As a child, I remember interviewing my parents and grandparents for school assignments. I also remember listening to my grandparents tell stories about their childhood. I was always intrigued by their experiences. My level of comfort was always high because they were my family members who I loved and cherished. Their stories only drew me closer into their loves. Therefore, when I interviewed Mrs. Goldyn, I did not feel awkward or strange. But I did feel grateful to get to hear her story on learning literacy. I also welcomed the opportunity to get to know Mrs. Goldyn on a higher level. Her experiences as a child made me appreciate her more for the person she is today.

     As Mrs. Goldyn and I walked to the P.E. Teacher's office to conduct our first interview, she asked, "This isn't going to take long is it?" As much as I find many Senior citizens are impatient these days always wanting to keep things moving along, I think she was a bit nervous about what i was going to ask her. Although she was fully aware that I wanted to talk about her literacy experience, I think some of her past, especially admitting her parents were illiterate, may have made her feel uneasy.

     During the interview, Mrs. Goldyn said several times, "my life was dull." Yet the more questions I asked, the more her memories were recalled and relayed to me. I think she surprised herself to realize she does have a lot of history to share about her childhood and family. By recalling her school experiences, she was compelled to remember her friends and neighbors who she has long forgotten. Once we were finished our first interview, I said, "See you life was not dull. And I am happy to hear all about your childhood. I find it very interesting." Mrs. Goldyn walked back to her desk a bit taller than I remember her to be, and most impressively with a warm smile on her face. Her concern to be quick seemed to be a vague memory as our interview lasted much longer that she had thought it would.

      I have since interviewed Mrs. Goldyn a second time. I found it very amusing when I would turn off the digital voice recorder to indicate I had all the information I needed for the time being and she would start to tell a story. I would have to ask her to hold her thought so I could turn the DVR back on again. I would no sooner ask if she would like to add anything else, she would respond “No” and then she would again add another story. I, as the interviewer wanting to learn all I could would keep clicking the record button. I love the fact that Mrs. Goldyn wanted to share her story with me. Her divulging her private past to me, made me feel significant.

     My only struggle with the interview was trying not to add my thoughts and feelings to the memories Mrs. Goldyn shared with me. I often found myself wanting to share my grandparents’ struggles and stories of the past with her since they had some similar experiences. As an interviewer, I know it is important to make the interviewee feel comfortable, yet it is equally important to let them tell their story devoid of my thoughts.

      I enjoyed my role as an interviewer. I found the task to be rewarding. I feel as though I have grown as a writer. By doing this interview, I will be creating an oral history of Mrs. Goldyn’s life from her viewpoint. This will be a unique experience for me since all the stories I have every written about concerned fictitious characters. I look forward to working through the oral history process and seeing my finished creative nonfiction piece come to life.

Theme 1:  An Italian Child’s Account of Learning English Literacy
            “No one in my family spoke English. My neighbors all spoke Italian
             too.”

            “I started school in first grade and did not speak English.”

            “The teachers spoke English. Half the students spoke English, the rest                    spoke Italian.”

Theme 2:  An Italian Immigrant’s Childhood Story
            “Every one of my neighbors was from Naples. We had our own                                                                    community.”

            “My neighbors were my family. We had no family here. My parents came to America alone, leaving their family behind.”

            “If we didn’t say hello and address each of our neighbors properly, yak know Zia and Zio, they would tell my father. He would come after    us, we knew to run.”

Theme 3:  Life in the U.S as a Non-Citizen during World War II
            “My father and brothers were not allowed to fight in the war because they were not citizens.”

            “We were watched…to be sure we were not the enemy.”

            “I guess we (the children) did not realize how serious it really was.”

Theme 4:  Arranged Marriages

            “My father was 20 years older than my mother”

            “My mother’s brothers stopped talking to her once she married my                  father.”

            “By the time my mother realized what life could have been like if she     was not married to  my father it was too late.”

