The "price" for a good education

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD when she was approximately 8 years old and dyslexia at about the same time. She began speech therapy in Pre-School and that continued through high school.

My daughter, bless her, never had to be told to do her homework...she took it upon herself to get things done, and of course mom was always there to check. ;^)

BUT....I didn't do her homework for her. I reviewed her materials...pointed out her mistakes...explained why it was wrong and gave her some needed guidance.

I always believed that if you have a learning disability don't use it as a crutch to get out of life...meaning....work hard and work diligently to get what you want because you deserve it.

Now with college there have been the usual up's and down's and mom has always been there to pick her up and dust her off (though yes at times I felt she needed to do her own dusting for life isn't all peaches and roses).....

There are times however I wish that God gave my daughter a break. She tries really hard to understand her reading materials and what the teacher expects out of her...but when I see that look of frustration it really tears at this mother's heart.

When I researched the cost for her to take a special test to be placed ($400.00 for only 1 year of assistance) I was aghast....I mean wow....and this was the cheapest I could find.

So thankfully I use my grammar skills (though at times can be lacking) to help my kid out as best I can.

I discussed with my daughter on how she should focus upon her strengths and know that no matter the many times she will fall down to realize yeah...it's hard but will only make you stronger...don't let something like this cause you to give up....because man at 20 there is still so much more to her life and yeah...I repeat this theme through my blog but it's the damn truth.

No one hands you a perfect life on a silver platter---you have to seize what you want and make the most of what God gave you.....

I did find some useful sites for those who are either in college or have children who are and are dealing with an LD issue:


Succeeding in College with a Learning Disability
Although college can be especially challenging for students with learning disabilities, success is still an option. You may just have to work a little harder than the average student. Here are some strategies to help you succeed in college with a learning disability.

Make sure you are eligible for college services. In order to be eligible for the services provided to learning disabled students, you must provide documentation to your college showing that you are, in fact, learning disabled. Most colleges will require documentation from a licensed professional that demonstrates how the learning disability limits your ability to participate in an academic setting. Make sure the documentation is current (usually within three to five years), or you may have to be reevaluated in order to be eligible for services.

Utilize the services offered. Colleges provide academic accommodations to students with learning disabilities. Accommodations may include:

Textbooks on tape
Use of tape recorders
Note takers
Extended time for taking tests
Alternative test formats
Test setting with few distractions
Test reader
Tutoring

Check with your college to see what specific services are offered. Click here for more information on the types of services that colleges offer to learning disabled students.
Select an appropriate set of courses. When registering for courses, be sure to pick less demanding classes along with your more demanding classes. Having a good balance of courses will keep you from feeling overwhelmed. For instance, don't fill your schedule with all reading and writing courses. If you are taking a few classes that require extensive reading and/or writing, be sure to balance out your schedule with a class that does not require a lot of reading and writing, such as math.

Attend all classes. If you know that you are not going to wake up in time for that 8am biology lecture, then don't register for that time slot. As a learning disabled student, it is crucial for you to try to attend every class so you don't fall behind in your studies.

Websites:
https://www.ecampustours.com/campuslife/studyhabitsandtimemanagement/succeedingincollegewithalearningdisability.htm
http://www.ahead.org/publications/index.htm
http://www.ldam.org/ldinformation/kids/collegebound_marvigoldberg.html