Dan KeupMs. Ponkratz English 911/17/17 The Time I got Diagnosed I thought I was stupid. Compared to my peers in school, I wasn’t cutting it. The things in class I was required to do seemed impossible to me no matter how hard I tried.
School itself was frustrating and I didn’t feel like I belonged there. Going to school became dreadful to me. My 1st grade teacher made me feel dumb and she was really impatient with me so it made school really stressful. For example, if I had a question, she would answer me sarcastically and she was impatient with me. She also made me stay in for recess if I didn’t complete an assignment on time or if I got too many wrong.
But the beginning of 2nd grade started a new chapter for me when I met my 2nd grade teacher.Second grade was different. My teacher made me feel more comfortable and like I belonged in the class.
She was patient with me and she believed that I could do it because she encouraged me and never gave up on me. After a short time, my teacher reached out to my parents because she was concerned that I may have learning disabilities. And it turns out, she was right. I was diagnosed with ADHD, Auditory Processing Disorder, and a language disability. Shortly after, I started receiving the help I needed and things got a little easier for me. Maybe I could do it after all.School now isn’t impossible but it still can be frustrating and challenging for me.
The accommodations I receive at school make a difference for me. The support helps me when I start feeling overwhelmed and lose my marbles. I know now that people believe in me and they’re always in my corner. Going through all of this has changed me into who I am today – empathetic, supportive, and kind. I know what kids are going through because I went through the same thing and still struggle everyday. When I see a student struggling, I try to help him get through it by offering assistance and try to calm him down.
Sometimes, just being kind and supportive helps someone reset their mind and attitude. I just try to use what works for me with other students. It’s easy for me to help because I live it every day. I wish other people knew how hard it was to try to accomplish something with learning disabilities and distractions in the way. For someone who doesn’t have these setbacks, it’s harder for them to see the problem and know what to do in the situation. For me, it’s easy to relate because I’ve been in their shoes.My life right now is difficult, but not impossible, because of my learning disabilities.
From the time I was diagnosed with many learning disabilities to now, it’s been a bumpy road, but the valuable support I receive has helped me through the struggles of a teenager with learning disabilities. This experience has changed me into an empathetic, kind, and overall good person. Now I know that I’m not stupid and I can do it after all.
