Lamplight Academy....no ordinary school
So, we now have the final results of our dyslexia screenings.
We have....
*2 severely dyslexic children, both dysgraphic, at least one with dyscalculia.
*1 severe-profound dyslexic (profound as a stand alone isn't given without extra steps that we didn't go through, we are confident of the profound label based on the scores given), dysgraphic, and likely with dyscalculia.
*1 non-proveable dyslexic according to test scores, but with the discrepancies, as parents and the tester, can confidently label as mildly dyslexia with great compensation skills (for instance, recognizes letter sounds at a kindergarten level (is in 5th grade) but can read irregular words off the charts (high school).
*1 yet to test, but will likely be severely dyslexic (our 5 year old will be tested in the Spring or Fall).
And with those official diagnosis, we were also very STRONGLY encouraged to look at ADHD/ADD as screenings and conversations have shown that they are all likely to have this as well, which in essence means they are missing a neurotransmitter that gives them concentration and impulse control. Before making any decisions on how best to treat ADHD (given that future tests come out as we suspect them too), we will need to find a holistic doctor to balance out the mainstream medical approach. Really, I am just hoping to find someone that can help us where the pendulum isn't at the extreme of either end. There is no right and perfect solution and continuing on as it is has its consequences as does pursuing medication. This is putting the cart before the horse as we have yet to make appointments. However, the dyslexia tester really recommended that we address this NOW! Especially with Brighton who will be undergoing intensive therapy and he has to be able to sit still and concentrate. His energy level and impulsiveness has skyrocketed over the last month. I think he is in a major growth spurt (can't keep him filled up either) and it is affecting his ADHD symptoms.
It is quite overwhelming as I attempt to figure out what our homeschooling is suppose to look like. We definitely can't do what is "normal". There is nothing about our situation that is normal (although dyslexia affects 1 in 5 people...generally not an entire household...and generally not with the levels of severity that we have). We have to scrap traditional schooling and adopt schooling tailored to dyslexics. Certainly this means research, things to consider and pray over, trial and error (we are getting good at that), thinking outside the box, and letting a lot of "normal" education go because our focus needs to be Barton, (and audio stories), math, handwriting, speech, and phonics. Homeschooling has very much become a team effort needing both Phil and me. It is too much of a job at the moment for one single person to do.
Immediately, we will continue to tutor Evi and Sawyer through the Barton remediation program here at home. Brighton will receive specialized tutoring in a program called LiPS up in Portland twice a week. Glorielle needs 6 months of phonics instruction so she can accurately test for dyslexia in the Spring or Fall. Both Brighton and Glorielle need continued speech therapy here in the home as well as well as checking in with private speech therapy once a month. Jubilee will receive lessons and instruction in letter sounds via spelling rules. My "ideal" would be to hire a tutor to come to our home 3 days a week and work with Sawyer while I work with Brighton and Glorielle. However, the grand total for tutoring and speech therapy will come to 900+ dollars a month and the Barton tutoring program runs about 3,000 dollars. Insurance will partially cover private speech therapy for 30 lessons only but a very large deductible has to be met first. For a family living on a single income teacher salary that already lives frugally (small house, old cars, used clothing, etc..) this won't be possible without some sort of loan or assistance. Long term...I will eventually have 4 hours of Barton tutoring that will need to be done on a daily basis for several years.
For me and my part...lots of crying. Lots of wondering, how are we going to logistically even do this? How are we going to afford this? I am so overwhelmed! And of course, there is worry and sadness that comes with it...my children (at least 4 of them) are in for a long road ahead of them. The dyslexic brain has to work 5 times harder than the average brain to handle any written schooling since it is a print disability (in addition to many other things). I can attest that living this is exhausting...learning will always be hard. How do I turn them into confident adults with a healthy self esteem when they are all so "hindered" (especially when I am not that myself)? How do I instill a love of learning under these conditions...especially next year when 4 hours of Barton will need to be done. What time is there for anything else? I feel as though I am being swallowed up by the enormity, the impossibility, of the task.
