Awards:
Alberta Literacy Award of Merit
Finalist for Canadian Postal Literacy Award
Member of:
Better Business Bureau of Southern Alberta
April 2, 2001
My name is Bonnie L., and I am 19 years old. I took
the Davis Dyslexia
Correction Program with Larry Smith for a week. And here are the results...
Ever since I was in school I have had a hard time understanding what was
being taught to me. I would work hard by completing my assignments and
trying my best to keep up with the rest of the class, but that didn't cut
it. I failed some of my courses in grade seven and as a result my teachers
said it would be a miracle if I graduated from high school.
I did graduate from high school only by pure determination
and a lot of
frustrating nights studying. I was very frustrated with myself because
nothing would click and I often felt dumb. To the average person I
looked
brilliant, but my marks would show otherwise.
One thing that I did know about myself was that I am very
creative and I
love to invent or think up knew ideas. I never paid much attention to my
creative side because I was too busy trying to pass school.
I never thought of University as a consideration because I
thought, why go
through all of the money and hard work when I won't understand anything.
And really it is hard getting failing marks all of the time. I wondered if
I could torture myself any more??
When I started the Dyslexia program I was afraid. I
thought, man I may even
fail this and then what would I do? I couldn't face another failing grade
so part of me just wanted to drop out. The reason why I continued was the
way Larry could relate to how I think. No one ever saw or understood how I
learned and Larry knew exactly what went on in my head. So, I thought I
would give this a try. Besides the $2,800 what did I have to loose.
Now I can say that I am so glad I took the
program. It
has changed me and
my family's life. I understand myself in a different way. I know how
I
learn and that is the greatest gift ever. No one ever spent time on me to
try and figure out who I am and how I learn.
I know what my weaknesses are... I have always known what
they were. The
difference is now I am not afraid to work on them. I want to read books
for
the first time ever, I try to write up my letters instead of conning my mom
into doing them. I have learned how to function with my disorientation and
it is like I am seeing a new Bonnie that I have never known. The Bonnie
before was trying to adapt to a world that did not fit. It was like
putting
the wrong puzzle piece in the wrong space. Now I know how I learn and I
know that I can do anything that I want to do.
This program has resolved some family
tension. My mom
understands how I
think and why I do the things I do. And I now understand her better. Now
my
mom is an important part of my new learning habits ( which Larry will
explain to you ). I could not do it without her.
University is now an option, I am now over seas to
teaching English
as a second language ( which would never have happened in a million years),
and I no longer think that I am dumb.
I think that you should give this program some thought.
The things that
pulled me through were determination and family support.
Bonnie
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