How Learning to Read and Write Changed My Life by Catherine Sherry
I want to tell you about the day that changed my life.
All my life my family called me thick, Dumbo, and stupid. Because I could not read or write, I felt depressed, frustrated and I felt I could not get anywhere in my life. I shut myself in the house all day. I could not speak to my mum or dad because I did not want to let them down.
Although they never admitted it or spoke to me about it, I think deep down they did know that I was unable to read or spell. My parents even told my brothers and my sister to leave me alone when I was doing my homework.
At school my life was so painful and sad because I was bullied so much that I cannot express it into words.
I had missed Primary 1 and 2 because I was in hospital with Spina Bifida. I did not start properly until I was about seven years old. The teachers tried to help me but when I was about ten they got in touch with my parents, because they thought I needed extra help in reading and writing.
I was sent to a special school for two years, but they did not have much time to help me as I was still in and out of hospital.
I started High School when I was twelve, but when I left I was still in the same position as I was when I was seven.
When I was 15, I went for my first job but they told me I could not do it because I was not able to read or write. It was then that I realised I had to do something about it. Unfortunately at that time I had no idea where to go for help. I ended up in a hotel washing dishes and pans.
It was not until I first became a grandma that I heard about a group called Gingerbread. I went with my daughter and they told us about another group where we could get help with reading and spelling. It was called the Big Plus scheme.
I wanted to improve myself and also to prove to my family I could do it. I was determined to do it so I would be able to help my grandchildren and not let them down the way I felt I had done with my children.
On my first day I met a very nice lady from the Community Learning and Development Service at Newton Stewart Community Centre.
This was the day, six years ago, that changed my life.
She gave me a tutor who was able to give me one to one help. This tutor gave me help from scratch with my reading, which improved a lot. After I got more confident with my reading I began to learn spelling and writing. I got a lot better than when I started but unfortunately my tutor had to leave.
I had to get a new tutor and start again, but unfortunately it did not work out. So once again I had to get a new tutor.
This tutor started me right from the beginning with my alphabet. This was to help me with my sounds and learn a new way of spelling and writing. Since I started with this tutor I have come on a lot more with my reading and writing than I ever did before.
I am now able to write a letter to my daughter. I have also written a couple of stories and I can cope with filling in forms on my own.
Now that I can do these things I am getting out a lot more, mixing with people and joining groups. I am more confident in myself and much more open and honest with myself. I am happier to tell people about the course and to recommend it to people in the same position as I was in.
I am happy to be able to read a story to my grandchildren now and help them with their reading writing and spelling too. My grandchildren are pleased to have their nana reading a story to them and helping them with their school work.
My aims for the future are to keep on coming to my course so that I can continue helping my grandchildren. I would also like to prove to my family that I have really done it.
I have always wanted to write short stories and poems and put them into a book. These are things I would really love to do.
After all this I would love to be able to help other people to learn to read and write, because I don't like to think of people being in the same position as I was in. I am also planning to care for old folk who cannot cope on their own.
Now my confidence has grown I feel in myself more able to tackle this sort of work. I would never have got this far if I had not made the decision that day to come to the centre. That day changed my life for the better and I would like to thank everyone for all the help and encouragement I have received along the way.
