other teachers with LD?

Im Ld
Im not a teacher But Im going to school for special education
I very happy to Know there teacher out there with LD
Give me hope for kids becases there some one out there that will teach
all learings and for ld kid to look up to

Keep up the good work

Yes i like to Be able check spelling anf grammere

Hi everyone,

There is a spell check for Bulletin Boards but I forget the name of it. Dr. Edward Hallowell’s Board had a spell checker available, but has since taken the service off.
I just want to let everyone to know that I’m glad you have written on the board and to continue to keep up the good work.Gook luck my friends! Just to let all of you know, I’m a recreation therapist with an LD and ADD.

Take care,
Maria

AA, and Maria,

thanks for the info.
Katy

There is a group at CEC which was formalized at the conference just completed. The group is called Educators with Disabilities. You can find it on the Council for Exceptional Children website on the navigation bar under the national clearinghourse for the professions.
I am a teacher educator who has been working with special educators with learning disabilities for a number of years. I know there are many out there, but just as an earlier respondent stated people are often most concerned and reluctant about disclosing to other educators. I am in the process of trying to identify the ways in which special educators with learning disabilities successfully perform the essential functions of teachers. I would appreciate any insight and information and stories that anyone would be willing to share.

I would like to get my degree in education. I think I’m ld but I’m not sure. I’m in my mid 40’s and I have no idea how to get started. I have a great deal of trouble with math and comprehension. I’ve subbed for several years in elementary school (no degree was necessary in that state) and have some experience at the high school level.
Any suggestions or is my goal out of touch with reality?
Thanks!
Teacher wanna-be

Your goal is certainly not out of reach depending on the severity of the problems you have with academics. First you have to have an evaluation to determine whether you have a learning disability. As a person with a documented learning disability you are entitled to accommodations through the ADA. Most colleges have support services for students with disabilities and you need to identify yourself to them and provide documentation in order to receive services. You need to be able to meet the overall requirements of the degree or certification, but you can do so with accommodations.

Beverly,
You asked about what special ed teachers with Ld do…I’m a regular ed teacher but I thought I’d respond in case this is of any interest to you.
A few of the things I do to compensate for my LD in the area of spelling are:
The first time I ever write somthing on the white board for a new class, I explain to them I have trouble seeing things I’ve written on the white board correctly (as many do due to the size) while I’m writing and that I often will leave letters out of words or make other spelling errors without knowing it. I tell students that the first person to point out such an error to me when I’ve made one gets a gummy bear (or a piont for their team or what ever). All year long students are carefully watching what I’m writing on the board to see if they can catch me making a mistake. We really have fun with it. They’re bummed when I sometimes go weeks whithout a mistake. Once my principal walked in just as I was misspelling the word “experiment” (not good for a science teacher). When one of my students excitedly blurted “Oh, I saw that one first.” my principal assumed I had done this on purpose.

I usually have what I’m planning on writing on the board written out ahaid of time so I can spell check it. When I do something like brainstorming with the kids where I’m writing a quick list of their input on a sertian topic, I will often make a list of the sort of things I expect them to come up with so that I can spell check it for myself ahaid of time. Any word I’m not sure of and the students arn’t eithor, I “*” the word and let them know that we can check the spelling when we’re finished.
When I taught writing, I had 4 hand held spellcheckers in my room so that when a student asked me how to spell such and blah, I’d have them use a spell check to look it up themselves or I would help them use it. People visiting my room, and students themselves usually assume I do this to incourage them to solve thier own problems. 8) I let them think that.

Beverly and Katy– GREAT information! Thanks to both of you. Another question- When you apply for a job, do you admit to the LD? I know about discrimination and all that, but they can always use another “legal” excuse to not hire you. How much do you tell employers?
Thanks again for all your help. Have a great day!

I perssonally do not bring this up when applying for a job since my LD does not keep me from performing any of the tasks that would reasonably be expect in my profession.

I’m happy to inform you that I work for a school that caters to children with learning disabilities. In our faculty we have 2 undiagnosed LD teachers. One our founders seems to be one of them. :o) The other teacher is one of my closest friends. And since we test kids with learning disabilities I have access to the protocols and reports… sometimes I see miscorrected errors on tests. She correctly identifies the errors of the child but miscorrects them… so we help each other by counterchecking our test results. Another teacher of mine is ADHD…we ALL think so but again it is undiagnosed. She is constantly on the go and would jump from topic to topic to topic in a single conversation - it can get really difficult in a school meeting! We have a wonderful staff and all of these LD professionals have proven themselves to parents, co-workers and colleagues. Just thought i’d share it.

