Rachel's Literacy Blog

      When I had first seen this question, I had thought of the socioeconomic situations of Americans who do not have access to healthy food and were plagued with living paycheck to paycheck.  Before the debate, I had thought that obesity was a government responsibility and that it was easier to see the flaws of this being a personal responsibility. After our actual debate had occurred, I considered that the solution would have to be on both sides of the same coin. There should be a balance of government intervention along with the individual being able to take control of their own well-being.       I support the government intervening to the extent of improving the accessibility of resources for those who live in lower income areas.  For example, the government should give more resources in areas that have food deserts.  Nearly 39.5 million people live in low income areas and these said food deserts are where people have no access to healthy food markets.  They may provide more resour

   The subject of pop culture being good for everyone has been up in the air for a while since the emergence of the internet and technological networking systems. Since then, it has become an integral part of our lives to live in the modern world as a source of information or entertainment.  Just as the debate on whether or not it is good for you, it is really up to interpretation on the side of the consumer.  How they decide to consume content from social media is what determines whether or not it is good for them.  In my opinion, pop culture is only good for you if you are a skeptic about what is presented to you and to not blindly consume it. The article "Watching TV Makes You Smarter", by Steven Johnson brings up the idea that the media we consume in modern times that contributes to pop culture has evolved into more complex narratives.  He is suggesting that those who are consuming it are analyzing it and piecing it together; but while that may be true about television wi

      I don't exactly recall this series, but my mother told me she had to literally hit the books to make me read.  Out of stern concern, she would hit the book presented in front of me with a ruler because all I wanted to do was play.  Ironically enough, she was studying at NJCU and couldn't continue her studies because I needed help as a 4 year old child with school.  I went to a private school where my experience with literacy was singing hymns, reading Bible stories for kids, and reciting prayers.  I knew that I had to be grateful for things, but literacy goes much deeper than being well versed in a religion as a child.  I also was given nursery rhyme books from my relatives and they were huge.  Oftentimes I'd find myself waking up before everyone in my house, and would look at the pictures or try to read the words from the sunlight that crept out of my curtains.        After 3 years of going to a private school, I was transferred out by my mom because she considered i