Secret teacher - setting dyslexic children up to feel like failures

Pam Smith

April 11, 2018

This article gives an insight into the difficulties faced by dyslexic pupils in the classroom.

https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2018/mar/24/secret-teacher-were-setting-dyslexic-children-up-to-feel-like-failures

Chapter 1

'Dust off your dreams hidden deep inside' were the words that hit me most whilst reading the amazing book The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. These words resonated deeply. It also said: 'Connect with your dreams that you had as a child or a young adult.' Well my dream was to be a journalist which was totally ridiculous as I am dyslexic. I have always wanted to write a book and have had many attempts over the years. Due to my experience at school I was ashamed of what I wrote and when I read it back it would fill me with dread and disgust. Now I realise that I am worthy and actually quite clever, I run two businesses and have been successful in most things I have put my energies into.

If only I had realised this as a child or as a young adult. That is why I want to share my experiences through this book now and show any dyslexic people that it can be done, through showing them my life journey to a positive and successful life. It is often the case that dyslexics have been fed a negative mantra of being told you are stupid, dumb, thick, a dunce and ridiculed in front of their classmates. This is often far from the case, as most dyslexics have high IQs. This is still happening in far too many young dyslexics' worlds today as I have discovered with my young dyslexic niece and several people I have interviewed for this book.

Annette Dolan