DISQUS

Mechelle · 2 years ago

Hi Vicki,

Thank you for sharing this inspirational story. Your son wrote a beautiful essay. He is an excellent writer and one can tell that it is so heartfelt. Thank you again for sharing. I will share it with my fellow teachers and my students. Congratulations and God Bless.

Best Wishes,
Mechelle : )

Karoli · 2 years ago

Vicki,

My son (who graduates next month with a full scholarship to college), had similar problems. In second grade we went through a year where he had to dictate to me (including spelling and grammar) and I typed exactly what he dictated. That summer I decided he would learn to type, and he did. I got him a laptop and it completely turned him around.

Your son's essay is wonderful! It gave me chills knowing that a sixth-grader wrote such insightful and wise words. Congratulations to you for doing what needed to be done for him to succeed. I know that was our goal and we fought for it hard through those elementary/middle school years. It's so gratifying to see technology make a difference!

Mrs. V. · 2 years ago

I cried when I read your story. My son has issues with handwriting as a first grader, and the boy who used to love to write beautiful creative stories in his own invented spellings is suddenly hating everything about writing:( I realize this could be many things, but your story has made me realize that I can't sit around and wait for the "process" to happen and figure it out- I need to do it myself. Thanks for sharing.

Paul Wilkinson · 2 years ago

Wow. Can I share this with my class on Monday? What a great essay. Thank you for sharing it.

Vicki A. Davis · 2 years ago

Mechelle - you understand better than most! It means a lot coming from you!

Karoli
You too understand the tears and trials with working through LD. With the many people in my family I know that often one comes through stronger and better.

Mrs V
Things don't "just work out" and they don't "just happen" kids get labeled and kids don't know how to help themselves and just feel "stupid" -- getting a prescription and getting tested is a vital important first step, even if you have to do as we did and sacrifice to do it!

Paul -
Sure, you are welcome to share this. Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you all for your kind encouraging remarks.

Karyn Romeis · 2 years ago

Oh, Vicki, this is wonderful. Not only has he overcome his difficulties and written brilliantly, but he has shown a depth of insight and character that does you proud. I'm not sure if his "Poppa" is his Dad or his grandfather - but he must be quite a man. Be proud of him, too!

Durff · 2 years ago

I had to look back to check that you said 6th grade. With such sentence construction too! I too have many challenges and I too was classified as gifted. This is not always a good thing, but with those writing skills, his communication skills must be dazzling! I applaud your 6th grader!!

Julie · 2 years ago

Vicki,

Thanks so much for sharing your son's essay and your 'back story'. I teach Enrichment (Gifted education), and it's so important for parents and teachers to understand the impact of learning difficulties on children, even those who are typically high achievers. I'd like to share your insight and your son's essay with parents of my Enrichment students, and classroom teachers in my school . Please let your son know his writing shows tremendous maturity and insight.

Laura B. Fogle · 2 years ago

Vicki,

Thanks for sharing your story. My third grade daughter has always struggled with handwriting. She qualifies for AIG at her elementary school and does very well academically, but her handwriting challenges have made some parts of school difficult for her. I talked to her teacher and to the occupational therapist. Her problems weren't significant enough to warrant therapy and they recommended that I teach her to type.

So that will be our goal for the summer. I never thought about getting a laptop for her to use at school or maybe an AlphaSmart. Thanks for the encouragement to continue to advocate for my child and congratulations to you and your son!

Laura B. Fogle

Rob Jacklin · 2 years ago

Thank you so very much for your post! Yet another powerful witness to what can be accomplished with these wonderful tools.

Isn't it nice to cry over your kids...and not because they broke something! :-)

Thanks for sharing!

Betty · 2 years ago

I taught sixth grade for 20 years and am very impressed with your son's essay. He has some wonderful insights about life. Thanks for sharing.

Andrew Pass · 2 years ago

Vicki,

Your essay has taught me something very important. It's important to say thank you to parents.

When I was a toddler my mother realized that I had significant speech difficulties. She had me tested and discovered that I had gross motor skills challenges. She and my father enrolled me in a special education preschool program and I continued in special education classes in kinergarten and first grade. At the end of first grade, my teachers discussed whether or not to keep me in special ed. I had (have) a horrible temper. One of my teachers said that I shouldn't be kept in special ed because of a bad temper. She insisted that I be mainstreamed. Though I was mainstreamed I continued to go to the resource room, speech therapist and social worker throughout school. (The problems never went away I just learned how to accommodate for them.) I always thank special ed teachers because if this teacher had not spoken up for me I probably would not be doing what I do today.

But, it's clearly not enough to thank special ed. teachers. It's also important to thank parents. Vicki, I'm going to email my mother and ask her to read both your post and my comment. Vicki, on behalf of your son, and Mom, on behalf of me, thank you very much. Without you we would not be able to succeed. I really wish that I could put into words what I am feeling right now. Suffice it to say that I know I'm lucky because you are my Mom.