Jones Family History and Chapter 3

       After reading chapter three, I tried to apply it to "The Jones Family's Culture of Literacy." Just like how Sally recalls reading magazines and newspapers that were so special to her, it is important for us aspiring teachers to fill the room with not only books but with newspapers and magazines. This way we can help the children in our classrooms make connections to the outside world and their community. While there were other connections that I could make between the article and the book, they are few and far between. Today, teachers have more than one successful way to help teach students in creative and artistic ways. The Jones Family, however, relied on the resources they had and the everyday activities that we take for granted. I think what the Jones family had was much more unique and inspirational.

       What captured me the most from reading "The Jones Family's Culture of Literacy," was the simplicity in which each girl from the Jones family formed their literacy history. Some of the things were what I partook in as a child, however, I had many more resources than Sally, Harriet, and Lola did. We have completely different backgrounds. The girls of the Jones family were much smarter than I every was in trying to form their literacy history. Everything that mattered to them could be translated to words or images. They would write to each other, hang bible versus in a room with grandmothers face, which made that verse much more important and influential. Maggie was a "genius businesswoman," and related her name signed on the dotted line to a contract.
    This article made me feel that I overlook and have overlooked my literacy history. I have grown up reading bible versus, and in my literacy history I didn't include it like the Jones family did. I have taken that learning tool for granted. Today, teachers invent and come up with tongue twisters to assess a child's potential reading ability. Today, teachers use each child's name to teach letters and sounds. Even though not every school is a successful school, at least teachers have the tools to teach reading and writing. That is something that the early generation of Jones girls were cheated out of.