Teachers always said I wasn’t working up to my potential. I took
great interest in English and History classes, but they sensed
there was something missing, and there was. My best friend was
feeding me short synopses of our homework assignments
– oral reports that I based whole class discussions, book
reports and tests on – because I couldn’t read them for myself.
Teachers always said I wasn’t working up to my potential. I took great interest in English and History classes, but they sensed there was something missing, and there was. My best friend was feeding me short synopses of our homework assignments – oral reports that I based whole class discussions, book reports and tests on – because I couldn’t read them for myself.
The letters on the page would not obey my command to sit still. Instead, they would shake, forming rivulets of white space running down the page that turned my stomach. It took so much concentrated effort for me to make it through an assignment that I would often fall asleep from sheer exhaustion midway through my work.
I was diagnosed with a learning disorder called Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome the summer following my junior year of high school, and with the aide of color-tinted glasses I began to devour the printed page. My senior year, I achieved the impossible: I made a 4.0 grade point average.
There are times when I’m still frustrated with my glacial reading speed, but I know I’m capable of more than meets the eye. Working through my own problem taught me that I had tenacity and perseverance, that within me lay an untapped core of strength.
Every day, millions triumph over the so-called curse of a learning problem. Charles Schwab, father of the discount brokerage business, failed remedial English. High school dropout Richard Branson became a billionaire with Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic Airways. And an educator suggested that Paul Orfalea be enrolled in trade school, perhaps to become a carpet layer. He founded Kinko’s instead.
Being dyslexic or battling any of the other myriad learning disabilities that are now recognized, doesn’t mean that your child is incapable. He or she may just need to learn differently. For children with learning disabilities, staying motivated for success is half the battle.
To help your child succeed, here are some of the things you can do:
• Learn about your child’s learning disability
Know what you’re dealing with up front. It will help you to recognize areas of study where your child may have a problem, even if they’re not saying anything just yet. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to understand what’s going on inside that little head.
• Be an observer
Does your child learn through listening, touching or looking at material? Encourage your child to study in ways that will be most productive for him or her. For example, I read most of my college assignments aloud to myself. It sounds weird, but I was able to retain things on the first pass rather than the third.
• Respect your child
In all honesty, there are learning disabilities that can permanently limit some children’s potential, but that doesn’t mean they can’t surprise you. While working in a special education classroom, I learned that a kid who couldn’t add could still understand the laws of supply and demand well enough to become a drug dealer who was respected and envied among his peers. Children otherwise dismissed often excel as leaders, but they may need some help getting pointed in the right direction.
• Reward Perseverance
Your child may not get things right in school, but he or she is not going to be motivated by accusations of failure. Positive reinforcement is key to success, according to Julia Lee, head of education for Sylvan Learning Center in Morgan Hill. Reward your child for making their best attempt on a test or homework assignment rather than getting the right answer.
• Have Educational Together Time
One of the best ways to inspire a love of learning is to share your own joy with your children. Read to them, or listen to books on tape together. A wide variety are available through the library system, and it will be good practice for developing attention span, concentration and imagination. Clip articles on notable people with learning disabilities and share them with your child.
• Help Your Child Find His or Her Talent
Remember that drug dealer? Every child has a talent. It’s up to you to guide your child into using it correctly. Allow your child to pursue something that he or she excels in or finds fascinating. A temptation to tinker with motors and toy cars could turn into a job as a mechanic or engineer. A love for soccer will teach teamwork and problem solving, which are applicable anywhere.
In the end, teach your children to make the most of these differences. A learning disability may be with them for life, but with practice, it could become something of an asset.
As Richard Branson told Fortune magazine, “If I knew anything about math, I probably wouldn’t have started an airline.”
TNT update
As some readers may remember, a few weeks ago I announced I would be joining Team In Training, an endurance sport training group that benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I’ll be participating in P.F. Chang’s Rock & Roll Marathon, walking a 13.1 mile half marathon on Jan. 9, and I can’t wait!
I wasn’t so sure I could do this a few weeks ago, but my coach has said all along that she’s there to take me from couch to completion. This Saturday, my team went for a brisk seven-miler in Los Gatos. I finished near the front of the pack.
My goal is to raise a total of $3,000-plus to benefit research for blood-related cancers, so if it comes down to the wire, I may become a South Valley bake sale fixture. To learn more about Team In Training, visit their Web site www.TeamInTraining.org or my personal page at www.TeamInTraining.org/PersonalPages. My participant ID number is 241524. And, please, if you would like me to walk in honor of anyone who’s battled leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma, e-mail me their names. I have a growing list of honorees, and I’d be happy to add your loved one to those I’ll be walking for this January.
