Logan wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until the end of Grade 8. Prior to that he had been saddled, like many kids with learning challenges are, with being classified as being a slow learner, disruptive, and disinterested. In reality, Logan was screaming silently for somebody to understand. Somebody to help him navigate through a world made up of signs he could not read. I can only imagine the frustration he was feeling.....the exhaustion.....the confusion. Thankfully the help he so desperately needed started to flow in Grade 8, but unfortunately not fast enough to affect how he transitioned into High School.
When Logan entered High School he was placed in the 'Locally Developed' stream, the politically correct way of categorizing children with learning difficulties. As his parents, we were guided by the Educators as to what woudl be best for Logan.....and this is what they felt was best. Something always nagged me about that decision.....maybe because deep down I knew he was a smart kid, maybe because of my own preconcpetions about what the locally developed stream meant, and also maybe an unhealthy does of my own pride. Whatever it was, it didn't rest easy. You deal with the hand your dealt though, at least initially, and Logan started his time at High School.
One month in, all Grade 9s were asked to write a letter to themselves in Grade 12.....a letter that they woudl open after graduation. They were asked to record their favourite this, their favourite that, their hopes, their dreams, and even what they most enjoyed about High School. Those letters were collected, sealed and stowed away for revisiting at the end of their school life. Pretty cool idea really. I am sure that most students forgot those letters even existed until they arrived in their mailboxes this past week.
Logan's first semester in Grade 9 passed in a blink, even if he might disagree with that statement. With the start of Semester 2 came English and Math.....and that's when things started to change. On reviewing his math syllabus and comparing it with what he had learned in previous years (K-8), it was very clear that Logan had been placed in the wrong stream. A week later Logan's English teacher also came to the same conclusion. He was moved up to Applied in all classes. By the end of Grade 9 he was averaging 70% in both classes.
Over the next three years, Logan worked hard. The best way I can describe the dyslexia that Logan battles is to get you to imagine what it must feel like to sit down to do a math test or a geography test and find that the exam is written in Russian.....and that in order to complete the test you first have to learn Russian. They give kids with dyslexia more time, which is great, but the struggle is exhausting and if you don't have the strength to go on then no amount of time will matter. What I have learned though, is that kids with learning challenges such as dyslexia fight hard. They fight and fight and fight until they drop. Their resolve is amazing. If we awarded grades on the basis of effort and dedication, these kids would be Straight A students.
Grade 12. Graduation year. Something flipped the switch again in Grade 12.....something encouraged Logan to put his pedal even more to the metal! I like to think it was the impending transition into adult life.....in reality I think a girl played a role. LOL Whatever it was, it was translating into greater dedication and higher grades. Come Graduation time, Logan's average was north of 80% and this kid who had started High School in Locally Developed was finishing it on the Honour Role and as an Onatrio Scholar! Throw in two awards and this kid was blowing the roof off. We celebrated all of his acocmplishments, even if he didn't overtly acknowledge the significance of his achievements. That's teenagers for you. ;)
Then came the Grade 9 letter.
There was a lot in the letter that perfectly summed up Logan at the start of Grade 9:
Favourite Hobby: Sleeping
What do you want to do after School: Anything
Favourite memory of High School: Only just got here.
All typical Logan.
Two others, however, just stopped me in my tracks.
On my graduation day I hope: I make Honour Role; andI will be proud of the following accomplishments: of getting good grades.
Back in early Grade school we had tried to inspire Logan to discover his amazingness.....to recognize that he could achieve great things in his life if he worked hard, regardless of the challenges he faced. To see that message prevail, despite finding himself in the most challenging of situations, was and is a testament to the amazing man our son of 18 has now become. He never gave up on himself!
His dedication and ambition drove him to crush the barriers that blocked his path, and allowed the world to finally see what his family and friends have always seen.....a young man who has the world at his feet.
This is a story of success. This is Logan's story. This is a story of his amazingness!
