By Laura | @piecesofme_
Our beautiful Adelady #3, Laura, chose to share this piece of her with us. So we decided to share her unedited words with all of you, because we absolutely love her – just the way she is. Hayley + Lauren xx
The end of year 11, and one final year ahead of me. One more year to go and freedom from school uniforms the sound of school bells. (At least for sometime anyway).
I selected my school subjects for year 12 and I remember my parents being invited into the school to have a chat about my subject choices. See I enrolled in the hardest English subject on offer. I don’t remember what the exact title it was called. But I remember thinking ill do that one! The tough one!
My English teacher at the time told my parents that I would not only be best suited for the English level below it, but to drop English as a subject completely.
You see I have always had a learning disability, better known as dyslexia. As I result I can see words and letters move when I try to read and or spell them. Creating many many grammatical errors.
As I child I was completely and utterly embarrassed by this. I did not know what “dyslexia” meant that I would hear my parents talk about. For all I thought I was just “dumb”.
Friends would light heartily tease me and teachers would constantly be marking my books in red circles with “SP” next to incorrect words.
I would try and hide myself from spelling situations in order not to be teased or corrected.
When friends would tease I would laugh with them as a way that it did not hurt me. But inside I would feel my heart crushing with the biggest sense of sadness that a little heart could feel. Not having the right emotions or tools at the time to heal these wounds I just went on with life smiling through any embarrassment I was honestly feeling.
So here I am ready to take on the world when I was bluntly told I would without a doubt fail if I was to attempt to do English as a subject.
We went home and my parents asked what I would like to do. I remember feeling so ashamed of myself and now not only am I embarrassed but what about my parents. They have a dumb child? They MUST be embarrassed too.
I have the greatest parents in the world. Because they reminded me of the values that they had raised me to believe. No dream is unreachable, no star is too high and no wish is unachievable. As a toddler my dad would sing to me “I KNOW I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I KNOW I CAN, I THINK I CAN” as a little steam train trying so hard to get up the tallest and toughest mountain; And as a young adult he introduced Mrs Positive into my life. A little gold fish who would swim and swim around just turning every little negative thought into positive thoughts.
Doesn’t matter that I failed, what matters is I gave it my all and my best.
Head held high I went into school the very next day and handed in my paper to say I will be sitting in year 12 not just English as a subject but the hardest one to do.
I struggled!!!! It was tough! And there were tears! Lots of them. End of year 12, results came in and I barely made a pass. I had enough marks to get into uni. I was happy!
As an adult now I have only truly and recently embraced out loud I AM A DYSLEXIC!!!!!. I make horrible spelling errors ALL THE TIME! I don’t go into hiding about it or make up excuses for not wanting to spell. I’m proud of who I am and I take ownership in my mistakes. For me right now, I want to be the best role model that I can to my children. I want them to see we all have our unique strengths and weakness as individuals. Its not important if we are not the best at something. Its important we gave it ago.
To the girl that was told to quit English in year 12 and stuck it out. High five sister!!! We made it!!! And guess what. Your in Media, writing….. any good, probably not….but your doing it!
To my parents,
To my two children,
And to every person wanting to believe in something!
With love Laura. xx
Loved reading your article Laura, thanks for sharing. I enjoy following you and the Adelady team, you all do a great job and your enthusiasm and talents shine through. Keep up the great work.
Gorgeous Laura! What a story and an absolute beauty and inspiration not only to every adult but to the adults who have children on how to strengthen their weaknesses.
I was in high school same sort of year where my guidance counclor actually said that I would not mount up to anything.
But with love and support and belief from my parents and determination from myself I was able to get to uni and ended up as an optometrist.
Love your story and thanks for sharing it.
Keep on chugging along my love Xxx
Well done gorgeous girl. You definitely deserve success in life. There are some incredible teachers in our world but their mandate of ‘set them up for success’ can sometimes mean they underestimate those in their charge. In Year 5 when my son was diagnosed with dyslexia we were told that he would struggle through school, particularly high school. As a parent it was a challenge to support him sometimes as even in school holidays we would have to encourage him to continue his reading and writing to help him retain what he’d learned and ensure he didn’t feel he was being ‘left behind’ in class.
Not only did he finish Year 12 but he was offered a place at Uni to persue a teaching degree.
He decided on Electrotechnology instead and at 26 owns his own Company, employs people in 3 states and his ability to problem solve and ‘think outside of the box’ has him being flown around the country regularly.
Educators should never underestimate the power of a child’s tenacity and a great support network!
ps. I now work for my son so all my support has become strangely self serving … haha!
What an inspirational story. You and your parents are amazing. My son has dysgraphia (one of the 3 D learning difficulties) and your story has help jerk me back to the positive and realign me with reality and the long term view that everything is going to be ok. Sometimes school can be the hardest part of growing up. Thank you
Helen