:o) hz

It’s great to see that there are other people in the field of education that have a learning disability. For a long time I thought that teachers couldn’t have a learning disability. I have found that having a learning disability is actually a blessing sometimes. For the students, you as a teacher can understand where they are coming from if they have a learning disability. So you take more time and care to help them succeed. I have always wanted to be a teacher. I graduated with an Elementary Ed. degree and I am now working with adult refugees in an ESL program, and still looking for my Elementary job. But I was told in high school by a counslor that I would never be able to go to college because of my learning disability. Hopefully there are more educated professionals out there today that would think twice before saying this to a student. Because, that made me feel terrible,but it also made me want to prove that professional wrong. That is what I have done. So, good luck to teachers that have a learning disability don’t let it hold you back.

First of all those of us who have made it to keep our jobs and have a LD are the real heros. This is my 25 th year teaching. We should strive to become the best teacher that we can be. Tthen go on to become admninistrators and make sure that children who have a LD received the best education because there are so many educators who still trully haven’t teh foggiest idea of what the laws are all about.

I have a Non verbal Learning Disability. I am 47 years old. Shortly after section 504 came into practice I was askde to leave Student teaching Back then because they told mt family they should have listed to me and folloed section 504 but they will let me leave student teaching as long as I do not take any legal action against that state university. I left Student Teaching in a regualr class settingand I was ambitous and wound up receving a double minor in Early Child Development and Special Education.

I am not predujice person. I do have dysgraphia and I have been discrinated agaisnt because where in teh city school system where I work favortism is given to Afro American People and Peoplew who Speak another Language besides English. I was unemployed for year and to each door that I knocked on back then within the educaitonal system that I work I was told sorry you can not become an assistant teacher because you are not Afro- American. I am a causian femal and the only language I speak is English. So after a year I ran across a person whose’s door I had knocked on the year before and I said I do not hink it is right I may not be Afro American but I am amemeber of a minority where the same opportunitiees need to be given. She said that you are right and I have the perfect job for you. The first year that I was an early child special education teacher it took me abotu an hour and 15 minute to travel to this school in Mnhattan and I did. Then the year after that I was transfered to school that took me abotu 40 minutes to get to. While I had this job as an assistant teacher I won awards for being the best assitant teacher. When the special edcuaiton teachers werw absent ewven though they hired a substitute they would ask me to do the job of the teacher and the subs always assited me. During that 5 yeart period I completed 33 out 36 credits masters and made up the student teaching that i was thrown out of a few years back becasue of the lack of understanding about laws. I also did what i could to take certain teaching exams which you do not have to tka now but there are others that you have to take. But I took two differnt ones until I passed them I wasn’s as knowledgable a sa I am know about 504. So I received both city and state certification in two different fields of special educationl 20 years ago and at that time you either went to a hiring hall or regional office to apply for a special education job. Even though I had more qualications then any other minority group I had to file my first legal action and with all the proof that I had all people were found liable and I was assigned my first teaching job. it was out that time that I learned that there was a teaching ewnvironment that I would be very good at and it would include all the accomdations that I I needed. During teh 5 years I completed my degree in Special Education
With the special education envirnment that I was working in and with whatever materials iw as providerd with which was very reaaly alot becasue the excuse funding- There is no funding for materials for children with special needs. When they provided me with whatever minaml accommadamtions they would I was able to succeed but then came year number 4 and they forgot that they had to continue to provide me with certain accommdations or made up an excuse that the state of affiars werw changing and they agreed that i would do much better in the situation that I was requesting but at the time a new princapl came into the school, a new DASE, l and school superintendent all called me a neurologucaly distrubed bastard and a person who should not be living any more. I had to hire two diffenrt attornies an African Individual and a white individual who both helped me fight this case and I won a job as a resoource room teacher in a school near where lived.
I started the new job decided to go back and start very slowly a professional diploma in educaitonal administration adn supervision with a empasis in Special Education. Seven years years went by I completed 21 out of 30 credits in a professioanl diploma in administration and supervsion. The school district forgot why I was in that job and school and by now my advocacy skills ahd developed i had started the UFT Commitee for members who are Capably Disabled and the school princaipla at that time, the DASE at that time and the Superitendent at that time thought that they werw going to full a fast one. They made up an excsue to why they were going remove me from that job and school. I once again had a file a law suit and I won ant only did I receivie moniterary damages but all the gulity parties left the school system
Then as I started to grow in my job as a resource room teacher and i started to know all the laws back forwards and inside out and i started to become a knowledgeable advocate whenever the Special education monitor enterde my school I would have all the information ready for him never be afraid to lie always tell the truth becasue i knew that teh school was not following the laws and this afro american individual would say to em year after year you should become an adminstrator as youy would make a very good monitor. I said how did you know that is what i want to be.
So 3 years ago I went back to the same neuropsychologist i paid to evaluate me during atorrneies for round number and fori round number two and then i went back to him three years agoi and i told him what i wnated to do and that was take a sabbatical so that i can complete my professioanl diplom in Administraion and Supersion. He wrote me the report after iwent trhough the batteries of tests. I had myself re admitted back into aprogram where I was as a graduate studnet with special needs. Unlike Afro Americans and people who speak another language besides English where the school system pays for them to get a degree in Administrion and Supervision and matches them up with their dream administrative internship my parents paid for me to complete my degree in Administrion and supervision. I spent a year being persistence with my school system and telling them that they had to proide me with an internship. They did. I took my sabbatical and during my first semester I did my internship and now for teh second semester I have 3 more fianl projects to complete. Where I am when you tkae a sabbatical you have to take 16 college credits. I am taking 7 credits this semster and lat semester i took nine. Now unlike Afro Americans and People who speak another language then Englisg who are matache up with theri dream adminsitrative and supervisory job and that job could be other then a princapal or Vice pricipal after i complete my coiurse work and then complete my aplications for both city and state certificaion and even though i go back to my job as a resource room teacher i am still going to have to file an EEPOC complaint in order to obtain the job of a special education monitor which certain ha it share of people doing it who are Afro America and speak another language besides English but not one perosn who
has the ability and yet a disbaility is allowed to do it. So to all of you do not stop until you reach the top because we need to be the best that wecan be and then we need to have the same oportunityas every one else for up ward mobility with in our careers.

