I took my first training in dyslexia because I was tired. Tired of passing students on to the next grade, knowing that they weren't really ready. Tired of graduating students who I felt I had failed. Tired of watching students struggle...knowing I had not helped them with my bag of teacher tips and tricks. What I have been doing since 2013 has been helping kids. When students finish with my services I have a pretty clear picture of where they started and how they've grown. I don't always know how they feel about their progress. Sometimes I run into them at the grocery store or a local restaurant. They smile; their moms tell me how great they are doing in school. I smile; I am grateful that the tools that were put in my hands by some really great instructors are being used to help students not hate school any more. The tools I've been given are helping students feel like they have a future.
I recently had the privilege of attending the high school graduation of one of my very first students. It was an honor to be invited. What follows is an excerpt from a note I recently received from this student.
"Dear Mrs. Dunham,
I don't know where to start so I'll start with a simple thank you! Thank you for seeing I needed help, and not letting me 'slip through the cracks'. Thank you for never giving up on me. To this day I still use the tools I learned with you; they really do help. I did a speech in class about dyslexia, and I talked about how much you helped me. Thank you! Without [your help] I don't think I would be where I am today, a high school graduate, looking at what's next for me."
What this note represents, and those chance meet ups with former students...these are the reasons I do what I do.
