I can help my son with his homework now

Pauline is a Dundee adult learner on a mission, to find work and to be a good parent. 

Pauline experienced a period of anxiety and depression which led to her giving up work. One year on she has now taken up learning opportunities, has had work experience in different sectors and has achieved an Adult Achievement Award at SCQF level 4, “the first qualification I’ve done for me”.

“I have dyslexia and I struggled to help my son (age 9) with his homework when he asked me.” She attended literacy classes at the Mitchell Street Centre which she said helped and then IT classes with Lead Scotland, via the Gowrie Learning Centre. “He was getting homework to go online but I could hardly use the computer so I couldn’t help him. Now I can spell check things and that helps me to help him with his homework”. Her growing confidence led her to start working towards the Adult Achievement Award, gaining accreditation.

“I can help him with his homework myself now. I feel more confident in myself not to have to go to his gran or grandpa to ask. I feel I’m keeping up to date rather than letting life pass me by. It’s helped my confidence and self esteem and it keeps me going.”

“It’s hard to put it into words. I am happy in myself when I wasn’t before and that reflects on him (son) and then you want to do more.” She thinks that her zest for lifelong learning will benefit her son, if not now, then certainly “over the longer term”.

Transcribed with original quotes by Emma Whitelock, with names changed.

#Dundee Project Lead Scotland