Dear Friend,
Not a day goes by at Radcliffe that I don’t have unforgettable encounters with one or more of my students. The stories, sometimes hysterical, could fill volumes and entertain each of us, well into old age. The title of which will come from a question that was asked by a student in Computer class, “Mr. Anthony, how do you spell ‘ADHD’?” Unfortunately, there are times when a child will recount incidents of past school experiences that catch me off guard by how profoundly sad they are, stories that tell of frustration, humiliation and survival. These painful events are unfairly etched in the all too tangible memories of these students.
Just a few weeks ago, a teacher escorted one of the middle school boys into my office to speak with me about a problem he had while playing flag football at recess. During my discussion with this eleven year old boy, I asked him if he had ever been sent to the principal’s office at his previous school. He looked down into his lap and began to wring his hands as tears formed in his eyes. With obvious pain, he answered with a very weak, “Yes.” I asked him if he would share with me why he had been sent to the principal’s office and he said, “I cheated on a test.” I simply asked why he had cheated and he said, “I cheated because I didn’t want the kids to laugh at me when the teacher called out that I got an F, again.” Then he raised his head, looked me straight in the eye and said, “I had to cheat, I couldn’t read the test and I didn’t want to fail.”
Children want to do well and achieve in school. They want friends and they want to be accepted by their teachers. When these desires do not materialize and a child’s emotional state is jeopardized, a child will adopt survival techniques; such as cheating. Here this young man sat in my office so fearful, yet honest in his attempt to answer my questions. I knew that he was an extremely bright young man who was reading well below grade level. He had been diagnosed with a Learning Disability the year before he entered Radcliffe. Was it because he was lazy or dumb? Had his parents not read to him enough as a child? No, none of these reasons prevented this eleven year old from learning to read as his friends had done. The assumed belief is that if a child is sufficiently motivated and comes from a home in which reading is valued, a child will learn to read with ease. However, the assumption that reading comes easily to all children is simply not true. Many well-intentioned children, from families of well-intentioned parents, have trouble in learning to read. This frustrating and persistent problem in learning to read is called Dyslexia.
The great news about this young man is that he enrolled at Radcliffe and as an eleven year old, he no longer feels compelled to cheat on his Social Studies tests. He is learning to read and is using accommodations for assistance until he is proficient enough to be fully independent. For this young man, the power of knowing what was wrong and that there is a school that can help him was a relief. Acceptance of this young man’s learning difficulties is a credit to his parents and a lesson to us all.
The individualized, multisensory instruction for children with Dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences can not be jeopardized by a poor economy. Therefore, it is with a great deal of confidence in Radcliffe’s program and its benefits to our families that I ask you to consider Radcliffe Creek School in your giving list this season. I ask on behalf of this young man and each of the other students who have had similar struggles in acquiring skills that are for many, so easy to learn. Every child deserves the opportunity to experience success and happiness, and I ask for your help in providing that opportunity.
Gratefully,
Margaret B. Judge
Director, Radcliffe Creek School
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