I’m
dyslexic; I remember struggling… greatly, in elementary school. I remember my fourth grade teacher, Mrs.
Brown, telling my parents and other teachers that I was either slow or
lazy. She wanted to hold me back a year
and repeat fourth grade. The only
problem was I knew I wasn’t lazy or slow… I was probably a little AAD. But I never allowed myself to accept hurtful and
harmful labels that no teacher should ever say.
I never allowed myself to drop below the standards I knew I was capable
of… I worked harder than the students around me knew… I didn’t want anybody to
think I was dumb. After years of
tutoring and encouraging support from my grandmother, who would do things like
make me recite my multiplication tables at breakfast every day, I conquered a
learning disorder that teachers and counselors were too busy slighting me to
even consider. I went from being an
extremely poor student to one of the top in my classes. When everyone else was leaving early I was
going to another class. I used to bring
my English teacher’s, Mrs. Young, required reading to work with me when I was a
valet, and read between cars coming in.
I spent high school and college reading the same pages over and
over. I took only AP (Advanced
Placement) English classes in high school, which was difficult, as I still read
at the pace of the average 4th grader. I
learned that I had a deepened sensitivity for audio and visual explanations and
once I understood an argument or narrative I would express myself in my writing
through contextual and precise diction.
Editing was always a pain in the ass though, because it would still take
me forever to read even my own work. I
scored highest in my class on the AP exam, which awarded me six hours of
college English credit, and was voted “Most Intellectual” as a graduating
senior from a demanding private school.
The
point I wish to make is, don’t ever let someone else’s opinion define you. Never allow yourself to believe what someone
else tells you you’re capable of…
Only
you know that. Believe only that… believe
what you know.
