I do not see dyslexia as a condition to be cured. The whole medical model of disability / dyslexia does nothing for people who are dyslexic. Apart from tell us that our brains are broken or are not normal or that there is something wrong with us. It implies that dyslexia is something that needs to be cured.
Dyslexia is a part of me and has been an integral reason for my creative output in terms of music and writing. A crucial factor for my success in my teaching career and in my new career as an entrepreneur. Ok yes being dyslexic does impact on my ability to do some tasks well but it does enable me to do other tasks very well.
That is just the same for everyone both dyslexic and non dyslexic. I am not trying to be big headed here just honest and open. If I listened to all the negatives surrounding dyslexia I wouldn't want to get out of bed in the morning.
Society / the non dyslexic world is the main reason we fail at school and to achieve according to our potential. This begins on day one at school. Schools are still failing too many dyslexic kids and turning our kids off of learning. Dyslexics at university here in the UK are having to wait for up to 20 weeks before they gain access to assistive technology that enables them to work and achieve at university.
Nobody knows many dyslexics are dropping out and or failing at university because of this. Too many successful dyslexics succeed in spite of the education system not because of it. Too many dyslexics struggle and fail because of the education system.
Saturday, 13 April 2013
Friday, 12 April 2013
specialist? hmmmmmmm not me?
When I first embarked on the social entrepreneur path with my organisation Dyslexia Pathways it was often pointed out by friends and advisors that I was not selling my skills and specialisms effectively. For example I never put my list of specialist qualifications after my signature. Even when I was a teacher I never felt comfortable the labels attributed to my work as an inclusion and dyslexia specialist.
When I first started teaching way back in 1995 I felt like an expert well qualified, knows everything there is to know etc. But then I actually started teaching and the more I taught the less I felt I knew lol. The more I worked with the students I worked with the more I learned about teaching, about the individual struggles and barriers people have to overcome etc.
The challenge is exploring of, and finding ways, that will enable an individual to communicate and learn as effectively as they can and achieve according to their potential. Whatever works for them as an individual.
When I first started working as an inclusion teacher I was given the opportunity and privilege to work with four 14 year olds. I hate to use the medical terminology but they struggled with tetraplegia. They all used an array of different methods to communicate but we are talking 1996 here when the tech was not so great.
The biggest problem I had was interfacing their technology to the computer systems within the college. I learned a lot from those students about communication and disability. The next issues was how to teach science, English, maths etc in ways that were accessible to each of the individual students. Here again I learned a lot from the students about how to do this effectively. I think what I am trying to say, in a not very clear way is this.
My qualifications may say I am an inclusion and dyslexia specialist. But I have never considered myself to be one because it is the individuals I work with who are the specialists I learn from them all the time.
When I first started teaching way back in 1995 I felt like an expert well qualified, knows everything there is to know etc. But then I actually started teaching and the more I taught the less I felt I knew lol. The more I worked with the students I worked with the more I learned about teaching, about the individual struggles and barriers people have to overcome etc.
The challenge is exploring of, and finding ways, that will enable an individual to communicate and learn as effectively as they can and achieve according to their potential. Whatever works for them as an individual.
When I first started working as an inclusion teacher I was given the opportunity and privilege to work with four 14 year olds. I hate to use the medical terminology but they struggled with tetraplegia. They all used an array of different methods to communicate but we are talking 1996 here when the tech was not so great.
The biggest problem I had was interfacing their technology to the computer systems within the college. I learned a lot from those students about communication and disability. The next issues was how to teach science, English, maths etc in ways that were accessible to each of the individual students. Here again I learned a lot from the students about how to do this effectively. I think what I am trying to say, in a not very clear way is this.
My qualifications may say I am an inclusion and dyslexia specialist. But I have never considered myself to be one because it is the individuals I work with who are the specialists I learn from them all the time.
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
News on the new project and other stuff.
Funding from the Fife Cultural Trust has been put into the company bank account. I have a meeting with the web site developers on Thursday. I have some rough designs for the logo ready as well as for the website itself.
I have book some training with the mentoring network which looks like fun in a couple of weeks. I have a meeting afterward to discuss an idea I have for mentoring dyslexic entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs.
