Wow, I’ve just found this site and I feel a little better. I noticed my daughter was different from my other kids and then she was diagnosed with a learning disability in first grade.
Every year begins the same, I explain to her new teachers that she has these ld’s, I hand them a packet I’ve put together highlighting some explanations and they nod their heads. Then about 2 weeks later the poor grades start coming home and in three weeks I get the urgent ‘note’, “We need a CONFERENCE”. At this point in the year I’m at the “conference” stage. I get overwhelmed with the coming battle. As I’ve done it before. This is more difficult because as she goes on, she has more teachers. She has one this year who is going to be a problem. In reading the other posts, it’s no wonder it’s overwhelming.
It’s as though we’re asking someone to come over and wash our windows. We’re just talking about working to teach our children. When we go out to eat, do we all order the same thing? Do we all drive the same way? Did we all learn to drive the same way? Do we all take the same medications? How can it be possible that anyone ever thought “we” would all learn the same? AND now that professionals acknowledge that there are real learning disabilities, we must arm ourselves with reports, literature and expert testimony. Do these obstacles think we enjoy spending time and money pouring through any information we can get our hands on?
Ok, I’m done ranting. For now. So, Cubism. One thing my daughter has done is bring another angle to most of the things we do and many of the things we may have never seen. This was one of her moments when everything was not falling into place. She had to write a paragraph about Cubism. We had been visiting sites and talking about Picaso for about 15 minutes. I was talking about the various cubes that make up a picture in Cubism, taking great pains to help her SEE the information and suddenly her eyes opened wide. I could tell something had clicked. And she said, “Oh, do you mean like Cubism?” “Yes” I said, “exactly like Cubism.”
Thanks Elizabeth
It is so helpful to connect with other parents facing these issues. I’m watching “How Difficult Can This Be?” with Richard Lavoie right now and feeling more fortified. I think I’ll ask her teachers to pass it around and maybe we’ll have a better place to start from.
You are right about different types of people in teaching. I work in a school library and see the whole spectrum as the teachers visit with their students. Both extremes, harmful and wonderul attitudes toward the children.
Take care.
Welcome, emily828! Your ‘rant’ was right on — unfortunately, it seems to be an occupational hazard for teachers that school emphasizes a culture of conformity, instead of preparing us for the diversity of the ‘real world’. I think they get caught up in that without really realizing that their minds have become narrow to the point of closure.
I try to keep that in mind when I am most frustrated…I didn’t really understand the term ‘systemic discrimination’ until I watched my dyslexic son enduring the first four years of public school.
Sometimes I’ll tell my son ‘there is something that happens to people when they become teachers — they start to think like teachers instead of people. But we all have blind spots, so let’s not hold it against her/him’.
Every profession (every job!) has it’s ‘occupational blind spots’. And it’s bad apples — but luckily you get a shining star every once in awhile. I think OUR attitude, teaching our kids that this worldview of conformity with regard to learning styles, talents, and intelligence is NOT accurate, is very important to their well-being. Your post was a good summary of ‘how I feel’! I look forward to more of your insight…