"Once Upon A Time"

The New Brunswick Museum and
Read Saint John Literacy Project

Leanne French, Project Coordinator

Learners and tutors choosing from the 400 drawings submitted by children from various youth organizations for the "Once Upon A Time" stories.

"We learned new things. Especially about the way life was. The museum becomes more interesting the more you know."

Being a first time reader was one thing, but to write was scary. Writing a book was just unthinkable. However we did it! What a feeling!"

These are comments by adult learners who participated in "One Upon a Time," a literacy project designed and carried out at the New Brunswick Museum in partnership with Read St. John. During the past summer, twelve learners wrote stories about their experiences of the museum's galleries. This entailed visiting the museum regularly with their tutors to learn about the collection in the areas of history, natural science and the visual arts. Learners also used archival materials and did independent research. For added flare, some of them even interviewed individuals in the community familiar with "the way things were." Their stories became the basis for a set of large storybooks about the museum's collections. Once the stories were written, children helped bring them alive, with different youth organizations in the Saint John area providing illustrations. Children read the stories written by learners and made drawings based on their interpretations of what they read. Over 400 drawings were submitted and the adult learners chose those that they felt best illustrated their words. Through childrens' eyes, each page of a story was given new meaning with these colourful drawings.

The work done by the learners and children demonstrates how the social and educational potential of museums can be realized. Most notable was the courage of those who embarked on this endeavour. The project created some anxiety and doubt among the adult learners in the initial stage and the smiles, the doubts, the laughs, the fears, the questions, the long meetings, the tears, the research and the reading and the writing will not be forgotten. However, as the project progressed the learners' confidence and self-esteem grew. As one learner explained:

"At first we thought it would be too difficult. That doing all that reading for research would be hard, but it wasn't that bad."

A reception was held at the museum on November 2 at which time the storybooks were displayed in the museum's main entrance. Well over 100 people attended, including the adult learners, the children and their respective families, the literacy tutors who had dedicated so much time as well as local dignitaries and the Honourable Harry Doyle, Minister of State for Youth and Literacy for the Province of New Brunswick. The project is now completed but the storybooks are available for all visitors to enjoy. As another learner put it: "We were excited about seeing our stories in print for others to read. We have accomplished an outstanding achievement."

The project was a great success due to the partnership between the New Brunswick Museum, the local literacy organizations and the youth groups. It indicates the kind of community-based learning that is possible when organizations work together. In the words of one of the learners: "We all enjoyed the experience. The time was well spent. It gave us new doors to open within ourselves. Our imagination, self-esteem and knowledge were expanded."