Letter to My 3rd Grade Self
By Nosakhere Griffin-EL, Ph.D.
I was raised in a one bed room apartment on 60th and Baltimore Ave, which is located in Southwest Philadelphia.
I attended public schools my entire life and I struggled with reading. I was lucky to have a mom who worked in libraries and brought me home books. Even though I lived less than a block away from a library, I hated reading and books in general.
This hatred for reading continued until I became a student at Lincoln University. At this institution, I learned the art of reading and how it served as a tool to transform myself and society.
If I could write a letter with advice I’d give to my younger self, here is what I’d say:
Dear Nosa,
Greetings from the future! I know you hate everything about reading. You get nervous when reading out loud because you stumble over words. You dislike when your teachers read you books that only show people of African descent being enslaved. You don’t enjoy reading because you do not see how it relates to your life. I know you’d rather play video games all day or play basketball with your homies. I know how you feel, but the school year is over and it’s summer break, here is some advice about how you can get into reading this summer.
First, I have a tip on how to overcome your struggle with reading. Ask your librarian to locate books about phonics. What is phonics? It is a big word for breaking words down.
Learning to break down words is essential to the reading process. You know how you read in class and struggle to pronounce the words? Learning the basics of phonics will give you the power to conquer every hard word you come across!
Practice breaking down words by pronouncing ALL of the letters in the alphabet, word families, and blended sounds. Practice the basics of phonics every day and you’ll be a strong reader by the time the next school year starts.
Second, read all those books your mom bought you on the history of people of African descent. Yes, those books allow you to see people of African descent as dreamers and builders of a better world. Go to the library and check out all the books you can about famous leaders of African descent and countries throughout the African world. Write mini book reports and share them with your teachers when the school year starts.
Lastly, find books about your dreams. Ok, I know you are going to be the next Michael Jordan! So let’s start with getting books on basketball. Read about your favorite players and teams. Now, I want you to explore the books that talk about the many dreams you’d want to pursue.
Go back to the librarian and asking him/her about careers. He/she will give you books on being a doctor, lawyer, teacher, scientist, engineer, farmer, entrepreneur, artist, musician, and journalist. Read these books and learn about the different careers. Just remember you’ll have years to build and pursue your dream.
Before I let you go, Nos you’ve got to use your summer to develop into a strong reader! You will use this skill in EVERY part of your life like reading bedtime stories to your two beautiful sons (they’re pretty amazing!).
I know this is a lot but don’t worry. I promise that you will grow into a strong reader and this will give you the power to achieve your dreams!
Sincerely,
Your Older Self, Dr. Nosakhere Griffin-EL