I received some great feedback yesterday from a student I have been working with:
Stephen is extremely helpful, supportive and friendly. Over the past few months he has helped me to overcome many challenges which I have encountered whilst at university. I now feel able to approach my final year with confidence.
Always great to get good feedback from students and am very happy with the progress this particular student has made. He is a very bright individual and I wish him every success. Have to say I am very lucky because I love my work.
I was working with another student this week. He was originally assessed at 14 but was never given any dyslexia support by his school. All they did was put him into the lowest level class containing disruptive and disaffected young people.
Another student is still waiting for his assistive technology four months after his dyslexia assessment. Unfortunately he is one of many across the UK in this position.
I have book some training with the mentoring network which looks like fun in a couple of weeks. I have a meeting afterward to discuss an idea I have for mentoring dyslexic entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs.
I received some great feedback yesterday from a student I have been working with:
Stephen is extremely helpful, supportive and friendly. Over the past few months he has helped me to overcome many challenges which I have encountered whilst at university. I now feel able to approach my final year with confidence.
Always great to get good feedback from students and am very happy with the progress this particular student has made. He is a very bright individual and I wish him every success. Have to say I am very lucky because I love my work.
I was working with another student this week. He was originally assessed at 14 but was never given any dyslexia support by his school. All they did was put him into the lowest level class containing disruptive and disaffected young people.
Another student is still waiting for his assistive technology four months after his dyslexia assessment. Unfortunately he is one of many across the UK in this position.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
proud of th welfare state
Am I the only one who is proud of our welfare state?
All the noise we are getting about the welfare state from the government is negative. Like it is something to be ashamed of rather than proud of.
The welfare state has provided support and help for millions of people since it was introduced. People who are working in low paid jobs would really suffer without help from the welfare state.
Low paid workers do not want to claim welfare from the state. They have to because employers are paying such low wages. I would have starved if I didn't have access to help from the welfare state when I went through my illness.
I have worked all my life and have and been happy to support a welfare state. A state that I helped to fund through my taxes and national insurance by the way.
The condems would have us believe that all millions of people do is take and take from the welfare state and never contribute to it. But this is untrue because all of us in work pay taxes, all of us in work contribute to the economy.
Yes fraud does occur but it accounts for around 1% of the cost of the welfare state. Tax evasion by some of the wealthy and by large organisation costs out economy much more that that. Yet we do not see them demonised like disabled people have been or people in low paid employment have been.
This current situation was created by banks fiddling the books chasing huge quick profits without any care of possible consequences. There has been mismanagement of our economy by our politicians over decades. Not people on low wages or disabled people.
Now we have a condem government who want to run this country for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many. We have a government and political class who have come from a position of privilege. Who do not have to live with the consequences of the decisions they make. They will not have to go without anything, they have their subsidised housing, subsidised food and expense accounts.
They will not be forced from their homes by the bedroom tax, nor will have to face the ATOS inquisition. Their children will never have to go without a meal or have to use the NHS because they all have private medical insurance.
In this country child poverty is rising, the gap between rich and poor is getting wider, social mobility is now an impossibility. Yet we have politicians slapping each other on the back congratulating themselves on a job well done.
All the noise we are getting about the welfare state from the government is negative. Like it is something to be ashamed of rather than proud of.
The welfare state has provided support and help for millions of people since it was introduced. People who are working in low paid jobs would really suffer without help from the welfare state.
Low paid workers do not want to claim welfare from the state. They have to because employers are paying such low wages. I would have starved if I didn't have access to help from the welfare state when I went through my illness.
I have worked all my life and have and been happy to support a welfare state. A state that I helped to fund through my taxes and national insurance by the way.
The condems would have us believe that all millions of people do is take and take from the welfare state and never contribute to it. But this is untrue because all of us in work pay taxes, all of us in work contribute to the economy.
Yes fraud does occur but it accounts for around 1% of the cost of the welfare state. Tax evasion by some of the wealthy and by large organisation costs out economy much more that that. Yet we do not see them demonised like disabled people have been or people in low paid employment have been.
This current situation was created by banks fiddling the books chasing huge quick profits without any care of possible consequences. There has been mismanagement of our economy by our politicians over decades. Not people on low wages or disabled people.
