My interpretation is that we must remember that our students have many talents which they bring to the business world and to our classes. We cannnot equate illiteracy with lack of intelligence.
A friend of mine deduced that the owner of a construction company building a pool in her backyard could not read. Nonetheless, he ran a very successful business for many years.
We must build on the strengths of our students.
Barb Linek
Project MAX
Adult Education Services Coordinator
(815) 609-9935
----Original Message Follows----
From: "Gabriela Rodriguez" <LVLAREDO@GRANDECOM.NET>
Reply-To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
To: Multiple recipients of list <NIFL-ESL@LITERACY.NIFL.GOV>
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8678] Re: Don Antonio The Doorman
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 17:06:03 -0500 (EST)
The message is subject to interpretation.
-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Susan
Ryan
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 8:04 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8664] Re: Don Antonio The Doorman
Was the message "not necessary to learn to read?" or what?
>From: Lorraine Gardner <LAD-OH@ETOP.ORG>
>Reply-To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
>To: Multiple recipients of list <NIFL-ESL@LITERACY.NIFL.GOV>
>Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8650] Re: Don Antonio The Doorman
>Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 13:25:14 -0500 (EST)
>
>What a wonderful story, Gabriela! Thank you for sharing this--I will
>definitely pass the story (and the message) along to others.
>
>Lorraine Gardner
>Academic/Workplace Skills Instructor
>Omaha, NE
>lad-oh@etop.org
>
>At 12:03 PM 2/26/03 -0500, you wrote:
>
>>The following story is for those who are involved in teaching ESL, GED,
>>reading, writing, citizenship, etc. to adult learners.
>>
>>I applied for a job in January of this year with Literacy Volunteers of
>>America - Laredo, now Pro-Literacy Worldwide. Four members of the board of
>>directors interviewed me. At the end of the interview, I told them the
>>following story about Don Antonio the Doorman. I hope you can find the
>>time
>>to read all of it and share it with your students.
>>
>>A very long time ago, there was a man named Don Antonio who lived in a
>>small
>>town. He worked as a doorman in the town's only hotel. One day, some
>>business visitors arrived to town and became interested in purchasing the
>>hotel in an effort to boost tourism. Eventually, they did buy the hotel
>>and
>>remodeled it.
>>
>>A member of the management team approached Don Antonio one day. All
>>employees were asked to remain working with the hotel. The manager began
>>telling Don Antonio about his new duties as a doorman. Now, he would have
>>to
>>keep a log of all the people arriving and departing the hotel. Don Antonio
>>stopped the manager in mid-sentence and explained to him he did not know
>>how
>>to read or write. The manager futher explained that this needed to be done
>>for the hotel. Don Antonio humbly stated to the manager that since he did
>>not know how to read or write, he would go ahead and resign his position.
>>The manager accepted.
>>
>>Don Antonio went home and thought of how he would now make ends meet. He
>>took the little money he had saved, got on his donkey, and traveled for
>>two
>>days to the next town. There he purchased a set of carpentry tools. He
>>returned on his donkey traveling another two days back home.
>>
>>Now that he was home, he went door to door offering his services to build
>>wooden furniture or fix things around the house.
>>
>>Word got around about Don Antonio having a set of carpentry tools. His
>>compadre arrived to his small home and asked Don Antonio if he would sell
>>him his carpentry tools. At first, Don Antonio said he could not sell his
>>tools because he was using them to make a living. Don Antonio also told
>>him
>>about the four-day travel time it took him. His compadre said he would pay
>>him for the tools plus the travel time. Don Antonio then agree and sold
>>his
>>tools to his compadre.
>>
>>Later that week, Don Antonio made another trip and bought another set of
>>tools. Slowly, word got around town, and before he know it, he was
>>traveling
>>back and forth buying and selling all kinds of tools.
>>
>>The years went by and Don Antonio continued traveling, buying and selling
>>tools to the local citizens on his town. His business grew into a
>>profitable
>>one. He earned a lot of money and became one of the richest men in town.
>>His
>>small business grew into a distributorship of tools and was the most
>>successful business in town. Don Antonio became a very wealthy,
>>well-known,
>>powerful man.
>>
>>Don Antonio's success reached far. the governor of the state heard of his
>>success. One day, Don Antonio was invited to attend the governor's annual
>>reception of successful businessmen. Many businessmen traveled and
>>attended
>>from all over the state. Don Antonio agreed to attend.
>>
>>Once he was there, an aide of the governor approached him. The aide told
>>Don
>>Antonio that the governor would greatly appreciate it if he could read a
>>speech at the reception. Don Antonio didn't know what to say. He was, of
>>course, flattered by the request. The aide then told him that before
>>reading
>>the speech, Don Antonio would have to sign a couple of documents for the
>>governor. Don Antonio stated at the papers before him.
>>
>>Don Antonio then placed his hand on the young man's shoulder and said to
>>him, "I'm sorry, son. Please tell the governor that I will be unable to
>>sign
>>these papers and read this speech."
>>
>>The young man was surprised to hear that Don Antonio was denying reading
>>the
>>speech and signing the documents. He was perplexed.
>>
>>Don Antonio saw the expression on the young man's face and stated to him,
>>"I'm sorry but I don't know how to read or write."
>>
>>The young man then said to Don Antonio, "What do you mean you don't know
>>how
>>to read or write? You are a very successful businessman. You are the
>>richest
>>and most powerful man, not only of your town, but also of the state. This
>>is
>>why the governor wants you to read this speech. Don Antonio, how can a
>>successful businessman like yourself not know how to read or write?
>>Imagine
>>your greater success if you did know how to read and write."
>>
>>Don Antonio smiles and said to the young man, "Mi hijo, if I knew how to
>>read and write, I would still be a doorman."
>>
>>The End~
>>
>>
>>Thank you,
>>Gabriela D. Rodriguez
>>Executive Director
>>Literacy Volunteers of Laredo
>>(Pro-Literacy Worldwide Affiliate)
>
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