I do not think that we can begrude anyone and I thought that I made that perfectly clear in my story. However my point was that in an educational system we can not let them begrude people who have a disability and as a minority group when it comes to employment and moving up the ladder we must continue to perservere just like any other minority group and be aforded the same open door opportunities as any other minority group. We can not be told that we should not exist just because we have a disability and if we do have a disability we should not be told by any other minority that we can not have that job because we are not a member of a minority. All minority groups must be treated faily but in many systems in terms of employment they are not and we as a minority group that is people with a Disability and or a LD are still the ones being discriminated against and that is what has to change.

First of all the American With Disability Act was passed because the afirmative action piece was left out of the Generatic Afirmative Action Plan in terms of employment and opportunties for people with disabilties and once I complete this degree, get my city and state cerfication in educational adminisatrion and supervision and obtain the educational admininistirative job that I have the skills to do I wll be writing book. I thank you very much for what you commented on AA your responces are a further example of why I need to write my book and when I do and you read my story in detail because I left out many of the details both you and others we be educated. Also many of the issues that you bring up here and question once you read my book after it is written then may be you will see why we as a disbility we have to voiced that we want the American’s With Disbaility Act followed in terms of employment and moving up the employment ladder throughout educational buracracies. Once and for all we as a disability group want the affirmmative action laws that we are stated in the ADA and that are the very same as the Affirmative Action laws for other minority groups to be followed and they are not throughout educational buracaracies and they were not followed from the birth of the ADA. We as a minority have been discrinated against within educational buracarcies proberly worse then any othe groups and we all must strive to reach the highest level and not stop.
Also I never ever mentioned the American Libaray Association because I neve ever worked for the American Library Association.

I can’t believe you are a teacher with LD? I thought I was the only one! I understand your concern about letting colleges know about your LD. I didn’t for a while but then I realized I was doing a disservice to students with LD every where. I teach RSP and make sure ALL my studetns learn about LD and that I have it. I have also organized inservice days to inform my colleges about LD and include that I am dyslexic. My students LOVE it. It makes them feel good. Just to make things fun, they get extra credit when I spell something wrong and they catch it.

Although some people may hold judgements, you have to be vocal about your LD. Especially with educators you have so much controll. We have to be our students voices and the voices of all the other LD people who may have not made it as far as us, or for people with LD who slipped throught the cracks.

Most important, you need to teach your general ed. students about LD and that it does not mean your dumb. Once the non L.D. people are educated it will make things so much easier for us. The stero-types will go away.

I am a middle school specail ed teacher with dyslexia. I wasn’t sure what you would want to know about educators with LD but I will answer any question. I feel that my LD has led me to think metecognitivly and am able to analyze how I learn. I teach my students to do the same thing.

