This young man knows that anything you set your mind to is possible...The bonus.... he makes me smile and smiles are contagious!
Oh...Michael Jordan is dyslexic too!
Just Remember... We're All on the Same Team!
J.P Kallio has become a social media friend from his Website & Blog & Facebook
"Read Between the Line" a touching story
Philip Schultz reassures you and I it's OK to struggle beautifully written inspiration
This is a video that my daughter Ashley sent me...
The Truth Is You’re Amazing
Do you know how many things had to fall into place for you to be here? Alive and under this big sky? All the things that have ever happened made space for you to be born. It all pointed at you. And you came. To here. Now. In every way that you are you. In every amazing way.
There is no other you. Or me. Or her. Or him.
Nothing even close.
Magic stardust grains from the beginning of time tumbled together and made you.
Just you.
If you could only see the wonder that you are.
Like a snowflake or a speck of sand, you are a beautiful one off.
A work of art.
So when you think that you are lacking.
When tears of unfair burn down your sweet face.
When self-hatred screams inside your brilliant mind.
When you compare yourself to someone else and decide you are not good enough.
Remember what the truth is—you really are amazing.
By Miranda Wyndham-Baker
A caring Mother of Twins
A Note of Appreciation
What a great find today! A caring mother who has written a beautiful poem for her twins…
"Dyslexia 1in5 Initiative" – This is one treasure of a site if you’re Dyslexic, a Parent, or a Friend trying to understand… Thank you!
Billy's Quest & Story Preservation
On our journey, Billy's Quest has been extremely fortunate to be introduced to visionaries such as the extraordinary Founder of Story Preservation, Mary Kuechenmeister.
Mary was so kind as to write a letter to be read to our dyslexic children attending this year’s "Lights Turn Red" ceremony on Sunday, October 14, 2018, 5:30–7:00 PM.
Dear Tony,
I am happy to share my thoughts on the Magic Ladder with you and those at the at the “Lights Turn Red” event in recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month.
Although not officially diagnosed, I believe that I too am dyslexic. This is a condition that seems to have developed within the last ten years and it manifests itself primarily through spatial orientation. So, for many reasons, that included, my heart is with all of you in the room this evening.
I’d like to begin by sharing a note that I received from a high school principal relative to the educational nonprofit that I head, Story Preservation Initiative.
She writes:
Dear Mary,
We are so grateful to be able to access the resources you are building.
We are not unlike so many other schools, where our students are beginning with little to no exposure to the world of literacy. We try to catch them up to grade levels, to teach them to love reading, and more importantly, we want to inspire them to believe they have a future, a great future full of choices. Expanding their knowledge of people and places through language is a huge part of that.
I remember a quote from college days: "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." Story Preservation gives us another way to enlarge on both language and world.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” I think it is a sentence worth repeating.
It is known that a strong vocabulary and command of language translates to not only a richer, broader, and more fulfilling life vis-a-via a better understanding of our world but ultimately to a higher standard of living based upon income. It is known too that after approximately age eight, reading is the driver for an increased vocabulary.
Literacy is at the core of everything that Story Preservation does. We are an online resource, developed primarily – although not exclusively - for students in grades 4 through 12.
Story Preservation audio records the first-person stories of extraordinary people in the arts, sciences, and humanities. These are cool stories, designed to engage listeners. We pair these recordings with hands-on projects for literacy building and content knowledge.
To aid with comprehension, all of our audio is transcribed and supplemented with images. This audio / visual interplay allows listeners to read along with the speaker and, for words that are not recognized, get contextual cues. But what about those words that are in every aspect “foreign?” Enter the Magic Ladder.
I was introduced to the resource earlier this year and, as you can imagine, was immediately intrigued and aware of its potential. The Magic Ladder offers what Story Preservation does not: decoding, pronunciation, recognition support, and native language translation, all in real time.