     My creative non-fiction story is based on Margarita (Midge) Goldyn's literacy experience. Midge is our secretary at Our Lady of Hope Regional School. Although I see Midge on a daily bases, I know very little about her personal life and life experiences. She is eighty-four years old and I know she would have much to tell me about her life.
     Since my main focus is on Midge's literacy experience, I started my interview asking about her childhood and family.  I have come to learn that both of her parents came to America from Italy in the early 1900's. Neither of her parents spoke English. So this led me to my question, how exactly does a child learn literacy, specifically English literacy, when their parents and family members only know the Italian language. The following story, Midge's story, tells of her childhood experiences with literacy and the obstacles she had to face a result of not having a family support system to aid her in learning. 
     Through my interview, I have learned many things. I not only deepened my relationship with a wonderful woman, but I also got to learn what it was like in general to live in America during a time period of which I am unfamiliar. Additionally, Migde's story solidified my Italian heritage and helped me to appreciate the struggles of Italian immigrants and their profound experience of settling in America.

"Are you kiddin me, my mother did not even know how to sign her name... When asked for her signature she would say "you write my name, why do I have to write it' "


     When I asked Midge if her parents knew how to read or write she sarcastically responded that her mother did not know how to read or write. When her mother was asked to sign her name, she would get defensive. Midge's mother would make the person feel stupid and act like she knew how to sign her name and the person requesting her signature was lazy. This makes me wonder how many times Midge would observe her mother and father covering up for their illiteracy. I am curious to see if Midge's parents lack of English skills impacted her mentally. Midge's words led me to many more questions about her literacy experience, questions I plan to ask in my next interview.


"My father did not like the girl my brother was going to marry. So, he told my brother he would be disowned if her married her. My brother did marry the girl and my father did not go to the wedding... None of us went."


       Italians are known to be very stubborn. I can envision the struggle Midge had watching the relationship conflict transpire between her dad and her brother. Ultimately, this relationship struggle affected Midge's relationship with her brother. That being the case, I wonder if Midge was able to continue to communicate with her brother. What were her options to communicate? She was in seventh grade at the time, so not only does age restrict her, but her lack of literacy had to play a role as well. I plan to dig deeper into this area of Midge's life.


"I learned to write with a feather pen and an ink well....we each had an ink well on our desks. We did NOT dare make a mistake. No one every spilled their ink...God forbid we did."

        Midge went to Catholic school. She told me that no one ever spilled their ink. They were deathly afraid of the nuns. I could not imagine a child not having at least one accidentally spill. I have heard of nuns being strict. I have had my own first hand experiences with strict nuns as well. Yet, listening to Midge, it sounded so disturbing to learn under such consternation.  Knowing Midge's strict learning environment as well as the fact that school is the sole means for her to become literate makes this area of Midge's life intriguing to me. I hope to explore this area of Midge's learning experience further.

      After reading Eva Hoffman's experience with literacy in Lost In Translation,  I felt compelled to respond. I too was an avid reader as a child. I read for many reasons, but mostly to discover new adventures and to be drawn into the land of make believe. As Hoffman states, " I want reality to imitate books--and books to capture the essence of reality." Her words are well stated and so true. To this day I enjoy reading...it takes me to places I wish I could be and at the same time I look to feel a sense of truth to my life.
Books can satisfy my curiosity and longing.
      I had to chuckle when Hoffman wrote that she would read books "about roman history and the beginnings of Christianity, but I read it mostly for the hints of a whole other knowledge-sex." Her recollection brought me back to the time when I would sneak into my parent's bedroom to look at their bible. You might be asking yourself..."Why would you sneak to read the bible...what's the big deal?" Well the big deal was that I was not "reading" the bible, I was sneaking to look at the colorful pictures of Christian figures...nude figures. I was entranced by the fact that there were colorful pictures of nude boy babies and men...I had never seen anything like that. I have never admitted this fact to anyone. Honestly, I think I filed it away in a naughty memory file I want to forget...after all, what good catholic girl would look at nude photos? The truth of the matter is I was only a child...intrigued by what I saw and experiencing learning literacy. 
         I enjoyed Eva Hoffman's piece, not just because she told a good story, but because it drew me in as a reader to make my own connections. Hoffman's story satisfies the many reasons why writers write...to tell a story, intrigue their readers, and leave a lasting impression of their story in the reader's mind. Hoffman certainly achieved these goals in Lost In Translation.

