As a preschooler, Tim did not like to work on putting puzzles together. Large wooden pieces that formed the shape of Mickey Mouse or a farmyard scene were employed to delight him, but he was not amused. If the puzzles had smaller pieces or were more difficult to match with the whole, his desire to persist was short-lived. One day he expressed his frustration with a puzzle he was working with by picking it up and throwing it across the room. His dislike towards this type of play was especially noted because friends and siblings did not display frustration or an aversion to it.
Another observation had to do with configurations that held a"secret" message or picture. In Sunday school, worksheets were given to the children to color and discover the design or picture within the puzzle. Tim would regularly take a crayon and colorall over the sheet. His explanation for doing this was that he couldn't stay in the lines because he couldn't see them. When I observed how frustrated he became if he was pressed to do the paper over again, I was convinced that he was not just being obstinate or strong-willed; he truly had a difficult time discerning line from line.
The most telling moments of distress came in first grade during math classes. When asked to work with numbers in a word problem, Tim was unable to answer even the most basic questions. The teacher described his facial expression as "vacant." He became confused, and even with clues as to how the numbers related, he was unable to answer the questions. Rote memorization of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts was mastered, but deviation from concrete facts to abstract application of numbers proved very difficult for him. The time had come to investigate other means of evaluation and help besides a vision therapy program we had inquired about.
The summer after second grade, Tim was given a psychological assessment by a psychologist. A learning disability was diagnosed and educational therapy was begun in third grade. The program helped very much in providing patterns or steps with which to solve problems. The mental math sharpened his ability to think under pressure. His confidence level in figuring out puzzles and designs increased. An awareness that his confusion about certain math/logic problems was a weakness but not a defect in his person-hood helped him to face the difficulties of school with a more positive attitude. Middle school years were especially aided by his therapy sessions.His auditory ability to receive directions, especially with several parts, was strengthened. He was better able to separate the parts from the whole and then see how they fit together.
Although high school math continued to be a challenge, without the early intervention and understanding of how Tim perceives figures and configurations, his experience would probably have been much harder.
Tim is grateful for the help that was available in those primary and middle school years. He readily admits that the rigors of the program were good for him. It was a tool that helped to bridge the gaps in understanding. More than anything else, it afforded him an understanding about who he was and how he was designed. That knowledge has helped him to prepare for challenging situations that arise in other areas of life. Tim can think ahead and envision how he can act in those situations, especially if they could prove threatening. Awareness has allowed for preparation and planning.
It was quite evident in first grade that Michael was having a difficult time with reading, math, and comprehension. During the school year it became clear to his teacher and others that Michael needed some sort of extra help, not only to get his grades up, but also to give him the confidence that he needed to succeed. It was then that school personnel suggested that Michael be tested so that he could be considered for the Resource Room pending the outcome of the tests. We were still skeptical that this was necessary. However, our aunt, who was a teacher and principal and had also worked with children with learning disabilities, kept encouraging us to go ahead and get help for Michael at this young age before he would become frustrated with school.
For three years, Michael participated twice a week in educational therapy. There was also board work and memorization to do at home. We tried very hard to stay on the schedule that was given us. We had the opportunity to sit in on some of his therapy sessions and observe how his therapist worked with him on puzzles, board work, thought processes, etc.
Michael was dismissed from therapy at the end of fourth grade. During middle school and high school, Michael was routinely on the honor roll. He is a pre-law major in college. Michael has always enjoyed school and has had a positive outlook which we contribute to the success of educational therapy.
We appreciate CCS for making us aware of the problem at a young age and for having the resources available to help our son.