"Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them" (Albert Einstein). For children with learning disabilities going beyond his or her limits occurs on a daily basis; at least it does for me. I have been diagnosed with a learning disability in reading since I was six years old. I was put into special classes to improve my reading fluency, comprehension, grammar, and spelling where I was pulled out of the room everyday for 30 minutes. I would be put into special education classes like these until I graduated. My high school special education teacher told me that I was different than the rest of her students because she didn't have to keep motivating me or worrying about me. I thank my parents for that because they did three crucial things with me. First, my parents never let me use my learning disability as a crutch. Second, they got me extra help when I needed it. Last, and perhaps the most important, the word "stupid" did not exist in my house. These elements are critical to instill in any child with a learning disability to help him or her succeed in school.
Throughout my years in special education I have seen many students and their parents use their disability as a crutch. By allowing children to have this crutch, you are ultimately holding them back. This is because they are not going to be able to do well in jobs and college since they have not been challenged enough. Challenging children promotes good work habits and a personal drive to succeed which colleges and employers are looking for. Once these characteristics are established in children, then the learning disability will not be controlling them: they will control the disability. Having this sense of control will help children feel better about themselves and more confident, at least it does for me. The child will not give up as easily if a problem arises because he or she will not want to lose control of their situation and they will instead use it as a motivator. This is a vital mindset for the child to have because the world is not a bubble and things are going to get thrown at them that will cause him or her trouble. Parents have to be there to pick the child back up and say "keep going, you can do it." All these testing events will make the child stronger and more confident - if the parents let them.
Another way for parents to increase a child's confidence about learning is to get her or him extra help with the areas in which he or she struggles. The extra help could be in the form of a tutor, reading to them, activity books, or playing learning games. Anything a parent does for extra help should be related to the child's interests and elevates prior knowledge. If the child sees that his or her parents care enough to put effort into them, they are more likely to try and thrive in approving their skills. Children do not want to feel different from their peers, so the extra help could help close the gap. As the gap closes, the child is more likely to feel a sense of pride in his or her work, which is essential in the process of moving forward and overcoming the learning disability.
To overcome a learning disability, it is essential that the child does not feel they are "stupid." I have heard people call themselves "stupid" and give up because they believe there is no possible way they are going to understand what they are learning. A way for parents to avoid this is by eliminating the word "stupid" completely out of the person's vocabulary. To me, no one can determine a person is "stupid"; it is all a mental game. Everyone has talent and it shouldn't be taken away because they feel "stupid." Encouraging children will help them find their talents and overcome the obstacle of having a learning disability.
Obstacles are only obstacles if they are viewed as such. Parents must encourage the impossible for their children. Great things can happen with a little encouragement. I am living proof of this. No one at the beginning thought I would get where I am now, studying to be a teacher. I live by a saying by Walt Disney, "If you can dream it, you can do it" and I encourage parents to help their children realize this is true.
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