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What is it like to have a learning disability?
The following are excerpts taken from the files of a few of our students with learning disabilities. “At high school I was a horrible student, I DIDN’t CARE. I would Banter with my teachers At SO they DECIDED to put ME Into RSP. I can REMEMBER know so much more than my History teacher. But throughout ALL of This I was a BAD READER. I Left and went into the Marine Corp. I had some Authority problems and Depression. My Educational Goals ARE to get my BA IN Philosophy AND my MD in Neurology. I hope to Expaned the sciences in Metaphysics; Epistomology and quantum-machinics in Neurology. I Also hope to Disprove the ExistENCE of the soul.” “I remember public school teachers who ridiculed and screamed at students. I remember nuns in parochial school who were far worse, seeming to go out of their way to degradate and humiliate their students. Since I already felt stupid and unable to learn, their behavior simply reinforced my belief about myself. In elementary school, I was instructed to stop using my fingers to count. I could not count without using my fingers, so I hid what I was doing, terrified I would be caught. I high school, I was encouraged to ask questions, only to be told my question was stupid and that I belonged in a play pen. Throughout school, I felt that I was held in contempt by teachers as well as classmates. I felt ashamed of who I was and of my stupidity. Only now, after years of effort spent in trying to overcome the negative lessons I was taught by my parents and teachers do I believe I am smart and capable. Wth the exception of math, I have accomplished every goal I have set for myself. I am Tenacious. I will read, study, and try until I meet my goal. While enrolled in the PACE program at Glendale College, my classmates teased me about being an over achiever and a nerd. Those words were music to my ears. Reading comes easily to me and I can write well. Math is difficult and I panic when I don’t immediately understand the concept. I know that I have the ability to learn and that I will find ways to adapt until I accomplish what I set out to do.”

What is it like to have a learning disability?

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The following are excerpts taken from the files of a few of our students with learning disabilities.

“At high school I was a horrible student, I DIDN’t CARE. I would Banter with my teachers At SO they DECIDED to put ME Into RSP. I can REMEMBER know so much more than my History teacher. But throughout ALL of This I was a BAD READER. I Left and went into the Marine Corp. I had some Authority problems and Depression.

My Educational Goals ARE to get my BA IN Philosophy AND my MD in Neurology. I hope to Expaned the sciences in Metaphysics; Epistomology and quantum-machinics in Neurology. I Also hope to Disprove the ExistENCE of the soul.”

“I remember public school teachers who ridiculed and screamed at students. I remember nuns in parochial school who were far worse, seeming to go out of their way to degradate and humiliate their students. Since I already felt stupid and unable to learn, their behavior simply reinforced my belief about myself.

In elementary school, I was instructed to stop using my fingers to count. I could not count without using my fingers, so I hid what I was doing, terrified I would be caught.

I high school, I was encouraged to ask questions, only to be told my question was stupid and that I belonged in a play pen. Throughout school, I felt that I was held in contempt by teachers as well as classmates. I felt ashamed of who I was and of my stupidity.

Only now, after years of effort spent in trying to overcome the negative lessons I was taught by my parents and teachers do I believe I am smart and capable. Wth the exception of math, I have accomplished every goal I have set for myself. I am Tenacious. I will read, study, and try until I meet my goal. While enrolled in the PACE program at Glendale College, my classmates teased me about being an over achiever and a nerd. Those words were music to my ears. Reading comes easily to me and I can write well. Math is difficult and I panic when I don’t immediately understand the concept. I know that I have the ability to learn and that I will find ways to adapt until I accomplish what I set out to do.”