Teachers should know....

So this doesn't have to do with our Art Education class, but is more about education as a whole. In our other education course last week, we were shown a video that was about individuals who teachers labeled as stupid or unable to learn, that turned around and became some of the greatest minds in history. This got me wondering about another issue. I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was in third grade. Now I'm not going to say in this day and age, that teachers told me I was stupid and should drop out of school, but, I was told that by my peers on a regular basis, and that's what went through my head every time I had to complete a task in school that involved literacy. When we were shown that video last Tuesday in class, it got me thinking about my own situation, and if there were dyslexics who were able to overcome and achieve great things. Much to my surprise, I came across hundreds of names of individuals just like me who were/are phenomenal minds; Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Jay Leno, etc. The list goes on and on. Now, for those of you who haven't ever dealt with a learning disability, this may seem like just another cheesy educational YouTube video, but I must say, for anyone who has gone through those experiences, it is more inspirational than words can describe, to know that others have overcome the odds. I was always told that I could expect to get poor grades, that I would never enjoy reading, that I would never be able to get through college courses... I've proved all of them wrong. I am about to graduate from college with two degrees and hold a 4.0. I chose not to use disability services even though it was offered because I knew if I was going to make it through, I couldn't just rely on extra time for exams and assignments. I needed to find another way to learn. Enter: ART. This whole topic we've been talking of, visual literacy, different forms of media, online resources to help visual learners...They are all ways to help learners like myself. The only reason I have been able to get through courses here at MU was by utilizing tools like these. I don't say this to gloat, however, had I not had the personality I do, the comments I was told by educators, family, and friends when I was younger would have doomed me to failure. There were an exceptional few (family mostly), who always had faith in me, however in general people were extremely discouraging. My point in writing all of this: Don't let your students continue to think that just because they learn differently or at a different pace, that they can't go far in the education. It is possible. It's up to us as art teachers specifically to encourage our students and show them that there are other ways of thinking about things, that there are other forms of literacy that can take them far in life. If we are able to show them this, they will have such greater chances, and not just become another statistic.

Here's the video that I watched that made me think of this:
Famous Dyslexics

Just as an aside for those of you unfamiliar with this language processing disorder which does affect 10%-15% of your students, here's what they see. Now imagine that every time you put up a slide show with words, assign them readings due the next day, ask them to read an article aloud in class.... this is what they're trying to translate on the spot: