Story of the Week
December 25, 2000
This week, we are launching 7 stories written by students from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. These students are enrolled at SIAST-Kelsey Campus, at the Literacy Centre. As a special event you can read their stories as well as hear them.
The family unit is the key to the success of any family literacy program. It is through the family that the seeds of literacy grow. The role of the parent as a model cannot be under-estimated. It is through modeling that the child establishes lifetime patterns. When parents read to their children, reading becomes a positive. Not only are the parents showing the child that reading can be an enjoyable thing, but the experience allows the parent to develop his or her own skills. The promotion and encouragement of family literacy is one of the mandates of the SIAST Kelsey Campus Literacy Program. In our efforts to achieve and validate this the students from the literacy class have created children's storybooks. The students receive a copy of the book that is theirs to take home. The books are to be shared with their own family and extended family units in the spirit of family literacy. These are some selected stories from the two children's book Unicorns and Dragon Tales.
My name is Ervin Desjarlais. I am Metis. I am Canadian. I dropped out of school ten years ago. I have returned now because I felt the need to further my education. I want to be an auto-mechanic. In order to reach my goals, I think it is necessary for me to improve my reading, spelling, writing and mathematics. I feel that today people need skills in these areas in order to get a job. Reaching my goals is important to me.
Play an audio version of this story
Speech for International Literacy Day 2000
by Ervin Desjarlais
Good afterrnoon everyone. We would like to welcome you and thank you all for coming out and to help us celebrate International Literacy Day.
We are here on behalf of the students from Kelsey SIAST Literacy program to share with you our ideas about literacy and how it effects us.
My name is Ervin Desjarlais. I have been out of school for ten years. I felt the need to come back and further my education. I worked in construction. I ran a jack-hammer. When I look back I remember telling myself, "There's got to be something better than this." That is when it hit me; if I wanted to find something better, if I was to reach my goals, I'd have to improve my reading and math skills. I'd have to go back to school.
My goal is to be an auto mechanic. In order to reach my goals it is necesssary for me to improve my reading, spelling and writing. I'd have to develop computer skills and improve my mathematics. Today people need skills in these areas in order to get a job. Reaching my goal is important to me. I would like to thank you for listening.
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