- Yesterday - Narrative Inquiry course begins. In this annal - the first posted blog, I recall how I came to understand a central theme of interest in my life experience through a triggered event, the read aloud in class, and how this became a starting point in my journey to recover and reconstruct meaning from these important memories
reference: Shields, Carmen & Patton, Vicki (2004). Images of Self-Identity: Glimpsing Past Selves and
Constructing a New Story Using a Metaphor of Life as a House. Presented at Narrative
Matters 2004. Fredericton, New Brunswick. p.971-977
"In essence, our memories of pivotal moments, and how we story these moments for ourselves, will be responsible for our sense of self in the world." p. 977
reference: Bullough, Robert and Pinnegar, Stefinee (2001). Guidelines for Quality in Autobiographical
Forms of Self-Study Research. Educational Researcher, 30 (2), 13-21.
"...for autobiography to be powerful it must contain and articulate "nodal moment(s)." For self-study researchers these moments are those central to teaching and learning to teach. Autobiography, like fiction, reveals to the reader a "pattern in experience" and allows a reinterpretation of the lives and experience of both the writer and the reader. To be powerful this pattern must be portrayed in a way that engages readers in a genuine act of seeing the essential wholeness of life, the connection of nodal moments. In seeing, the reader is enabled to see self and other more fully." p.16
{quote is further referenced to the work of Graham (1989)}
Graham, R.J. (1989). Autobiography and education. Journal of Educational Thought, 23 (2), 92-105.
"...a pivotal moment during the weekend when my working theme or central focus became clear to me. One of those 'ah-hah's' that is triggered by a specific event. The professor read aloud to us. I had a sense that reading to students was an important part of her teaching experience. I was lost in the power of the written word as her voice danced across the lines of text. Her voice became the voice of my mother and each teacher, librarian or Sunday School teacher who ever read me a story.
I was jotting down the name of the Helen Humphrey's book that she was reading from, when it occurred to me. A blur of memories, flashing forwards and back, of those wonderful stories told to me and read by me, describing how my enduring relationship with literature has woven itself tightly into my life -- my early life as a reader, my undergrad life studying literature, my life as a young mother reading to her children, my life as a teacher bringing stories to my students, my life as a literacy coach and teacher consultant working alongside teachers to engage students in reading and thinking, and my continued love for reading as an adult."
Storytelling itself is a central theme in my life and across my life. It is the sound of voice, the reader's voice, and the inner voice interpreting the story that have helped to frame my sense of self. While an outer voice tells the story and illuminates the dancing text, it is the inner voice that chooses the interpretation and reinterpretation of the same text. There is an absolute parallel between inner voice interpretation of fiction and inner voice interpretation of recovered and reconstructed memories (the intimate story - the autobiographical study).
Yesterday - Thurs Feb 11 - train to Toronto This annal discusses my chance meeting with university students from my alma mater, some misconceptions, and the discovery that youth treasures books - traditional dog eared ones at that
http://theautoblographyofjudytownson.blogspot.com/2010/02/yesterday-thurs-feb-1110-train-to.html
- Yesterday - Vancouver Winter Olympics opening ceremony - slam poetry is celebrated with "We are More" by Shane Koyczan - a powerful oration of the /(my) shared Canadian experience
Long Ago (Annals of my childhood)
- 1972 Kindergarten: reviewing teacher comments regarding my efforts in improving writing and colouring skills - attributed to my left handedness
reference: Shields, Carmen & Patton, Vicki (2004). Images of Self-Identity: Glimpsing Past Selves and
Constructing a New Story Using a Metaphor of Life as a House. Presented at Narrative
Matters 2004. Fredericton, New Brunswick. p.971-977
"In essence, our memories of pivotal moments, and how we story these moments for ourselves, will be responsible for our sense of self in the world." p. 977
"Reflection involves reviewing the assumptions we have held. Critiquing them as we go, we awaken to new ways of storying our selves and move forward to reinterpret experience yet again." p.977
"In my defence, I would like to state that I did apparently exhibit a drawing in the school art show as the Kindergarten representative. It was noted in my "School Days Treasures" book as an important event. Therefore, I must have a been a great "colourer," right? But wait, on further reflection, I need to disclose that my Kindergarten teacher also lived just 2 houses down from me (and about a block from the buffoon boy) and was close friends with my parents. Another blow to my fictionalized memory. It is likely that this teacher may have picked me on the basis of this friendship. Or worse, what if I was a pity pick? That's it, isn't it? I was a pity pick. I wasn't selected for my talent in art, that is, my colouring skills; I was chosen most likely on the basis of my good behaviour, my noted effort to improve, and the nepotistic duty of friendship."
I held some strong assumptions of my early self as artist. These were never refuted and I failed to question the lack of memory of self as artist from middle school years on. Some theories on this emerge as I continue to examine comments of teachers. I have to wonder about my early strong sense of self - those 'fairy tale' years. Even though I never thought of my era being included in the narcissistic 'special me' movement... maybe this too is a possibility [must read The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement by Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell (2009)]
- 1972 Kindergarten - final report documentation that speech correction has been recommended
Recalling memories to record as annals:
- 9/11 with Dr. -----(2001)
- Dr. ----- and The Polar Express (2001)
- BA Eng "The Flea" Sr. ------- (1986) also "Paradise Lost" ...
- High School King Lear Gr. 11? (1982-83)
- The Roadrunner -validation- something's wrong -at the door gr. 1 (1972)
- Laura Ingalls -(1974)
- reading with my family Potter series living room (2001) and
- reciprocal family reads Potter final book - car to cottage (2007)
- read aloud gr. 1/2's engagement and book sales (2003)
- when it just can't be done reading Florida son's gr. 9 Christmas homework (2008)
- Mom at Sunday School bible stories - Noah's Ark (mid seventies)
- Grampa at family cottage ABC's (late sixties) * may be a photo memory, could be chronicle artifact
- at work for team meetings, ------ start and end with a read aloud, many tears (2007)
