I love school. Unfortunately, I don’t do well in my class. Often I get bullied by my classmates because I am always the last one who gets to understand the topic. I can barely retain the things I read or hear during the class. I get entirely embarrassed as they call me names like “ding-a-ling,” “stupid goat,” “slow-learning chop,” and a lot more. I can’t say they are wrong because that is exactly my problem. I can’t receive and process information like the other students in my class.
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Is It A Mental Health Condition
With my current situation, my mom decided to visit a health expert because she thought there might be something wrong with me. She said I might be struggling with ADHD or autism because slow learning is one of the criteria for those disorders. Some even convinced her that I needed someone who’s capable of teaching children with dyslexia in homeschooling. I was hesitant to go with her and see a specialist because I didn’t want to get diagnosed with a condition. I don’t want to live a life constantly dealing with mental health recovery and changing routines all the time. Also, another anxiety-triggering factor is if my classmates find out about it, I’m sure they will never stop teasing me and might call me more humiliating names.
During the examination by the psychologist, I was asked a lot of questions. Some I answered since it was just about my daily experiences and random thoughts. But I can’t seem to understand and process those questions regarding the subject matter. My brain won’t cooperate with me during the therapy session, and I felt so embarrassed that the therapist could see that. It was the worse experience because I was at the point where I had to prove to someone that I was still capable. I was not unwilling to be tested. But I am not comfortable either.
Fortunately, I’m good. I don’t have any brain impairment. However, what the expert believe I have is a learning difficulty. She said my cognitive ability is in the right state, so I cannot be considered intellectually disabled. It just means I don’t belong to the average students with standard IQs. I am also above those unable to receive, process, and interpret information. She said I was in between the two.
The psychologist told me that what I need is an educational therapist. She advised that I consult one because she believes I am smart, just like everyone else in my class. It is just that I am at the last leg of the race. The expert said she knew I would succeed someday. Her words are so comforting that I do not regret going with my mom. The therapist’s words helped me realize that I can do my best to complete a better performance. I was happy to hear that. My anxiety becomes hope and motivation.
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How To Process With The Struggle
My mom took me to an educational therapist. During the session, she told me that she would do all she could to help improve cognition for future academic achievements. I was so happy to know that, like my psychologist, she is willing to assist me with my needs.
One particular thing she mentioned is that I have a different and challenging learning process. I gather information the same as the others, but I process those differently. My learning patterns and behaviors are unusual, so I need to follow a learning structure tailored just for me. This tailored learning structure includes repetitive lessons and requires educational tools. And since I am slow, I will need longer than my peers to study to grasp and understand a concept. The therapist said this is a tiring process, and I might lose interest in learning when the pressure is too much. However, I assured her that knowing I don’t have a mental health problem is enough for me to try my best.
Parts of my tailored learning strategies include:
- Recording the lessons and listening to them over and over again.
- Asking my teachers and tutors to use basic words and avoid complicated ones
- Using visual aids often and utilizing multi-sensory learning techniques
- Having extra time to understand the first few chapters of the book I read
- Dealing with directions and instructions in several formats
- Assigning a friend to be my study buddy.
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Final Thoughts
What my therapist said was true. It is a tiring process, and it may take a while to get the hang of it. But with the help of the learning strategies, I can accomplish something. I may not learn things like everyone else, but I am still thankful that people are willing to help me with this situation.
Yes, I may be a slow learner. But it will not stop me from attending school and obtaining academic achievements. Soon I knew I could improve and prove that despite my learning difficulty, I could still succeed.