-
Second Grade - Reading Partners
I had to read out loud with a partner and really struggled to be able to read the passages. I don’t remember much about it other than the anxiety I had every time partner reading was announced. This is the first time that I remember having anxiety around reading. -
Third Grade - Popcorn Reading
As a class, we started reading Charlotte's Web. We had to take turns reading a page and then call on someone else to read. I was terrified to be called on and would read ahead, so hopefully, I didn’t mess up. But, every time I was called to read, I would skip over words, skip entire lines, misread items, & mispronounce words. This instilled in me that I was different & not doing as well as others in the class, which caused me to start losing self-confidence. -
Fourth Grade - Harry Potter Movie
Until this, I had not been interested in reading. It was extremely difficult to stay focused and physically exhausting. This movie made me interested in reading the books. I got the first one for Christmas & fell asleep reading every night for weeks. I remember it being difficult for me to read, & I had to ask for help. But, because I loved the story so much, I kept reading it no matter how often I had to re-read pages. This was the first time I wanted to read & not be anxious or ashamed. -
Fifth Grade - AR Reading
I absolutely hated being forced to read from my level of books, having daily silent reading and AR tests every week. It once again fostered a relationship with reading that made me hate it. However, towards the year's second half, we could read whatever books we wanted as long as we passed the AR tests. I could re-read the Harry Potter books in silent reading and take AR tests on them. It boosted my self-confidence and love for reading. -
Seventh Grade - Romeo & Juliet via audio book
This was the first time I had a teacher who believed we should not have to read out loud for our class book. I remember the teacher even purchased this unbelievable voice actor recording of the book that we could listen to instead. It is still one of the only books I remember reading in school. The teacher changed my life by allowing audiobooks and making me more confident in my reading comprehension. Up until this class, I had just skirted by in reading class and reading comprehension tests. -
Freshman Year - Show Choir
I tried out & made the Show Choir Court. However, we had to site read music & lyrics. It was exceedingly difficult for me to do this. I struggled for weeks not only to learn our regular music but also to sightread for our practices. It nearly broke me because I wanted to compete across the state so badly! However, my teacher, Mr.Bunch, noticed & worked with me daily after school to help me break down the lyrics & read faster. It helped me to read faster, more accurately, & more confident. -
Junior and Senior Year
I moved to a new school before entering my junior year. This school was more challenging, which resulted in a faster-paced & heavier course load. I couldn’t cope with all of the reading & assignments, so I skipped school constantly. It got to the point that I had to go to Saturday school. Once again, I skipped class due to the reading and coursework. I couldn’t graduate as early, as planned, or even with my class. It broke my confidence and once again made me hate reading. -
Dropping out of college
I took a break from everything for a few months to get my bearings after my high school issues. Then tried to take on a few college classes. I even took a college prep class and a class based on teaching people how to study. But, once again, I could not keep up with the readings, the study strategies I was taught in class didn’t work for me, and I didn’t understand the readings for my other courses. It once again linked reading to a horrible experience for me. -
Reading to my son nightly
After I had my first son and he got a little older, I started reading to him nightly. It helped me get into the habit of reading and led me to start purchasing books to read again. It didn’t necessarily boost my confidence, but it did allow me to read things I enjoyed without the pressure of testing or grades. I think this is when I fell in love with reading again. -
Bio 189
After a decade, I decided it was time to return to college. I took Bio 189 with Dr.Pretite. Known for her challenging courses, she was an exceptional instructor. She emphasized the importance of accurate spelling and proper order as a medical professional. She taught diverse study methods, various instructional materials, and unique assignments. Through her dedication to teaching, I excelled in reading and comprehension. My confidence bolstered and changed my life. -
Diagnosed with ADHD
Although things had gotten better, I was still struggling with my school work, especially the readings, and I started to see a therapist to cope with COVID. After talking with her for a few weeks, she suggested that I get tested for ADHD. I was officially diagnosed at the end of 2020. At this point, I was in my late 20s, and no one had ever suggested that I had ADHD or that it might be the reason I struggled in school. -
Son diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD
My son was diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, & dysgraphia. Through his neuropsych evaluation & Dr I learned that these are comorbid conditions that often come along with ADHD. His Dr taught us the signs to look for, what she saw, & how to help. Once we got this information & I started doing my own research, I realized that I have dyslexia and dysgraphia as well. I went into a deep dive about how to help my son, and through doing this, I gained more confidence in myself and my reading abilities. -
Graduated - Associate of Science Degree
After receiving my degree, it boosted my confidence to continue my education. It also increased my confidence in reading, and I have once again started reading books for fun. However, they aren’t as difficult to read or comprehend this time. Thanks to this and everything leading me up to this point, I have read dozens of books over the past two years, and I love reading again.