We have....
*2 severely dyslexic children, both dysgraphic, at least one with dyscalculia.
*1 severe-profound dyslexic (profound as a stand alone isn't given without extra steps that we didn't go through, we are confident of the profound label based on the scores given), dysgraphic, and likely with dyscalculia.
*1 non-proveable dyslexic according to test scores, but with the discrepancies, as parents and the tester, can confidently label as mildly dyslexia with great compensation skills (for instance, recognizes letter sounds at a kindergarten level (is in 5th grade) but can read irregular words off the charts (high school).
*1 yet to test, but will likely be severely dyslexic (our 5 year old will be tested in the Spring or Fall).
And with those official diagnosis, we were also very STRONGLY encouraged to look at ADHD/ADD as screenings and conversations have shown that they are all likely to have this as well, which in essence means they are missing a neurotransmitter that gives them concentration and impulse control. Before making any decisions on how best to treat ADHD (given that future tests come out as we suspect them too), we will need to find a holistic doctor to balance out the mainstream medical approach. Really, I am just hoping to find someone that can help us where the pendulum isn't at the extreme of either end. There is no right and perfect solution and continuing on as it is has its consequences as does pursuing medication. This is putting the cart before the horse as we have yet to make appointments. However, the dyslexia tester really recommended that we address this NOW! Especially with Brighton who will be undergoing intensive therapy and he has to be able to sit still and concentrate. His energy level and impulsiveness has skyrocketed over the last month. I think he is in a major growth spurt (can't keep him filled up either) and it is affecting his ADHD symptoms.
It is quite overwhelming as I attempt to figure out what our homeschooling is suppose to look like. We definitely can't do what is "normal". There is nothing about our situation that is normal (although dyslexia affects 1 in 5 people...generally not an entire household...and generally not with the levels of severity that we have). We have to scrap traditional schooling and adopt schooling tailored to dyslexics. Certainly this means research, things to consider and pray over, trial and error (we are getting good at that), thinking outside the box, and letting a lot of "normal" education go because our focus needs to be Barton, (and audio stories), math, handwriting, speech, and phonics. Homeschooling has very much become a team effort needing both Phil and me. It is too much of a job at the moment for one single person to do.
Immediately, we will continue to tutor Evi and Sawyer through the Barton remediation program here at home. Brighton will receive specialized tutoring in a program called LiPS up in Portland twice a week. Glorielle needs 6 months of phonics instruction so she can accurately test for dyslexia in the Spring or Fall. Both Brighton and Glorielle need continued speech therapy here in the home as well as well as checking in with private speech therapy once a month. Jubilee will receive lessons and instruction in letter sounds via spelling rules. My "ideal" would be to hire a tutor to come to our home 3 days a week and work with Sawyer while I work with Brighton and Glorielle. However, the grand total for tutoring and speech therapy will come to 900+ dollars a month and the Barton tutoring program runs about 3,000 dollars. Insurance will partially cover private speech therapy for 30 lessons only but a very large deductible has to be met first. For a family living on a single income teacher salary that already lives frugally (small house, old cars, used clothing, etc..) this won't be possible without some sort of loan or assistance. Long term...I will eventually have 4 hours of Barton tutoring that will need to be done on a daily basis for several years.
For me and my part...lots of crying. Lots of wondering, how are we going to logistically even do this? How are we going to afford this? I am so overwhelmed! And of course, there is worry and sadness that comes with it...my children (at least 4 of them) are in for a long road ahead of them. The dyslexic brain has to work 5 times harder than the average brain to handle any written schooling since it is a print disability (in addition to many other things). I can attest that living this is exhausting...learning will always be hard. How do I turn them into confident adults with a healthy self esteem when they are all so "hindered" (especially when I am not that myself)? How do I instill a love of learning under these conditions...especially next year when 4 hours of Barton will need to be done. What time is there for anything else? I feel as though I am being swallowed up by the enormity, the impossibility, of the task.
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