School is a challenge for any young child, but what about a child with dyslexia? I was diagnosed with dyslexia in the 4th grade, I was 9 years old. Most 9-year-olds are reading and writing at proficiently, I was scared to even open a comic book. I hated to read, write or even talk in front of my classmates. In 5th grade most students are reading at 875-1280 Lexile range while I was at a 420 Lexile range which was way below average, I was comprehending skills like a second grader.
The day I found out I had dyslexia will be remembered forever. I thought I was stupid being put in the beginner green level reading group while all the other kids were in orange and red, some kids in yellow but only me in the green. My teacher told my parents that I wasn't developing skills as fast as the other kids, but when you're 9 it just sounds like your teacher is saying you're dumb. The next day I didn’t go to school I went to this building where I thought was my new school, but it was just the dyslexia testing facility. The nice lady sat me down and did a lot of skill exercises. I remember them all being super easy, and I didn’t feel as if I needed to be there at all. After the meeting, the lady told my parents I had dyslexia. Looking back, I can recall messing up my “b” and “d,” never remembered what I had read or wrote down, and I always over complicated everything in my head. My parents tried everything to figure out what was going to work best for me.
Throughout school I would work with different tutors training my brain to be different and think differently. I've always had to work harder than the average student just to understand a new concept or remember an idea. In elementary school I went to numerous tutors, not ever really learning how to read. In 5th grade I finally found something that worked for me and stuck with me. I took a course designed for kids with dyslexia taught by Mary Howard. I worked on my reading and writing as well as comprehension skills every day after school for the next 4 years. At the end of my 8th grade year, I was reading at one year above grade level Lexile range. This was a great accomplishment, which I am still grateful for in learning from Mrs. Howard.
Throughout high school I thrived in school and in my personal life. I was able to do the things I loved, which wouldn’t have been possible without all the training. I was getting leads in school plays, and solos in my choir classes. All the hard work and late nights of after-school studying paid off. I graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA, 8th grade me would be so proud.
After I graduated high school in 2020, I moved to New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico to pursue a degree in broadcast journalism. Throughout my years in college, I was able to anchor on the school news team, report for local news, and even get an internship in a top 50 news market. Journalism is all the things I was once afraid of. I read, write, and create stories every day for people to view and gain knowledge from. The things I was once afraid of ended up being my entire life. With all that I decided to pick up English of all things and add it as a minor. It's crazy to think how much I've changed throughout my lifetime. I once thought English was the worst subject ever, but I have really grown to love it.
Dyslexia is different for everyone who has it, some may have it worse than others. With the right work and training it will get easier, it may not ever be cured or the exact way you imagined it, but it will get easier. For me I still have challenges today. Sometimes, it still takes me longer to fully understand an assignment and do it correctly the first time. I still always must ask for help from my teachers and peers. I've learned it's good to be a sponge and absorb all the information you receive. It can only help you and doesn't take away from what you already know. I work hard to get the grades I want, by hard work and determination. I still try and push myself out of my comfort zone because I feel it’s the best way of training my brain to do something new. Everything is scary at first but once you get the hang of it, it can become second nature. I will continue to work hard to build on my skills because you never know what you can do until you test all your talents. You might even surprise yourself.
For any child who may have dyslexia or might just not necessarily like school, keep going and push yourself to your best ability. You can conquer more than you think and might even end up enjoying something you never knew existed. Dyslexia never defined me; it's just made me work harder for what I've always wanted even if I didn’t know it at the time. I would also like to thank Mrs. Howard for supporting and believing in me from such an early age. It's great to have a teacher that makes you feel like you can do anything and everything. If you put your mind to something the only thing holding you back is yourself, go do it.
Your story and passion for journalism were very inspiring. I really appreciate how you blended in all of the facts about lexile range in at the beginning.
Good post, dyslexia is a complex thing. Hard to read that so many kids are struggling with it. Dyslexia is a battle and I'm glad people are working on helping these kids out.
Thank you for sharing your experience with dyslexia, I can only imagine how hard it must have been to navigate it. I'm glad you were able to get some support, and that you've been successful in journalism. It was also an interesting and inspiring look into how you approach learning with dyslexia now, with an accepting perspective and determination nonetheless.
It's difficult to imagine the frustrations of having dyslexia and struggling to understand schoolwork. I'm glad you were able to make your way through and even find enjoyment in journalism! Your story is very inspiring!
Your journalism experience is coming through in the way you've provided a source to help us understand lexile levels. I think it's sweet that you want to shout out the people who have helped you, but also great that you don't diminish the hard work you've put in yourself to achieve your goals.