          Valerie Kinloch describes her experiences in Harlem. What originally started out as a High School project for her and hers students ended with her moving to Harlem. She is a professor at Teacher College and works with high school students. She is also an active participant in the gentrification research project. Most importantly,Kinloch is extremely concerned with teaching her students literacy.

            Within her narrative, Kinloch talks about literacy. She discusses her personal literacy story as well as literacy of her family members and students. During her recollection she noted that she had difficulty defining literacy. Kinloch describes her revelation that her literacy was impacted by many factors. She states, “Thus, my familial community in general, and my parents’ lives in particular, critically inform my interests in location, community change and literacies.” Kinloch remembers how her father read to her, he listened to the radio, and her mother write lists. She states, “At the time, I did not realize I was observing literacies – acts, practices, and events in context.”

            While reading this piece, I was reminded of my own experiences with literacy. I too loved to read. I also remember observing my parents reading, staying informed about current events, and always making learning a priority for them as well as me. Kinloch’s story validated my literary experiences. Kinloch made some very poignant points about how a person’s literacy is impacted by their lifestyle.

            I have been pondering the thought of doing my Oral History assignment by interviewing an elderly person and inquiring about their literacy experience. I had started to plan out my questions, and in doing so, I had given much thought to asking the interviewee how their literacy experience was affected by factors other than schooling. For example, if their parents did not speak English, how did this positively or negatively affect their learning to read? Kinloch’s narrative validated my belief that literacy is a combination of our life experiences, backgrounds, cultural believes and family experiences.

            Additionally, as a future educator, I need to be ever mindful of the significant role literacy plays in student learning. As Kinloch denotes, many factories impact literacy. Kinloch states that NCTE reports “…literacies, particularly 21st-century contexts, can encourage people to have experiences with technology and multimedia texts, be connected to local and/or global communities, and work collaboratively with others to define problems.” As a result, children literacy is affected and intensified by many surrounding factors.  By being aware of these factors and facing the many challenges to teaching literacy, I will effectively help my students learn.

            Louis Banks’s recollection of the Great Depression was presented as an oral history narrative. His story was recorded verbatim to his spoken words, with incorrect pronunciation and improper use of the English language (his dialect). Yet, even though his story is not written the way we are used to reading narratives, his points are clearly taken.

            Banks describes the horrible memories he has of the Great depression. He speaks of his near dying from starvation, and as well as his many other struggles for survival. Banks describes how people died during the depression. He explains that people were beaten to death for their food or money. He was lucky to survive.

            Throughout his oral history, Banks repeats many of his memories. This adds to the validity of his story. To me, this indicates that the Great Depression not only affected his life then, but continues to haunt him as he remembers the events.

Banks recalls the fact that his race played a major role to intensify his hard times. He states, “That hurt me pretty bad, the race part.” This line made me feel ashamed to know that discrimination could add such deep scars to an already wounded soul.

In his final words, he states that being in the army during the war was very safe, safer than the trying times of the Great Depression. By equating his feelings of security as being better during his time at war, Banks’s honesty is authenticated to the reader. Banks’s point paints a clear picture of how he the Great Depression has taken a negative toll on his life. He believes that the Great Depression is the worst thing that he has ever experienced, worse than serving in the army during the war. That is a powerful statement.

            Studs Terkel indicated parenthetically gestures and noises that Banks made during his oral presentation. He also wrote a prologue and a post script. By doing this, Terkel made me feel as though Banks was speaking directly to me. It helped me envision Banks lying in his hospital bed “feverishly” talking about his memory of the Great Depression. Although the story is not rewritten and told by Terkel, his additions to the piece were very well thought out and made the Banks’s memoir personal for the reader.

