National Adult Literacy Database

October 25, 2010

This week, our story comes to us from M’Chigeeng, Ontario. The author, Boswell Thomas, is enrolled in literacy classes at the M’Chigeeng Adult and Continuing Education Program.

Picnic table construction requires more than one essential skill

by Boswell Thomas

I made a right decision to attend M’Chigeeng Adult and Continuing Education Program because I have learned many different things here, and now I have experience making picnic tables. I can now make a picnic table on my own because I not only know the measurements for a picnic table but how to construct one as well. Learning to make a picnic table is a wonderful thing to learn because now I don’t have to buy one I can make my own. If you know the right measurements all you have to do is get your own boards, screws, and bolts. You also have to have the right cutting tools such as a skill saw and table saw so you can cut the boards to the right size for the tables.

There is a whole lot more to making the picnic tables and our Coordinator Clara Corbiere wanted us to be able to use the nine essential skills in this project. First we searched online for picnic table plans, we decided to go with the one supplied by the store but our Workshop instructor Archie Corbiere taught us how to make adjustments so the table would not topple over if people got up from one side of the table. Secondly we had to work in a group, some of the people in the group were patient but some weren’t, such as Sheila and Olivia.

They were all in a hurry to make the tables, but for me Gordon and Henry, we were all more careful. We took our time so that we could be sure we were following the instructions correctly. Sheila was going on and on until I started to get frustrated. I kept twisting my hat almost seven times before I had to take a break from the group. It was kind of funny because one of our instructors Joanne was just standing there looking at what was going on, but Archie had everything under control and I rejoined the group and did what I had to do.

The skills I learned are how to use the measuring tape; the table saw, skill saw and following plans. Last but not least I learned how to work and communicate with others but most importantly how to have a whole lot of patience!

[This story was taken with permission, from The Spider’s Web, Summer 2010, published by Ontario Native Literacy Coalition (ONLC).]