Hi, I’m 23 and just out of University.
I booked an assesment awhile ago to figure out if I have an LD. My boyfriend doesn’t seem to think I do since I can carry off a conversation pretty intelligently and articulate my thoughts very well. When it comes to writing essays it’s a different story, everything is fragmented and disorganized….even after I have proof read 5 times. It was the writing skills center that suggested I look into LD.s after they saw me about 10 times to get a 6 page essay up to university standards. I think I have managed to avoid anything in my life that I had trouble in school with. I dropped out of math as soon as I could. Same with History, Science, and English. I remember in grade school I was in the “slow” group of students who had to stay behind everyday to get extra help….and it never helped. I have been trying my best my entire life to hide the fact that I feel STUPID, and that I just can’t seem to understand very simple things. It embarasses me and it keeps making me feel worthless. Also what do I do about bringing this issue up to those around me who think LD’s aren’t real, that they are just lazy people? Everyone around me seems to think so and I feel bad about making this testing appointment secretly. I still don’t know my timestables to this very day. In fact it is almost impossible for me to memorize anything. I get people to help me and they have it memorized on the first day and it isn’t even their exam but they could get a better mark than me. Anyways I digress. point is I’ve avoided all the subjects I was having trouble with in school. I went to University for art….my only love and the only thing I’m really really good at. I’m just dissipointed that I’m missing out on so many other things I wish I could learn but am so afraid of failing. I will get strait A’s in art but will nearly fail any liberal studies course…and it’s not that i don’t try…..If I work my butt off I manage a C-. Anyways, I have graduated…I have a degree. Somehow I managed to fake my way through things….like asking to do presentations instead of essays. Should I just stick with the art or if I do this LD testing will they help me get the skills to learn new things? It would be nice if I could manage to do the science/math courses I would need to get into art conservation but I know the way things are now I wouldn’t pass. Any thoughts would be welcome. :D :D
Evaluations
First let me congradulate you on your school work :D
Testing can be helpful if you get the correct testing and from people that have experience with learning differences in ADULTS.
Testing can be important because you should then have a better idea of your challenges. The next step and the step most often left out is how to work with your challenges.
Testing is expense, however good treatment can be even more important. You may want to look in to finding a good coach. Sometimes they will work less than a good counselor. It sounds like the extra support would be helpful right now. It sounds like family members donot understand what is going on for you. One of the other challenges for anyone with a difference is to find someone that understands or agree to listen. If you have a better understanding you will be able to work though things with them as well as others.
Gisele :D
Welcome Space Cake!
So many thoughts popped into my mind when I read your post!
First off, you didn’t fake the education. YOUR [b]EARNED[/b] YOUR DEGREE.
Secondly, I was a bit surprised at the boyfriends reaction. He must be confusing IQ and LD and they are completely separate things….I thought that was more common knowldge but I guess not.
I think evualtion provides three things…
…confirmation that we are NOT dumb. I know I am smart enough, my mind is just wired a bit differently. It was nice to see that in black and white.
…suggestions for remendiation. This is what I think you were asking about? How to strenthen the areas we are weaker in? A good eval will give suggestions but I do have to say they seem to be geared towards younger people. Not that you can’t do them though….
…suggestions for accomindations. You have already done some of this on your own by asking for things like the presentation instead of a written report. The goal was to see if you understood what you had learned; the media you used to do that was secondary. I have found that in the “real world” people care little of about the media, just so you know what you are doing…they just sometimes only think about one media and it is your job to present different, for eaually valid, ways of doing things.
Private evaluations can be very expensive and are usually not covered by insurance. I certainly think you should go to the schools eval. You have little to lose and maybe lots to gain.
Barb : )