SCHOOL
Today if you asked me what I thought of school I would answer that I really enjoy it and love finding facts and information. But if you had asked me the same question when I was ten or younger I would answer that I hated school and would rather do anything else in the world. So what made me change my mind about school? Well some people would say I just finally grew to like it. But when I was nine years old we found out that I was a dyslexic. I had a hard time learning how to read, spell, write, and just about everything else. We went to see a specialist about it and she showed us some exercises to do and some ways to make what I was learning stick. One of the exercises was drawing eights with a pencil every day and learning to follow it with my eyes. For spelling we would cut out long pieces of paper and draw a word really big on it and then I would color it in and we would hang it up on the pantry door so every day I was looking at it. Mom would let me choose what to work on for school and work math and science into that. Slowly and painfully I started to understand reading and spelling; and today you probably wouldn't guess that I am a dyslexic. I still miss spell a whole lot of words and I still have to sound out some really big ones and still sometimes I forget what I just learned. But I have learned to work with it and live with it. I thank God every day that mom home schools us. Mom really helped by letting me follow my passions and learn about what I was interested in at the time. Today I am reading about the Rwanda genocide and writing my Colorado report. I still have trouble with spelling and grammar a lot but I am moving forward. Math I still don't like but dad says I am better at it then I think.
It wasn't easy getting to were I am in school today and I love my mother all the more for sticking with me and helping me move forward.
So thank you Mother for all the hard years you put into helping me like and enjoy school; and just to let you now. I really do like school. :)
Thank you for sharing your heart, and your struggles, sweet girl. What a lovely testimony to God's goodness in your life. Yes, you are blessed with a precious mom :)
ReplyDeleteKalyn... I really had no idea that you were dyslexic, because when you write, you don't show any signs of it. That really shows how far you have come. People don't really realize the struggle of overcoming being dyslexic, and they also don't realize how many people give up on it. (I work/mentor kiddos with reading struggles and see it everyday). Way to go girl! I am going to print out your post and take it with me to school. I really want the girls that I mentor to see what happens when you work past these obstacles... I wish these girls also had parents like you do. Unfortunately, they have parents who look at them with disabilities, that only takes away the ability to work through the situation. I wish they had a Mom who worked with them, but they have Moms who pretty much ignore them. You are very blessed. Thanks for serving as a role model. If you have any more suggestions for these young girls (I work with seven of them) please feel free to write :c) Even though I am there to help them out, I think they learn better from those who TRULY understand what they are going through (their teachers don't). Thanks Kalyn!!
ReplyDeleteKalyn,
ReplyDeleteI also have dyslexia! Growing up in public school was VERY difficult! My parents had to fight for every little bit of help I got...I was made to feel stupid alot, and thought that I was. As I grew into an adult, I realized that God gave us each different gifts for a REASON!! Can you imagine if every person on Earth had the same gifts? Im not 'book' smart, my husband is though, so he handles that part of our lives. But, I am very handy. If anything in the house breaks, thats my job! (I install light fixtures, dish washers, tile, paint, even redid an entire bathroom!) I have my Dads dyslexic mind, and his gift of being able to trouble shoot (some call it an engineering mind!) You too will find your gift, and if you are like most dyslexics, it will be in the area of arts, crafts, engineering, building, or something visual!!
Embrace yourself exactly has God has made you, He made you PERFECTLY!!!!