I know I write a lot about our family’s struggle with our dyslexic son in the public school system and maybe you’re thinking… Man, she’s complaining about it again?… blah!… Why does this lady keep sharing her woes with us? It’s simple, you’re reading this right now, which in my mom mind means, if you haven’t heard too much about dyslexia before, you are learning a little right now and if you ever have the opportunity to help, maybe you will, or if you have a dyslexic child in the public school system you’ve probably experienced similar situations. I don’t feel like I’m lamenting about the situation because we’re not just passively sitting back, my whole family has jumped in to change the way things are for my dyslexic son and children just like him. So, this post will be about sharing some of the ways we’ve tried to make a change this week.
Monday, Pretty typical day for everyone: work, school, writing lesson plan for tutoring and homework. However, in the evening, I received an email from The Dyslexia Buddies Network. Payne participated in a dyslexia awareness video put together by Dyslexia Buddies Network’s Founding Mama Bear, Kristin Paxton and the creator of the film, “Embracing Dyslexia,” Luis Macias. It would debut Tuesday at the Everyone Reading Illinois Conference to help spread dyslexia awareness, but we got a chance to check out it on Monday night. I am very proud that Payne decided to join kids from around the country who took part in this video because their voices matter.
Check out the video below:
“What I Wish Teachers Knew About Dyslexia”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=303uulbfR3I&feature=youtu.be
Tuesday, started out typical for everyone: work, school and tutoring. After work and school, we headed to the local newspaper to talk about dyslexia awareness and how parents can get involved if they’d like.
After the interview we headed to Kernersville's Town Hall, where Mayor Morgan would Proclaim October, “Dyslexia Awareness Month,” hand the proclamation to Payne and gave Neil the opportunity to say a few words about dyslexia. This is the third year, Mayor Morgan has proclaimed October “Dyslexia Awareness Month” and she also happens to appear in the above mentioned video in a picture in which she is speaking with Payne about dyslexia.
We thought that was the end of our exciting and exhausting day until we were driving home and drove past the middle school that Kaitlin had just graduated from last year. There it was, all bright and beautiful, the middle school road side sign that read, "October is Dyslexia Awareness Month." Principal Gentry had read the email I had sent her asking if she would share that it’s dyslexia awareness month and she did, right out in front of the school for all who passed by to see. I started cheering and scared Neil, who was glad to pull over (probably to get me out of the car because I was still cheering) and we took this picture:
The rest of the week it was back to: work, school, tutoring and homework and that’s just fine with us.