We are delighted to be working in collaboration with Learning Stewards, the developer of the Magic Ladder. The resource is now embedded into all of our audio transcriptions. The result: a comprehensive suite of tools that aid struggling readers and English Language Learners build vocabulary and, most importantly, break the barriers associated with limited language skills.
With all best regards,
Mary
Mary Kuechenmeister
www.storypreservation.org
I would like you to please take the time an watch Joshua Katz at TEDx University of Akron give a passionate presentation.
The Toxic Culture of Education
A Note for Billy’s Quest
School sucks.
I’ve been teaching for 11 years and what I have learned is that school is not designed for learning.
School is designed for rigid deadlines, and linear progress. Learning is messy and not time-bound.
School gives you grades and final marks. Learning is a continuing process that should last a lifetime.
School labels a lack of progress as “failure”. In Learning, a lack of progress simply means to try again, maybe even try a different way.
School depends on standards, on timelines, on labels, on scores, on grades, on marks. School depends on turning you into numbers. In School, your grades are more important than what you know. In life, what you Learn, what you know (and who you know) is more important than any grade. School is not designed for learning.
For students with dyslexia, the problems with school are amplified. You know the challenges of working within a rigid system. You know the feeling of labels. You know what it is like to see things differently.
However, you cannot let school get in your way of Learning.
For students with dyslexia, Learning is unchanged. Learning still requires inquiry, process, mistakes, discovery. Dyslexia does not affect your ability to question, to experience, to mess up, and to learn something new. You can still Learn. You MUST still learn. Do not let school get in your way of Learning.
The next time you are in your school, remember to focus on Learning. Stop worrying about what School wants you to worry about. Learn Stuff. Learn about history, Learn mathematics, Learn to read and write beautifully, Learn to investigate scientifically, Learn to create as much as you can.
Don’t worry about school. Worry about Learning. Now go and Learn.
Joshua Katz
Below Is a Billy's Quest Wildest DREAM coming true!
This will be our second year that the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans will light up "RED" in Recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month for our Children. This year Sunday October 22,2017 at dusk the lights will turn "RED" once again in recognition of our dyslexic children! We will have a Ceremony 6:00-7:30 A certificate of Recognition "Kids with Dyslexia" from New Orleans Mayor Landrieu office. Also our dyslexic children will receive letters of the journeys from our Billy's Quest Hero's both the good and bad and how they handle the trails and tribulations daily! Everyone is invited if you know a dyslexic child please invite along with family and friends to attend. Please come out an support our dyslexic children! Will be held on the landing ( two large ramps lead up to the landing) at the front entrance of the PLEASE WEAR "RED" Oh...... the smiling face of determination with arms raised to the sky is Gavin Cardoza one of our amazing Billy's Quest Hero's! Gavin you ROCK!
Below is our Billy's Quest tee-shirt using the Radio Flyer wagon as the toolbox children dreamed of having the Radio Flyer wagon to hold and carry their treasures! A place that can carry them to their imaginations wildest destinations and their dreams come true! This was my son Daniel's idea! The 1st tool and most important tool "I will never be Ashamed" The reason for so much information on the Billy's Quest tee-shirt. My thoughts are we should be wearing it to say the grocery store? Where your standing in line giving the person behind you time to read that 1in5 that's 20% of our population has some form of dyslexia! At this point it can be explained yes estimated 20% from mild to severe This is all about being able to start meaningful conversation about what needs to be done for our children.
The Gift
I had asked for some help from a community forum and the question was ask, " what is the gift?" Although there are still times it can feel like a curse! As my reading and writing skills continue to improve the curse seems to being showing its ugly head less and less!
My simple reply, "The gift" I believe that the quote by St. Thomas Aquinas sums it up best, which is the following:
"To one that has faith, no explanation is necessary. To ones without faith, no explanation is possible."
Faith in ourselves is the first step if we're ever to succeed.
We are told that being dyslexic is a disability. I have found that dyslexia is only a disability if we allow it to be.
The only difference is that we who have the gift of dyslexia simply learn by a different drummer.
