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Connecting With the Way You Learn When I was in school I knew I was dumber than my peers. They would finish reading in class faster than I did, finish tests 15-30 minutes before I did, and they always had longer recesses because their work was finished. My parents tried to tell me I was smart, but I KNEW that wasn’t true. I could see my peers reading at a pace I could never match. I struggled through school, graduated with average grades, and was positive I wouldn’t be successful in college. I did remedial jobs until I met my husband and started a family. A few years later I would watch my second daughter struggle with the same issues I did. That’s when I discovered she and I were both dyslexic. The same week we received the news I enrolled my daughter in an Orton-Gillingham based program. This spring my daughter will be graduating from high school with honors. When you are equipped with the right tools for your learning strategy, the sky is the limit. Parenting a Child Who Learns Differently I was so blessed the day my second daughter was born. She grew to be smart, witty, and a shining light in the world. Then she entered school. As her peers around her were excelling, I saw her start to wilt. I knew she was intelligent, but I also knew she was struggling to keep up with the curriculum. She wasn’t learning like her older sister, and she definitely wasn’t retaining what she was memorizing for tests. I started researching, reaching out to friends, and asking everyone I knew for help. That’s when I found out she was profoundly dyslexic. This diagnosis was such a relief to my daughter. It helped her realize she wasn’t “dumb” like she thought. She just wasn’t being taught in the way her brain could understand. I enrolled her in an Orton-Gillingham based program, and she thrived. An IEP was added to her education, and she was finally equipped with the tools she needed to be successful. This little girl grew into an amazing young woman, who is getting ready to graduate from high school this spring. She knows she is intelligent and prepared and ready to take the next step into her future. Whatever your circumstances, never give up trying to find the tools you need to help your children thrive.
--By Vicki H.
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