This is my work bag. The bag that I take with me to and from work each day. It contains essential work items and some extras.
My “essentials”, the items I use most frequently and take in and out of my bag every day:
- Bag – Large enough to fit everything, with plenty of pockets to keep items organized.
- Keys – Essential for getting into the school building and unlocking my office.
- Laptop – Holds all of my case files; I use it to take notes during meetings, research strategies to support my students, and gather tools and materials.
- iPad – I bring it to classes to take photos, write notes, and use interactive tools with my students.
- AirPods – Help me concentrate in my office by blocking out background noise and minimizing distractions.
- Coffee Mug – Keeps me caffeinated throughout the day.
- Water Bottle – Keeps me hydrated
My “extras”:
- Snacks – Primarily for my daughter after school, though I sometimes snack on them too.
- Chapstick, deodorant, hand cream, hand sanitizer, mascara, pair of socks, scrunchie – Useful when needed, but I also keep extras in my office and at home, so they aren’t always used daily.
- Pencils, pens, eraser, post-it pad – Occasionally needed for quick notes or reminders, but less essential now as I rely more on digital tools.
- Open snacks – A reality of “mum life.”
- Electrolytes, cough drops, pill box – “Just in case” items, there when I might need them.
How might these items be considered “texts” and what do they say about you, the places you inhabit, the cultures with which you engage, and/or the activities you take up?
If you ‘read’ these items, they can be seen as texts that communicate aspects of who I am and how I move through the world. They suggest that I am someone who values being prepared, ready to face whatever the day might bring. They also reveal my reliance on technology, which not only supports my daily activities but also connects me to the cultures, spaces, and communities I engage with. These items speak to both my practicality and the role that digital tools play in shaping my routines and interactions.
Thinking about the title of the course, what are the “text technologies” in your bag, if any? What do these items say about how you engage with language and communication?
The text technologies in my bag include a pen, pencil, eraser, and post-it pad, along with my laptop and iPad. The traditional tools (pen, pencil, eraser, and post-its) reflect a hands-on, flexible way of engaging with language, allowing me to jot down quick thoughts, revise ideas, and organize information in a physical form. The laptop and iPad, on the other hand, represent my engagement with digital forms of communication and knowledge production. Together, these items show that I move between analog and digital text technologies, using both to support how I think, write, and interact with others.
What do the items in your bag say about the literacies you have?
The items in my bag point to a blend of literacies that I use daily. My laptop and iPad highlight my digital literacy, showing that I rely heavily on technology to communicate, take notes, research, and support my students. My AirPods suggests an awareness of focus and productivity literacies, finding ways to manage my attention in a busy environment. The more traditional tools like pens, pencils, and post-its demonstrate that I still value analog literacies, even if they aren’t as central as they once were. The presence of snacks, water, and personal care items reflects literacies of care and balance, reminding me that managing well-being is just as important as managing information.
How does the narrative of the (private) contents of your bag compare with the narrative produced by the image you have of yourself or the image you outwardly project?
The narrative of the contents of my bag is fairly minimal, as none of the items are overly personal or unique. In many ways, it could be read as a generic teacher’s work bag. This aligns with the image I outwardly project: I don’t tend to show much of myself on the surface, and nothing about my bag, or what’s inside it, is flashy or attention-grabbing. However, just as with my outward self, there are subtle details that reveal more if you look closely, such as the stickers on my water bottle or my keychains. These smaller, more personal touches reflect the layers of who I am, which usually only become visible once people get to know me better.
What would this same bag have looked like, say, 15 or 25 years ago?
If this bag existed 15 or 25 years ago, it would look quite different. It wouldn’t include any of the technology I now rely on, no laptop, iPad, or AirPods. Even something as common today as a reusable water bottle probably wouldn’t be inside. Instead, the bag would likely hold more traditional tools: extra pens and pencils, a notebook, an agenda or planner, and maybe a stack of files or printed handouts. It would reflect a time when text technologies were almost entirely paper-based, emphasizing physical writing rather than digital communication and organization.
How do you imagine an archeologist aiming to understand this temporal period might view the contents of your bag many years in the future?
An archaeologist studying the contents of my bag many years in the future might find it difficult to draw specific conclusions about me as an individual. The items do not give away much about who I am, beyond suggesting that the bag may have belonged to a professional or a student. There is nothing that clearly marks it as a teacher’s bag, nor anything that distinctly identifies it as belonging to a woman. Instead, the contents might be read as evidence of someone who is prepared, values self-care, and is equipped with the tools needed to manage daily responsibilities.