Nothing humble about this brag...DS & his dyslexia

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LiveWhatULove
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Sorry for the boring post! TLDR: DS has dyslexia & the public school system has made positive changes for students like him!


My DS's public school SPED teacher is observing DS's private school classroom (which only teaches children with dyslexia & learning disabilities), so she can see effective methods in real life. Her dedication & sacrifice of her personal time, to my DS & children like him, brings tears in my eyes.

I am so proud of DS' grit & appreciation. Every teacher & tutor that works with him says, "he tries so hard, & is so appreciative of our help" & I know he inspires them to do more to help him & students like him! DS will always face challenges, but knowing that his challenges might make school better for even one student or MANY students, lessens that burden.

I know change takes a village, but my family has been a tiny part of the policy changes:

- Every teacher & para in the district (which educates nearly 30000 kids) will have had or will have in-service about dyslexia.
- ALL students in younger elementary years will be screened for dyslexia, to get them help sooner rather than later.
- Buses provide transportation for students that need extended school year.
- Discussion about new reading curriculum for the district will include a expert on reading disabilities.

And on a more personal level at our family's elementary school, even after DS leaves:
- All the teachers in the SPED department are getting training in Orton-Gillingham methods (the most effective way to teach children with dyslexia).
- They have developed a small program to use higher grade students, like my DS, with reading disabilities to help struggling pre-readers in kindergarten.

Isn't that just awesome?

If you think your kiddo may have dyslexia, and start advocating now!

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articl ... 7#symptoms

https://www.understood.org/en/through-y ... jZzQzQwYXc.

https://www.readwritelearningcenter.com ... you%20note.
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lauren08
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That’s so awesome, Live! So happy for you and your DS – I hope these changes make his life easier!! Kudos to you for being so involved and advocating for these changes to help your kiddo.
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No one caught my dyslexia until I was 17. Good for you getting him help. The teachers made me feel stupid because of it. I was good at hiding my problems. Very few people even know that I have it.

My kids get tests early because of it. I am thankful for all the kids that get the help that they need without feeling dumb.
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LiveWhatULove
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Anonymous 1 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:03 pm No one caught my dyslexia until I was 17. Good for you getting him help. The teachers made me feel stupid because of it. I was good at hiding my problems. Very few people even know that I have it.

My kids get tests early because of it. I am thankful for all the kids that get the help that they need without feeling dumb.
I am so sorry, what happened to you is BULLSHIT.

My DS's deficits were SO profound, and yet still, I had to fight for evaluation. After testing, some professionals told me to actually legally fight to have the district to have the district pay for my DS to be sent to a private school. I decided to fight in a different way. I talked to so many teachers & administrators & parent groups. Every child now, every. single. one. will be screened per policy, so hopefully, at least in our district, no one will have your story!
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That is phenomenal news, LiveWhatULove! I know how much work that you put in with your DS and I know that it has been extremely difficult at times for you. I am so so happy to hear that some good stuff is going on and will continue to go on as a result of your DS's experience and, no doubt, your involvement. Congratulations! I can only imagine how happy you must be that all this good stuff is going on!
Anonymous 1

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LiveWhatULove wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:17 pm
Anonymous 1 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:03 pm No one caught my dyslexia until I was 17. Good for you getting him help. The teachers made me feel stupid because of it. I was good at hiding my problems. Very few people even know that I have it.

My kids get tests early because of it. I am thankful for all the kids that get the help that they need without feeling dumb.
I am so sorry, what happened to you is BULLSHIT.

My DS's deficits were SO profound, and yet still, I had to fight for evaluation. After testing, some professionals told me to actually legally fight to have the district to have the district pay for my DS to be sent to a private school. I decided to fight in a different way. I talked to so many teachers & administrators & parent groups. Every child now, every. single. one. will be screened per policy, so hopefully, at least in our district, no one will have your story!
I hid it. I hated it. I could read in my head and understand it. I couldn't read out loud or say some words. I knew what they were, what they meant, I couldn't get them to come out of my mouth. I was put into reading 'help' groups and then tossed out because I can read in my head fine. I sucked at math if I had to write it down. I could do most in my head just fine. I have learned how to compensate for most of it. I have learned to double and triple check all things because I like to swap letters and numbers around without knowing it.

