National Adult Literacy Database

October 1 , 2007

The following story was written by Lane Rice, from Kahnawake, Quebec. Lane is enrolled in literacy classes at the Chateauguay Valley Literacy Council. In 2006, she was given a Recognition Award for Adult Literacy, sponsored by a partnership of Quebec adult literacy and adult education organizations, in collaboration with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

My Story

by Lane Rice

My name is Lane Rice, I am from Kahnawake, and I want to tell my own story. Growing up I had a very hard time. I couldn’t concentrate on reading or writing. I guess I was emotionally disturbed because of the way people treated me. I was terribly shy because in Elementary School at age nine it became worse, I refused to speak, or read out loud in class. At that time because of my early physical development I was teased excessively, I had blackheads, and pimples all over my face and neck. Also, if I seemed to appear smarter than the smart kids I needed to hide it because of reprisals.

I had no interest in reading. I totally refused to read because every time I came to a hard word I had to look up the word in a dictionary. This was stressful and frustrating for me, My teachers and friends couldn’t understand why? The students would taunt me and make me cry. I couldn’t explain to them that I didn’t always understand what I read. I couldn’t absorb all the information I received, it seem to go in one ear and out the other. I hated school, and though there was a guidance counselor, there was no one who could help me, I couldn’t tell the counselor about my problems at home and with my fellow students.

In 2003 there was an advertisement in the Eastern Door about a literacy class in Kahnawake Tuesday nights. I decided to give it a try. The teacher started out with everyone introducing themselves. The teacher Diana Jeans had a weekly routine – we would pronounce the words, and syllables, and then read the articles. I was very uncomfortable at first it took me quite a while to relax. Before long I had homework that needed to be done. I had to read out loud to the class, and others had to read out loud too. I had to be patient and sympathetic and the students were patient too they did not laugh at each other. Although I could read the low level fairly well, I still was very shy and uptight.

I needed the one-on-one tutoring to help me to be more confident. My first tutor was very supportive in helping me, but she could only be with me about six months. I had two more after that who only were with me one time then quit. This made me a little nervous, I was less enthusiastic to continue on with my reading. Finally my fourth tutor stayed with me, and I am most happy with her.

Now I like to read, I can't seem to stop reading, especially self-help books which were recommended at a Wellness Conference. This was something I never thought I would be able to do. Now after three years at Chateauguay Valley Literacy Council, with the Class, the tutors and the wonderful books which I now can read, I now have so much more confidence. Being able to read was not really the big problem, the bigger problem was confidence in myself. Now I am reading and writing, my tutor remembers how I hesitated, wrote only lightly, would be afraid to put my thoughts on paper. That has changed. I have homecare certification, and am available and confident in that type of work. I now can meet people and talk face-toface and most of all, I have a daughter that I want to make happy and PROUD of me.

[This story was taken with permission, from "2006 Recognition Awards for Adult Literacy - Submissions", published by the Centre for Literacy of Quebec.]