Now we have a condem government who want to run this country for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many. We have a government and political class who have come from a position of privilege. Who do not have to live with the consequences of the decisions they make. They will not have to go without anything, they have their subsidised housing, subsidised food and expense accounts.
They will not be forced from their homes by the bedroom tax, nor will have to face the ATOS inquisition. Their children will never have to go without a meal or have to use the NHS because they all have private medical insurance.
In this country child poverty is rising, the gap between rich and poor is getting wider, social mobility is now an impossibility. Yet we have politicians slapping each other on the back congratulating themselves on a job well done.
Friday, 5 April 2013
Dyslexia Pathways news
Hi hi yes its me back again blogging about dyslexia life and the meaning of everything lol.
Had some good news the other day. For some time I have been putting together a new dyslexia project. Its rather a large project moving into a new area for Dyslexia Pathways.The basic idea is to reach dyslexics who, like myself, struggled at school and could not access any dyslexia support at school. To do this i am going to recruit a small team of dyslexic volunteers to manage and run the project.
I am hoping to encourage dyslexic adults and young people to develop their understanding of their own dyslexia and to promote a more positive profile of dyslexia with them and for others.
This project will be aimed at creative dyslexics, creative writers, poets, artists, photographers etc and will create a forum where they can share their work, share their experiences, teach and learn from others about dyslexia etc. At Dyslexia Pathways we work with students taking degrees, masters and PhD. This project is aimed at the many dyslexics who may not have done so well at school, or be struggling with employment etc.
I am aiming to deliver series of master classes on creativity in one or two of the above areas and enable creative dyslexics to develop their creative skills. This depends on whether I can secure some more funding. Which I, and my new director, are in the process of looking for. We are in the process of puting together a Lottery fund bid.
The project will provide free screening for those who think they may be dyslexic. If i can secure more funding it could also provide some free dyslexia assessments.
It will also encourage and provide support for those wanting to go back into education, gain employment or find out about becoming an entrepreneur or starting their own business etc.
I recently secure a small grant of £1000 from the Fife Cultural Trust which I thank them for. Its only a small amount of money but it will allow use to get the project rolling. This money will enable us to pay for a web site for the project, one that we can add onto once we secure more funding. It will also pay for volunteer costs and office materials. What I would like to see is a web site that become a hub for all things dyslexic and creative. An accessible site for dyslexic and others with a neuro difference such as autistics and dyspraxics.
I will be looking for other Fife based organisation to get involved with this project soon.
I have designed a logo and have a project name and have an appointment with another social enterprise, With People, about the initial web site design.
Other good news is we have supported more students this year than we did last year and for a longer period of time. We have got a lot of positive feedback from dtudents who have access the support we have provided. I will share this with you at a later date.
Had some good news the other day. For some time I have been putting together a new dyslexia project. Its rather a large project moving into a new area for Dyslexia Pathways.The basic idea is to reach dyslexics who, like myself, struggled at school and could not access any dyslexia support at school. To do this i am going to recruit a small team of dyslexic volunteers to manage and run the project.
I am hoping to encourage dyslexic adults and young people to develop their understanding of their own dyslexia and to promote a more positive profile of dyslexia with them and for others.
This project will be aimed at creative dyslexics, creative writers, poets, artists, photographers etc and will create a forum where they can share their work, share their experiences, teach and learn from others about dyslexia etc. At Dyslexia Pathways we work with students taking degrees, masters and PhD. This project is aimed at the many dyslexics who may not have done so well at school, or be struggling with employment etc.
I am aiming to deliver series of master classes on creativity in one or two of the above areas and enable creative dyslexics to develop their creative skills. This depends on whether I can secure some more funding. Which I, and my new director, are in the process of looking for. We are in the process of puting together a Lottery fund bid.
The project will provide free screening for those who think they may be dyslexic. If i can secure more funding it could also provide some free dyslexia assessments.
It will also encourage and provide support for those wanting to go back into education, gain employment or find out about becoming an entrepreneur or starting their own business etc.
