Across Iowa there are several sites that help adults who can not read and write to become literate. Many of the sites are connected with a community college. Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa has nine sites where tutors help adults learn to read and write. The Adult literacy program is for people over 18 years of age. It is a place where they can go to improve their reading, writing, math, life skills, and prepare for continued learning.

We interviewed three people who have, as adults, learned to read and write.

We found out that when Mrs. Bruce was a child, she found it frustrating to learn to read because she had trouble with her vowels and spelling. During her childhood other children made fun of her. She quit school in the eighth grade.

One of the jobs Mrs Bruce had was at a hospital as a janitor. When they found out she could not read she was fired. She has cleaned houses for 24 years but she has always wanted to be a secretary. She said it hurts not being able to read and write because she couldn't help her children with homework.

Mrs. Bruce has gotten help learning to read and write at the Lincoln Learning Center (one of the centers associated with Kirkwood Community College). She is now doing great in reading plus she loves to read.

--Interview with Linda Bruce, Tuesday, February, 20, 1996.

During our interview we found out a lot of interesting facts about Mr. Schmidt. He graduated from Kennedy High School in the Work Study Program. Mr. Schmidt got his first job, at Rockwell, through the work study program.

He still works there. Mr. Schmidt is very visual. He knows how to tell time by the sun. He says that if a teacher knows a student is having problems, "they should bring them up front, not let him sit in the back." Now Mr. Schmidt is doing good in reading although it's still not easy for him. Writing is even more difficult.

--Interview with John Schmidt on Tuesday, February 20, 1996.

Josie Williams just became a literate person a few years ago. When Mrs. Williams was young, she didn't go to school very often because the children in her family had to trade off days to go to school. Because when they were not in school they helped pick cotton to earn money for the family. She quit school and married young. When her birthdays came along she'd pretend to read the birthday cards, but she couldn't. She finally learned how to read with the help of her family. Now she learns from her 8-year-old grandson and she teaches him.

Her advice to others is to learn all you can learn while you are in school. She said that if she could go back in time to change anything about her life, "I'd beg my parents to let me be the one to go to school."

--Interview with Josie Williams on Thursday, February 22, 1996.

If you want to volunteer to become a literacy tutor please call 1-800-332-2055
(in Iowa), or contact an Adult Literacy Center near you.

E-mail us!