To Dr. Anne- My first time meeting you when we came down to finalize my Arch Accommodation Plan I didn’t know what to totally expect as you had some doubts but yet were also impressed by my determination and work ethics. What greatly impressed me is how during it you focus first on these traits first and then share some ways I would be successful. One of them was to check in with you weekly and thankfully I listened to you. What I remember most was you telling me after only a month at Dean that I was a student who you no longer had to worry about. This was special to me as so many believed college was the wrong choice for me, yet here I was at college being successful. You truly set a wonderful example of how students with an NVLD and other Learning Disabilities, when given some extra attention, are successful in college. For me this led to you seeing my ability first and becoming a real advocate to me. You even made sure the locks in my dorm got changed to ID cards only as you saw the key was too tricky for me. You truly were an incredible program director and my strongest advocate.
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In my experience overcoming an NVLD, students with the disability or other Learning Disabilities can be given too many accommodations and support through high school. While this may seem helpful in the long run this can do more harm than good as it limits the opportunities to learn how to self-advocate and overcome challenges on your own.
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Growing up with an NVLD I watched so many students living with similar challenges not challenging themselves and honestly I didn’t get it. In my eyes, being challenged leads to greater results both academically and personally. Therefore, I believe more IEP teams and parents need to understand that being challenged leads students to seeing their true potential and not being afraid to encourage students to take on challenges. As I look back I feel I learned so much from always being challenged.
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One of the hardest things about having an NVLD is that for some it can take some extra time to truly understand which adults you work with really believe in you and how many of your peers are truly accepting and understanding of your unique deficits. If people are too kind to you it can seem like they just “feel sorry” for you or if they are pushing you to go the extra mile it can seem like they are being mean when neither is the case.
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I believe too many IEP teams still believe the local community college and district summer work programs are our only options. This is far from the truth. I believe it is the lack of awareness of what is available that limits success for some students. Personally, if I didn’t go away for a summer program and then on to a college with comprehensive support and campus life, I wouldn’t have achieved as much as I did academically and socially.
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While it is no secret that I am a true believer of full inclusion in individual sports I am realistic and understand this can be difficult. Some difficulties have a negative effect on others involved so I get how it doesn’t work for everyone and how it can do more harm than good. However in the end I do believe everyone deserves a chance to experience inclusion in sports.
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Over the years I think about my journey overcoming an NVLD and what continues to come to mind is how my coaches were the ones who always supported me no matter how hard things became. Honestly when I was entering high school my social communication deficits became a real issue. Regretfully this triggered severe stubborn behaviors which caused me to talk back to some of my teachers. This resulted in some teachers not seeing the true me. My coaches though always understood me and helped me cope with my difficulties. Read More
Over the years I have been asked how I managed to be a three season runner and more importantly to be so respected by everyone despite having an NVLD and a Seizure Disorder. What comes to mind is how my coach, Penny, was so welcoming to me on the Varsity Winter and Spring track teams. She never treated me differently than my other teammates and through this Canton’s coach, John, and other runners became close to me as well. By being so accepted and valued I thrived as an athlete and as a person therefore I greatly believe being part of a team shouldn’t be so rare for someone with an NVLD. Read More
While there are several excellent colleges that have structured learning support programs for students with an NVLD and other learning disabilities, many who could greatly benefit from these programs get rejected from them. I believe a common reason for rejection is because the students don’t take enough challenging courses and their application doesn’t include enough non-academic activities. I believe one of the reasons for this is school counselors and resource room teachers don’t think the extra pressure this puts on students is necessary which through my own personal experience I know this isn’t true.
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Over the years I continue to say that my track coach, Penny, is such a special person in my life. This is because rather than modifying all parts of the sport for me, she decided to use different coaching methods with me so I could be successful as she knew the potential was there but understood it would require more time for me to reach it. The truth is, Eagle Hill School’s (a private boarding school for bright Learning Disabled students) quote “Learning Differently Demands Teaching Differently” applies to coaching too, and Penny saw that. This meant a lot to me as in other hard situations teachers modified their expectations of me which led to me not achieving fully what I could have.
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