I recently secure a small grant of £1000 from the Fife Cultural Trust which I thank them for. Its only a small amount of money but it will allow use to get the project rolling. This money will enable us to pay for a web site for the project, one that we can add onto once we secure more funding. It will also pay for volunteer costs and office materials. What I would like to see is a web site that become a hub for all things dyslexic and creative. An accessible site for dyslexic and others with a neuro difference such as autistics and dyspraxics.
I will be looking for other Fife based organisation to get involved with this project soon.
I have designed a logo and have a project name and have an appointment with another social enterprise, With People, about the initial web site design.
Other good news is we have supported more students this year than we did last year and for a longer period of time. We have got a lot of positive feedback from dtudents who have access the support we have provided. I will share this with you at a later date.
Monday, 18 March 2013
volunteers, training and other issues lol
I am going to make some inroads into learning more about supporting, training and funding of prospective volunteers for Dyslexia Pathways and for my new project. The main stumbling block is finding funding to pay for volunteer costs such as expenses.
I feel I also require training myself to enable me to support prospective volunteers who will be giving their time to Dyslexia Pathways. So I am looking around for and free or low cost training to enable me to do this more effectively.
In a small organisation like Dyslexia Pathways there is never enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. For example I have a vast amout of training materials and company documnets that need to be redone, rewritten into a universal format. Everything is all over the place. Thinking about company image, making sure everything is in an accessible format etc.
The other issue many small organisations like mine is training and finding funding for training. I have started a european union course looking at provision of training for staff which has been usefull for the delivery of training to ditectors and volunteers. I have also been accepted on a free training course on resiliance and vulnerable adults with the Scottish Mentoring Network which looks interesting to.
Then there is getting out their and raising aweareness. I recieve a lot of invitations to take part in scottish parliamentery groups. I already do some work with the Goodison Group and Futures Forum where I endevour to raise a more positive profile of dyslexia at every opportunity.. I have invites to get involved with groups within the NHS, the police etc. However, I cannot get involved because if I do we miss out on income because I would have to cancel students and not do any work on the days I would do this raising awareness.
Sigh
I feel I also require training myself to enable me to support prospective volunteers who will be giving their time to Dyslexia Pathways. So I am looking around for and free or low cost training to enable me to do this more effectively.
In a small organisation like Dyslexia Pathways there is never enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. For example I have a vast amout of training materials and company documnets that need to be redone, rewritten into a universal format. Everything is all over the place. Thinking about company image, making sure everything is in an accessible format etc.
The other issue many small organisations like mine is training and finding funding for training. I have started a european union course looking at provision of training for staff which has been usefull for the delivery of training to ditectors and volunteers. I have also been accepted on a free training course on resiliance and vulnerable adults with the Scottish Mentoring Network which looks interesting to.
Then there is getting out their and raising aweareness. I recieve a lot of invitations to take part in scottish parliamentery groups. I already do some work with the Goodison Group and Futures Forum where I endevour to raise a more positive profile of dyslexia at every opportunity.. I have invites to get involved with groups within the NHS, the police etc. However, I cannot get involved because if I do we miss out on income because I would have to cancel students and not do any work on the days I would do this raising awareness.
Sigh
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Blimey
His it been Chistmas since I last wrote to my blog? Time flies when you are working hard and having fun so they say. I think when you get a little older time just flies no matter what you are doing.
The dyslexia support work with my company Dyslexia Pathways is going well....slowing down a little now as it always does around easter. Looks like we will just about reach our targets for this year Getting a lot of very positive feeback from students which is always good for moral and it feel great to be able other dyslexics to succeed in their chosen paths.
There has been one problem that has affected my work with students. A lot of disabled students are still not in reciept of their DSA Disabled Students Allowance.I do not know if this is a localised issue or a scotland wide one. However, it can mean students cannot access learning support or be given assisstive technology and the training to use it.
I also hear on the grapevine Disabled Students Allowence rules may be changing. Mind you I have been hearing this for two years. There is a suggestion that disabled students will have to pay for a laptop and printer through their student loan. I am not sure if they will be entitled to a bigger student loan to cover the cost of this. It could mean that disabled students will be put off from going to university altogether. Not sure about the cost of software or of learning support sessions. As far as I can gather DSA will still be granted to cover the cost of this.
