out of the mouths of babes...

I got to take a minute and brag on an awsome group of kids.

Attended a conference today where there was a panel of students,six in all.
Okay two of them were my wonderful boys:-)

It was a question and answer panel where parents/ educators had the opportunity to ask questions and recieve answers directly from the students who are diagnosed LD.

It was so very interesting and entertaining! Ya’ll should have been there:-)

One question to a 16 year old who is LD/ADHD,”what do you consider your biggest weakness?” His answer,”figure skating”. Okay had to throw this in,thought it was hilarious!

Question, “I am a teacher in a resource room,I am always amazed at how hard it is for kids with learning disabilities,and you seem to come back day after day and keep trying,why,do you think this is?”

Answers: 15 year old,”well,you know a human being can endure a lot before they totally break down”.
17 year old,”I was told I had too”.
13 year old,” well my parents encouraged me a lot,but are you aware that it is a law that we HAVE to go to school?”( my kid:-)

Question, ” I assume you all all aware of a 504 plan”.
15,17,13,11 a what?
16 year old,”is that like an IEP?”
Question,” yeah,that’s right like an IEP,if you could write your own plan what would you put in it?”
Answers, 16 year old,”more visual stuff,more hands on things”.
15 year old,”no book reports”
Question,”okay no book reports,what would you do instead?”
Answer,15 year old,” just read the book”.
Answer 16 year old,” Yeah,like just enjoy the book”.
Answer 17 year old,” You know what is the purpose in forcing a kid to read a book?,It doesn’t make us want to read more.”

Question,” what is it like being LD?”
Answers, 15 year old,well I have been LD all my life,never been not ld,hard to say what it is like,because it is all I know.
Question,” What things make you frustrated about being ld?”
Answers, 15 year old,”well again,I don’t know what it is like to be “normal” but when I can’t remember how to spell the,this can’t be normal,that’s frustrating.”
11 year old,”when I take science notes,and then later I can’t read them,this makes me mad, you see my ld is in writing,but I’m real good in science”.( my kid:-)

Question,” how did you feel or when did you find out you were LD”.
Answers, 13 year old,”I didn’t feel any different”.
15 year old,” the school told my parents I was ADD in 6th grade,my whole family is ADD,my dad hasn’t accepted this yet,but he has a LOT of the characteristics”.
16 year old,” I don’t remember anyone telling me?”

Question,” what things would you want to tell your teacher’s ?”

15 year old, ” I wish my teacher’s had tried harder to help me,they never went out of their way to explain things to me when I didn’t get something,if I didn’t get oh well”. One of the things I did was I never asked for help,they told me they thought I wasn’t trying hard enough,made me feel abadoned,like they didn’t care.
17 year old,” that I am smarter then some of them were.”
16 year old,” just let me read the book I want to read!”

Questions,” what do you consider your strengths?”

Answers, 15 year old,” you mean in school,or life?”

Questions, “either”

Answers, 17 year old,” having clean shoes”
15 year old,” well I like photography,I am creative,have good people skills.”
11 year old,”playing video games”.
13 year old,”I think it is cool to be LD,I can do things people who aren’t ld can’t,like I see in pictures!,I can also draw pretty good.”

Question, “if there was something you could change about being ld what would it be?”

11 year old ,” nope,I wouldn’t change it”.
15 year old,” the word THE”.
17 year old, ” the rest of the world,the normal world”.
16 year old,” yeah,the rest of the world.”

I thought these were interesting answers,and kind of leaves you thinking.