National Adult Literacy Database

September 19, 2011

This week, we have a story by Alvin Frank, from Calgary, Alberta. Alvin is enrolled in literacy classes at Bow Valley College. He is originally from Fraser Canyon, British Columbia. He attended the Literacy & Learning Symposium 2010 in Edmonton, a conference organized by Community Learning Network and Literacy Alberta on October 27 - 30, 2010. Alvin has recently been enrolled in the volunteer tutor adult literacy program, a service based at Bow Valley College. He has tried classes for about 2 years, but quickly fell behind and had trouble completing the work. He meets his tutor once a week for about an hour and practices reading and comprehension.

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Story

by Alvin Frank

My name is Alvin Frank. I’m originally from Fraser Canyon, B.C., and I now reside in Calgary.

I’m doing schooling in Calgary at Bow Valley College and I’ve attended many of these literacy conferences through Bow Valley College.

I’ve watched the workers that have come to the literacy programs, and I see that they’re lost, because they’re not sure of why they’re here. And I’m not sure why I’m here, but I listen and I watch the people who are lost.

The reason they feel lost is because they're afraid they may make a mistake. But when they approach me, I tell them – if you make a mistake, you will learn from that mistake. As we all travel through our lives, we all make mistakes, for none of us here is perfect.

I tell them that learning is a lifetime journey. It’s a never-ending subject, for you’re learning all along.