A doctor was watching me fill out paperwork and started to ask questions. He started it all and helped with figuring it out. I have a high IQ and that helps with it.
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Anonymous 1 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:04 pm
LiveWhatULove wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:17 pm
Anonymous 1 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:03 pm No one caught my dyslexia until I was 17. Good for you getting him help. The teachers made me feel stupid because of it. I was good at hiding my problems. Very few people even know that I have it.

My kids get tests early because of it. I am thankful for all the kids that get the help that they need without feeling dumb.
I am so sorry, what happened to you is BULLSHIT.

My DS's deficits were SO profound, and yet still, I had to fight for evaluation. After testing, some professionals told me to actually legally fight to have the district to have the district pay for my DS to be sent to a private school. I decided to fight in a different way. I talked to so many teachers & administrators & parent groups. Every child now, every. single. one. will be screened per policy, so hopefully, at least in our district, no one will have your story!
I hid it. I hated it. I could read in my head and understand it. I couldn't read out loud or say some words. I knew what they were, what they meant, I couldn't get them to come out of my mouth. I was put into reading 'help' groups and then tossed out because I can read in my head fine. I sucked at math if I had to write it down. I could do most in my head just fine. I have learned how to compensate for most of it. I have learned to double and triple check all things because I like to swap letters and numbers around without knowing it.

A doctor was watching me fill out paperwork and started to ask questions. He started it all and helped with figuring it out. I have a high IQ and that helps with it.
I understand, the hiding & compensatory behaviors are much more common in girls from all my research and when I talk with parent groups, girls do often seem in my experience to be evaluated much later. My DS was so severe, there was no hiding it & he is not gifted, so he struggles more to fake it to make it!

I hope to continue to advocate for years based on my experience and although I am just so thrilled that the public school is acknowledging it, it's still only focuses on "what is wrong." And that is crucial, but the next piece that needs to be incorporated -- is to highlight on the strengths of these children. As you likely know, many that suffer with this neurological problem, due to their brain processing functioning a atypical way, often come with some unique natural abilities & strengths that typical peers often do not. I'm not sure how to make it happen, but you know, my high ability DS has a whole class designed around him, I just know if 10% of the student population are dyslexic, somehow they can design a whole class around their strengths or at a minimum, at least alert them & their parents, what they are, so those kids know they have these gifts, when the majority of their day is spent working 10 times harder than others!
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Congratulations Live! That is so freaking AWESOME! 💐💐💐
Let's Go Brandon!
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LiveWhatULove wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:17 pm
Anonymous 1 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:03 pm No one caught my dyslexia until I was 17. Good for you getting him help. The teachers made me feel stupid because of it. I was good at hiding my problems. Very few people even know that I have it.

My kids get tests early because of it. I am thankful for all the kids that get the help that they need without feeling dumb.
I am so sorry, what happened to you is BULLSHIT.

My DS's deficits were SO profound, and yet still, I had to fight for evaluation. After testing, some professionals told me to actually legally fight to have the district to have the district pay for my DS to be sent to a private school. I decided to fight in a different way. I talked to so many teachers & administrators & parent groups. Every child now, every. single. one. will be screened per policy, so hopefully, at least in our district, no one will have your story!
And you all made that change without burning down one building or looting one store! Most impressive! I guess when you formulate a logical plan and pursue it, improvement can be realized.
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LiveWhatULove wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:17 pm
Anonymous 1 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:03 pm No one caught my dyslexia until I was 17. Good for you getting him help. The teachers made me feel stupid because of it. I was good at hiding my problems. Very few people even know that I have it.

My kids get tests early because of it. I am thankful for all the kids that get the help that they need without feeling dumb.
I am so sorry, what happened to you is BULLSHIT.

My DS's deficits were SO profound, and yet still, I had to fight for evaluation. After testing, some professionals told me to actually legally fight to have the district to have the district pay for my DS to be sent to a private school. I decided to fight in a different way. I talked to so many teachers & administrators & parent groups. Every child now, every. single. one. will be screened per policy, so hopefully, at least in our district, no one will have your story!
That's amazing! I had to pay out of pocket for my daughter to be evaluated (they thought dyslexia but the evaluation shows that it's her severe anxiety causing her issues) I wish I had you're fighting ability. I gave up fighting the school board (apparently mental health that affects a child's ability to learn isn't considered a learning disability in our board and they weren't planning on changing that) and pulled her out to homeschool.
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