       My answer as to whether Tweeting made me more mindful and connected to my environment is a resounding "YES!" 
       During the onset of the Twitterive assignment, I found it very difficult to find time to take Twitpics and post Tweets. I began to do what I am very famous for..."stress." I wanted to compose a quality multi modal Twitterive and I knew the impact my Tweeting played on achieving that success. so making time to take Twitpics and posting Tweets started out as a chore to achieve my goal.
       Well, once I took the first few Twitpics, my mindset changed. What started out as me "looking" for things to Twitpic and Tweet slowly changed to things piquing my curiosity. I started to notice the sky and the sun. The roadways all seemed to speak to me.  At the same time, the more I noticed my surroundings, the more memories of my past began to surround me. Eventually, I found myself noticing parts of my past and hopes for my future within my daily surroundings. The clouds reminded me of my childhood when we would lay in the park and look for recognizable figures. The roadways brought back memories of the places I had been and the people they led me to visit.
        Suddenly, I realized that I have been so busy living each day, trying to get by, I forgot who I was and how I got as far as I have in my life. I became more mindful of the quiet, the noise, the people, the places...and I created a Tweet or took a Twitpic to validate my thoughts and surroundings. 
        Soon, my life began to play out in my thoughts. While driving, I realized I have traveled many miles and experienced many people and places...literally and figuratively. This led me to relating my life...who I am and what influences  have formed me, to driving. Throughout my Twitterive, I used the repetend of 
driving...knowing my past, seeing the road ahead, and the influences life choices have made on me. 
        Although the Twitterive assignment is coming to an end, with a new project is forming on its heels, I know my Twitterive has changed me. I am changed for "GOOD." I realize that each day my life is moving forward...sometimes in the fast lane, sometimes a little slower, and once in a while it may be at a standstill....through it all, I am more appreciative of my surroundings. I am ever mindful that as I take this drive through life, my very being is being formed and transformed...infused by my choices...impacting my inner being.

       Creating a website on Weebly was very exciting for me. I loved the fact that I would be able to share my thoughts and writings with others. Setting up my website on Weebly was rather easy. Therefore, the Twitterive assignment heighten my excitement to add another dimension to my website. However, as I began to compile my Twitterive writings, I had a very difficult time getting Weebly to cooperate. I had planned out the design for my Twitterive that I thought would best display my final draft. 
      Yet, when I was finished the draft, although it did not look the way I had planned, I was very pleased with my finished product. I am a firm believer that  presentation makes a difference. However, I was so content with my final writing selections that fonts, and style took a "back seat" in the assignment.
      Since Tuesday evening, Weebly seems to have worked out some of the kinks, and I was able to go back and make my Twitterive assignment a bit more visually pleasing. I even felt good about adding a few more items to my sections. So all is well in my "Twitterive" world.
      I was also pleased with the fact that I was able to use many of my Twitpics and Tweets in my Twitterive. I am very grateful that I  bought a new phone that allowed me to use Twitter and take Twitpics. I found this new technological tool very helpful in my writing process. Documenting my thoughts, visions, and scenery as they presented themselves gave me a newfound insight and helped me discover my place.
        As I was Tweeting and taking Twitpics, my input was sporadic. Yet when it came time to determine my place, I discovered my entries were more connected than I had thought. The process of writing poems, narratives, and letters to go along with my repetend ~driving ~ was very thought provoking. I found myself constantly reflecting on my approach to the assignment. At the same time, my mind was consumed with the varying writing pieces I thought would work well in my Twitterive. 
        At one point, I found my self waking up in the middle of the night thinking of all the different writing approaches I could use. I laid in bed writing in my head. I even Tweeted about this sleepless night referring to it as Tweetsomnia-when your Twitterive keeps you up all night! 
       As you may have guessed, most of those mind written pieces never presented themselves in the exact same manner as when I originally composed in my head. Thus, as many established authors have advised, it is best to keep a paper and pen by your bed to write when necessary. Although I did write my ideas, I did not write them verbatim.
      I do believe that all good writing is a process. I had many drafts, edits, and rewrites. And although I am pleased with my Twitterive thus far, I know there are things I will continue to work on and improve until the final piece is submitted. I am always open for ways to improve my writing, that goes along with the profession. Write, rewrite, and write some more...that is what leads to a quality piece of writing...and I am striving for a quality Twitterive product.