My school experience was shocking. I was classed as ‘thick’ by teachers. So, I thought it was better to be naughty than stupid.I got in a lot of trouble. I got pulled out of everything to do extra English lessons, so I missed out on Maths, Languages, you name it. I felt like the teachers didn’t want to help. I stopped going in the end.
Leaving school made me determined to do better. I went to college but found it very hard and failed most subjects. One teacher realised I was dyslexic and offered some support. I went from failing to distinctions, got some of the college’s best results, and even trainee of the year. If I’d been good at school, I don’t know if I’d have pushed myself like I did.
After college I ran a garage. I relied on my ex-wife to do all the paperwork and invoicing. I was better at fixing cars than doing all that stuff. She tried to teach me, but I wasn’t ready, I was working too many hours. I could recognise some words in manuals, but if I couldn’t read something I’d get an apprentice to do it for me.
Coming to prison, my whole attitude changed. I was finally ready. I had tactics to avoid the shame of people realising I couldn’t read on the outside, but inside people weren’t judgemental like they were on the out.
Shannon Trust’s programme was accessible, the words all flowed, and my mentor Tom* was brilliant. At school I felt stupid, but he never made me feel like that. I really wanted to do it and even did extra lessons at night. During a session I was filling out a progress profile, scored 1-10. I put a 4 and my cellmate said I was much higher than that! He could see the progress I was making.
The programme was one of the best things I did to improve myself. I find I can read complex words now and it just happens, I don’t even have to sound them out. I’d like to do the mentoring myself, I wouldn’t judge anyone, because I’d understand their experience. It would be nice to give someone else the gift of reading.
Since completing the training, I’d read two books by Guy Martin. They really reminded me of my own childhood, I felt my own experience in them. They’re entertaining reads if you’re into motor sport. I was so proud of myself finishing that first one, it felt like a real achievement.
My kids have noticed how much better my spelling is. I wrote a card to my daughter and they said it was more than I’d ever written in my whole life!
You don’t realise how much you read, that words are everywhere. I can watch films with subtitles now. I’ve read music books cover to cover to help me learn the guitar. Next, I want to read some fantasy.
Time goes by fast when you’re watching telly, but when you’re reading it is even better and it turns hours into minutes, a whole evening is gone before it’s started. Time flies and you forget where you are.
I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to do the programme, it’s the best thing I’ve done in prison. Nobody wants to be here, but to leave this place without any self-improvement, that would be criminal!
*names have been changed
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