I am a teacher with LD. It’s hard. But keep up the good work. You have come far, and it has been hard. The best thing you can do is inspire your students to do the same.

I have AD/HD and since a head on car accident have cognitive impairments. I was a Special Needs teacher for 20 years. The Bureau of Voc Reh refuses to pay for college in Special Ed. I have a state license, but not a Masters. I’ve forgotten so much. I want to specialize in the usage of adaptive tech and dev interactive online courses,etc to reinforce their learning. Any suggestions?

I taught LD/BD and special needs students for 20 years. I have always had AD/HD and had enough courage to receive help for it in Feb 2000. I was then hit head on in which I suffered a head injury. I now have cognitive impairments and my AD/HD is out of whack. I’m on Teacher’s Disability and desparately want to return to it. I need retraining, but the Bureau of Voc Rehab is discouraging it because of my neuropsychological results. I never knew how my students felt on the inside or their shame of qualifying for my class. I now understand first hand and think if given the opportunity I would be a more empathetic teacher with first hand knowledge. I’ve been discouraged from returning to teaching and am standing alone. Your message of stating your LD gave me hope. I’m tired of negative feedback. I am proud of your courage to share your LD. Maybe you can serve as a role model to teachers that LD doesn’t mean can’t do anything. For 20 years I felt that I was more of a child advocate than a teacher because I wanted them to focus on their ABILITIES. Thank you for being a teacher with LD. I know you must be touching lives daily.

For all to know several years ago the JOB Accomdation Network put together an accomadation guide if you are an educator. 1-800-232-9675 or Internet web site http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/.

Hi AA, Thank for the email. I live in Cincinnati, OH. I am willing to relocate if that is what it takes to get a degree in Assistive Tech.

Have you ever used or heard of a curriculm build from Churchill called Project Heroes? This allows your students to explore their learning issues as well as learning about famous people. It teaches the students how to interview, write and learn about their biagrophies and in the end a hero comes to the classroom for the children to interview. the interview allows the hero to show and tell the children there is life after school as well as still being LD.

Yeah not having a spell checker in this day and age is really silly!

Pam if it was your VR that did the neuropsych test have anothe one done independently and don’t tell the one’s doing the second test about the first one in order to avoid bias. A neuropsych evaluation only shows your deficets not your abilities. I’m the person that shoots his mouth off about how sucky Voc Rehab is. They want to paint a picture of your condition that is much bleaker than it really is so they can deny you benifits. Get your own “expert wittness” Your “disability” may make you more valuable in your profession than maybe you or anyone elese realizes. People need to realize it’s ok not to be perfect. Be tough. Good luck

Hi,
I am LD kindergarten teacher. I would love to hear from other early years teachers. I also have a problem with spelling but my biggest problem is with keeping myself organized in the classroom.

Thanks. That is very helpful.

Very creative approach to the situation. I knew a 2nd grade teacher who had math dysclulia. She was one of the best math teachers because she understood how difficult math could be.
You are definitely a very intelligent person because you turned a negative into a positive. Keep sharing your ideas.

Very encouraging. I needed to hear your proactive stance on the matter.

I do agree that ADA are discriminated against as opposed to Blacks. I had more training than a black woman, however, in order to maintain a certain number of blacks she received the position. I wish I had known then what you had to share. Thanks.

To Veronica:

The Library just interloaned the book that you wrote and I am now reading it.

I find something very intereresting that you wrote right at the beginning of your book on page xxvi and that was that you needed to have someone re word what you wrote because how you use written language and you know there is a better way to say it but your disability lies in the way. I have the exact same problem and even though I have completed my last class in Educational Administration and Supervision a few weeks ago and will be granted a diploma in educational administraion and supervision on June 2nd 2002. The professor told me that my ideas were outstanding but took it against for the manor in which I presented my written language even though one would never be able to understand the time that I spent on all the assignments.

After I send this letter to you I am going to go to Amazon. Com or Barnes and Nobles and order the book. I want to be able to share this book with my local NYC LDA Support Group. If I can persuade them to invite you to a meeting sometime next fall for this support graoup would be willing to come E mail me privastely and let me know. Then I will talked to the most recent executive director of that local chapter to convinve him that have as a speaking is an outstanding idea. We need to have speakers at this support group that would be enlightening to the people who attend. I share information with them but they need to here from others as well.

I was not sure where to post this letter. Since I heard about your book and you here I decided to write back here and OH yess say hello to your husband fro me as he knows me from prior LDA Conventions.