born, she went back to school. She used to tell me about how happy she was to have made that decision. |
| Parents' Reading Habits: |
| My mom and dad have always read at home. My mom reads mostly magazines and self-improvement types of books, while my dad always has a book in his hands. He enjoys reading biographies, autobiographies, and historical books. |
| Importance of Reading, Writing, and Education: |
| My parents used to always emphasize the importance of reading. They would tell me to try and read a chapter each night; I was never quite able to get that far without falling asleep though. My parents also used to say that writing is just as important. They would say, "There's no sense in reading if you don't write about it", and vice versa. Because of the value placed on reading and writing, education was the most important of all. They would always remind me that with good grades, I could do whatever I wanted in life. |
| School Literacy Practices: Back to Menu |
| Reading and Writing Activities: |
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In elementary school and Junior High, we did a lot of personal experience
writing. The teachers always kept the choices open so that we could
write with as much ease as possible. In High School, however, we did a
lot more formal research to write higher quality papers. We always did
a lot of in-class peer revision as well. This not only helped our
writing, but also gave us the chance to read each others' original ideas.
I liked one particular class in High School more that the rest. Senior year, I took a Creative Writing class, and through that class, I redefined my love for writing. I learned not only to love reading all types of writing, but also how to explain vivid images that run through my imagination. |
| Current School Literary Practices: Back to Menu |
| Literacy Activities in College: |
| I do a lot of reading, writing, and speaking. Right now, most of the reading I do is for class and to prepare for tests. I also do a lot of writing for class. I do a lot of independent writing, as well though. I write poetry on my own; I'd say that I enjoy independent creative writing the most of all types of writing. |
| Literacy in English Class: |
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I think the kind of writing that I do in English class had stayed relatively
the same, even since grade school. Obviously, the difficulty and
involvement has increased, but the writing seems to always be about
increasing your awareness and becoming a more descriptive writer.
My writing in other classes has always seemed to reflect the exact writing I do in English class. I always try to take the lessons from classes like rhetoric and apply them to all of my other writing projects. |
| Computer Use: |
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| -emails: I read and write emails at least once a day. Not only does it provide an easy way to contact teachers and classmates about school work, but it also keeps me in touch with old friends. Without email, I wouldn't have maintained a lot of my long-distance friendships thus far. |
| -programming: I don't use the computer very much at all for programming. |
| -research: I research on the web all the time. When I am starting a paper, I use the internet as a basic overall search tool. it always seems to help me obtain a basic understanding of the topic, and then I can use the library resources for the remaining research. |
| -downloading music: I have never downloaded music off the internet. I always have the internet radio on though. I listen to all types of music through the internet. It just offers another electronic media connection to the world around me. |
| -designing web-sites: I have never designed a web-site either. I have viewed some of my friends' created sites, however, and it seems to serve as a great creative outlet. Not only are you posting your opinion for the whole world to see, but you are also keeping in touch with the immediate world around you. The personal websites I have viewed always seem to just serve the purpose of having fun. |
| -playing computer games: I grew up playing computer games for fun. I have played anything from educational reading, writing, and numbers games to just random entertainment games. Even now, my younger siblings often ask for help with certain games; we end up sitting and playing together for hours. Not only are computer games fun and educational, but they can also lead to unity between people. It just goes to show the importance of technology in all aspects of one's life. |
| -downloading software: I have never downloaded software from the internet. |
| -visiting chat rooms: I don't visit chat rooms very often. I have occasionally in the past though, and they always seem to be more than interesting. I remember visiting a chat room named "Traveling" once, just to see what really goes on in a chat room. I was definitely not expecting to read what I read. The "Traveling" chat room was was being used as more of a dating service than anything else. I haven't visited a chat room since then. |
| -doing graphic art designs: I have done graphic design on the computer before. A few years back, I was considering becoming a graphic designer, so I would just mess around on the computer with different ideas. Nothing ever came of that, obviously, but I certainly learned new things about the abilities of my average computer. |
