National Adult Literacy Database

January 30, 2006

Here is Rod's story from Rabbittown Learners' Program, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

What School is to Me

by Rod H.

When I started school things were a bit different. They wouldn't look to fix what was wrong . They would put you in Special Ed and if they couldn't do nothing with you they would say you were a hard case. I tried to do the work until I got sick of it and left. Some times I think of what I went through and it makes me mad. Then to top it all off you would do your best and they would look at you like they were better then you even if they knew there was something wrong. They wouldn't do a thing for me even if I asked them. They didn't care that I wanted to learn. Well I went to work when I was 13 and a half so I could have money to help pay the bills with my mom. It was hard for me to get by without schooling.

It was around 2000 when I went to Spell Read Canada. It helped a bit. When I started at Spell Read Canada I couldn't read at all. I have my paper from that school saying I finished spell read. I was on top of the world I felt good about myself. I had to go back to work at anything I could. I worked at Wal-mart Canada for a year and a half then I went to work with Newmans for two years. For a year I worked in P.E.I. at a fish plant. I can say I'm a Jack of all trades. I can fix almost anything you put in front of me. When I came back home I did little things for money and for other people. I worked downtown on weekends on the door and on hotdog carts.

My wife and I were talking about what I would like to do and I said I would like to take auto body. She said I should but I have to go back to school. Well two years later here I am back in school trying my best and not doing to bad for myself. My worker sent me to find out what was wrong and why I didn't do so well in school. We found out I'm dyslexic and a bit disgraphic.

It was two years before I got in school at Rabbittown. Overall it's a good thing. I'm in school now then I can take a trade and have papers to say I can do it. It's good to be able to fight for the privilege to go to school.