I have just taken on a new director...just have to fill out the forms and it will be official. Not going to give her name out just yet. Now without asking her first. What I can say is she is a social entrepreneur herself. Full of great ideas for enableing young people to overcome barriers to education, employment and training.
We have had a couple of meeting to discuss an idea i have been working on for a while and we are going to apply for lottery funding to move this forward. Even better she is completing the funding applications which is cool. Its not that I cannot complete them myself. I have made many successful funding applications but she will do it faster than I can.
I have made an application to the Fife Cultural Trust Fund. Its only a small amount of money to set the wheel in motiong of a much bigger project I have in mind. I also have another application to complete.
Now for some not so good news lol. My main desk top computer got hacked, or was infected by a virus etc we are not sure. The reuslt was a total systems crash and the loss of a lot of data. Most of it was backed up in once place or another and is retrievable. But I lost access to my company e mail and web site for about a week. Its still not working correctly I am still struggling to get everything back into good working order. For example I had to load a totally new opperating system onto the desktop. Then I found out my wifi card / stick does not work on Windows 7 64bit version. So now I am having to replace this with a new one sigh. It has not cost a lot to put right but any additional finacial costs are an isuse for any small social enterprise.
Have to give a big thanks to With People who run my web site....thay have been very helpful.
I wrote a 4000 manuscript on Disobedience and Dyslexia for RASP a dyslexia writers group. I recenlty was informed it has been accepted for publication in the next anthology to be released in November. It has given me the encouragement to write a book or my life with dyslexia. I have also been thinking about writing childrens books for a while but not been confident enough to do it. Have to see how this goes lol.
Anyways thats enough of my inane ramblings for now lol
The dyslexia support work with my company Dyslexia Pathways is going well....slowing down a little now as it always does around easter. Looks like we will just about reach our targets for this year Getting a lot of very positive feeback from students which is always good for moral and it feel great to be able other dyslexics to succeed in their chosen paths.
There has been one problem that has affected my work with students. A lot of disabled students are still not in reciept of their DSA Disabled Students Allowance.I do not know if this is a localised issue or a scotland wide one. However, it can mean students cannot access learning support or be given assisstive technology and the training to use it.
I also hear on the grapevine Disabled Students Allowence rules may be changing. Mind you I have been hearing this for two years. There is a suggestion that disabled students will have to pay for a laptop and printer through their student loan. I am not sure if they will be entitled to a bigger student loan to cover the cost of this. It could mean that disabled students will be put off from going to university altogether. Not sure about the cost of software or of learning support sessions. As far as I can gather DSA will still be granted to cover the cost of this.
I have just taken on a new director...just have to fill out the forms and it will be official. Not going to give her name out just yet. Now without asking her first. What I can say is she is a social entrepreneur herself. Full of great ideas for enableing young people to overcome barriers to education, employment and training.
We have had a couple of meeting to discuss an idea i have been working on for a while and we are going to apply for lottery funding to move this forward. Even better she is completing the funding applications which is cool. Its not that I cannot complete them myself. I have made many successful funding applications but she will do it faster than I can.
I have made an application to the Fife Cultural Trust Fund. Its only a small amount of money to set the wheel in motiong of a much bigger project I have in mind. I also have another application to complete.
Now for some not so good news lol. My main desk top computer got hacked, or was infected by a virus etc we are not sure. The reuslt was a total systems crash and the loss of a lot of data. Most of it was backed up in once place or another and is retrievable. But I lost access to my company e mail and web site for about a week. Its still not working correctly I am still struggling to get everything back into good working order. For example I had to load a totally new opperating system onto the desktop. Then I found out my wifi card / stick does not work on Windows 7 64bit version. So now I am having to replace this with a new one sigh. It has not cost a lot to put right but any additional finacial costs are an isuse for any small social enterprise.
Have to give a big thanks to With People who run my web site....thay have been very helpful.
I wrote a 4000 manuscript on Disobedience and Dyslexia for RASP a dyslexia writers group. I recenlty was informed it has been accepted for publication in the next anthology to be released in November. It has given me the encouragement to write a book or my life with dyslexia. I have also been thinking about writing childrens books for a while but not been confident enough to do it. Have to see how this goes lol.
Anyways thats enough of my inane ramblings for now lol
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