| -preparing oral presentation slides: I have used PowerPoint many, many times for classes in the past. In High School, a slide show was the common way to give an oral presentation. I used PowerPoint for computer class, history projects, English assignments, and even once for a biology demonstration. I would estimate that I used PowerPoint about three times a year, for one thing or another. |
| -consulting online dictionaries, translators, etc.: I have used online software, such as dictionaries and thesauruses, many times as well. Whenever I am working on a paper, I use the online dictionary and resources instead of pulling out the actual text. I also use the online translator a lot in order to check my work for French class. In High School, we wrote a lot of small papers for French; in order to be sure of myself, I would consult the online translator. |
| -making movies: I have not yet been lucky enough to try making movie. |
| -making greeting cards: I always make greeting cards on the computer. We have always had the software for such a thing, so I have utilized it since I can remember. I make birthday cards, more than anything, on the computer. It's an easy and free way to add my own personal touch. |
| -manipulating digital photographs: I have just recently started using the computer to manipulate photographs. My dad just purchased a digital camera, so sometimes we work together to change the size, color, shading, etc. of a photograph. Using the computer for photographs is something that I would like to continue to become familiar with. |
| Timeline: Back to Menu |
| Historical Events: |
| 1985 - Cell phones become wide-spread. |
| - My communication with others benefits directly from use of the cell phone. |
| - CD-ROMs are developed in computers. |
| - I learned a lot of my grammar skills by reading writing on computer games. |
| 1986 - VHS is introduced to the public. |
| - Programs on tape, such as Reading Rainbow, change my view on literacy. |
| 1990 - Kodak announces Photo CD as a digital storage medium. |
| - The use of graphs and images makes writing research papers more interesting. |
| 1993 - HTML is introduced as the code for web design. |
| - With more people creating web sites, there is more accessible information. |
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1994 - Control of the internet is released by the American government,
and WWW makes
communication at high speeds. |
| - Research is made easier, and projects are more enjoyable. |
| 1996 - Web TV is invented. |
| - Learning is made easier by viewing videos on nearly any topic. |
| - America Online has 5 million subscribers. |
| - Instant Messaging and emailing makes communication more convenient. |
| 1998 - Around 3,000 newspapers and 1,000 TV stations have their own online websites. |
| - With commonly shared media, reference to nearly anything is much easier. |
Historical Timeline Source, Historical Timeline Source, Historical Timeline Source, Historical Timeline Source
| Family Events: |
| 1989 - My younger sister, Julie, was born. |
| - I now had someone to practice reading for. |
| 1994 - My younger sister, Amanda, was born. |
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- Not only do I have two people to read to, but
the three of us began to play school and teach each other how to read and write. |
| 1996 - My younger brother, Jeff, was born. |
| - Yet another person to read to. |
| 1997 - My twin brothers, Matt and Tim, were born. |
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- By the time they were born, I was 11. Because of the
age difference, I took an active part in teaching Matt and Tim to talk. |
| 2001 - My youngest sister, Katie, was born. |
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- Much like with Matt and Tim, I took a large part in
teaching Katie to speak. I was 15 at the time she was born, so I remember quite vividly all the steps of Katie's literary development thus far. |
| 2004 - Read the Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown. |
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- I have never been a very heavily involved reader.
When I read the Da Vinci Code, however, I became so involved in the book, that I couldn't put it down. That single book has changed my view on reading. |
| Experiences as a Writer: Back to Menu |
| Feedback: |
| I have always liked getting feedback from others about my writing. It has almost always improved either my writing or my confidence in my writing. I rarely ask for feedback on my poetry though. There have actually only been two people who have read what I have written. I write poetry on more of a personal level, and I usually just read it for my own satisfaction. |
| Influence of Other Writers: |
| I am influenced by other writers that I read. I don't, however, copy their styles. I feel I have my own unique style that is more of a mix of the other writers' styles. One writer, who is not very famous, that has influenced me is GEMINEYE. He was recently here at Xavier, and I went to listen to his slam poetry. I absolutely loved it; it has changed the way I look at my own writing actually. |
| Conditions for Writing: |
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I write my best when I am not pressured to get some type of writing
accomplished. I usually write most creatively when I am outdoors, or
somewhere out of the ordinary. My writing usually is based on personal
experience and emotion, so I also write at my best when I am in the midst of
that feeling or emotion as well.
It is most frustrating for me to write when there are a million things going on around me. I tend to take in what I am writing about, so with so many things happening around me, it is difficult to just focus in on one thing. When I am in a calmer place, I can really concentrate on my writing and get to the deep inner core of the subject. |
| Writing Processes: |
| When I am writing a paper or formal assignment, I usually just start typing my thoughts on the computer. I try to get everything out of my head and on the screen, without much thought about the setup. Later, I go back and reorganize my thoughts and add connections between them. I am a pretty heavy reviser, instead of planning out what I want the paper to be like. |
| Importance of Writing: |
| I think it is very important for a student to learn to write because it offers a connection like no other. Only in writing, can you truly convey the message that is in your head. Even with speaking, sometimes it is difficult to make sense of your thoughts, but with writing, you have time to think it through and organize your thoughts in a way that makes perfect sense. I know that without my training in writing, I would not be as near creative as I am now. I believe that writing takes creativity to the next level. Not only can the imagination create pictures and images, but it can also choose words and phrases that enhance those pictures. A strong writing foundation is very necessary in order to succeed in any sort of future endeavor. |
| Experiences as a Reader: Back to Menu |
| Differences in Personal and School Reading: |
| There were many differences in the types of writing I did in school and on my own time. I never really liked the school reading as much as I liked my personal selections. In school, we always read the types of stories with lessons to be learned; those were fine and all, but I always liked the mysteries and choose-your-own ending books. I enjoyed reading on my own much more than at school, simply because my range of choice was far greater. |
| Different Ways of Reading: |
| I do have different ways of reading for different types of reading. If I am reading a text book in order to take notes, I usually skim the headings first. I then look for definitions before reading the rest of the text. If I am reading a magazine, I actually always start from the back cover. I am not sure why, but I have always read the stories and articles in the back before getting to the front. If I am reading a regular book, I obviously just read cover to cover. Each genre of writing calls for a different method of viewing that writing. |
| Difference Between Books and Movies: |
| I usually see a great difference between the way a book is and the way that movie portrays the book. I enjoy reading the book before the movie, because when reading the book I obviously imagine the characters in the book in my head. The plot, setting, conflict, and characters are almost always totally different when I picture them in my head as well. It is totally different to see a movie before reading the book as well. If I read the book first, the characters will all seem different when I read the book. |
| Importance of Reading: |
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The ability to read is a very important thing to obtain. Think of
the things you read each day; I know that I am reading almost every
second. Even if you don't mean to, you are probably subconsciously
reading a word or phrase every time you look at something. If you
think about it, even looking at an image is a way of reading. I know
for one, that when I look at an image, I process words in my head about
that image. Subconscious reading is everywhere.
I feel that reading is equally as important as writing. Without reading, writing would not exist....and vice versa. |
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Synthesis: Back to Menu |
| Past and Present Literacy: |
| Because I have always had a good outlook on my learning to read and write, I look at reading and writing with an open mind today. I value my education a great deal, especially because of the sacrifices my family takes in order to ensure a Catholic education. The Jesuit Tradition, here at Xavier University, is the exact kind of education that I would want to place my children in. Education the mind, body, and spirit is truly rooted in a good background of reading and writing. Like I have said before, many good things sprout from a strong foundation in reading, writing, language, and education. |
| Course Expectations: |
| My expectations for this course are actually pretty high for many reasons. I hope to increase my abilities to write quality formal papers. I also hope to continue to increase my knowledge on internet sources and potential programming. I feel that the way that this course is so closely involved with the internet will be extremely beneficial. Nowadays, reading, writing, and communication are so closely knit with computer sources that is similar to multitasking when learning. I am very open to new ideas and methods of writing, and hopefully this course will exceed those expectations! |
