I wonder how many parents feel despair and guilt when their children graduate from high school unable to read, write, or do basic math?
On Wednesday, I interviewed “Joe” – a dad who wanted to remain anonymous – as he shared his story about trying to get proper educational support for his dyslexic daughter.
In my estimation, he did everything right. He himself was diagnosed with dyslexia and he went to one of his former teachers to find out the risk of his kids having the same problem. She told him there was a 60 per cent chance and offered to write a letter on his daughter’s behalf, flagging it for her community school so she could be diagnosed early.
He started seeing signs of trouble when she was four years old and drew a map in a mirror image. He brought it up with the school and from there met one obstacle after another.
The principal didn’t believe dyslexia existed. Then Joe was told she had to fall two grade levels behind before she could be admitted to the Dr. Oakley School for special assistance. When she was finally admitted to Dr. Oakley, the school brought her up to grade level in Grade 5 (bravo to the teachers there), but then he was told she had to go back to the regular school system as a result.
LISTEN: Tanya Keto, from the Foothills Academy Society, a father and various other callers
Joe continued to watch his daughter fall behind while her teachers said there was nothing wrong. He even tried to go to court to get proper supports, but the court sided with the education professionals.
When she got to Grade 12, Joe had her tested privately and discovered she had a Grade 3 understanding in math. She now has a hard time finding and keeping a job. He broke down telling me how he felt he had failed his daughter.
After we spoke, I received a flood of emails from families relaying similar stories.
I heard about a Grade 6 student who reads at a Grade 2 level; the parents being told the school won’t hold kids back because they have a policy of “social promotion.”
A grandparent told me he’s watched one grandson struggle to get assessed in a Calgary Catholic school, even though he’s reading at a Grade 1 level in Grade 3. His other grandson at Foundations For the Future Charter Academy is already reading at grade level and “has better phonetic awareness than most adults.”
WATCH: Dealing with Dyslexia – Myrna Grahn and her son Stephen shared their journey with Dyslexia
I interviewed a psychologist at the Foothills Academy about the success they have in educating kids with learning disabilities – but it’s a private school with $15,000 in annual tuition. That can be a pretty steep bill for most parents.
Other listeners sent me emails to pass along information to help Joe. They recommended the Learning Centre for Dyslexia and Beacon Literacy in Calgary, which one parent said, “changed my son’s life.”
Another listener sent me a link to a 1986 book on Amazon called Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and swears it works for dyslexic children too.
With one in five people estimated to have dyslexia, there are as many as 850,000 Albertans that may be struggling to learn. You would think this would be the top priority of educators.
READ MORE: This simulation shows what reading can be like when you have dyslexia
Instead, the big story of the day was Premier Rachel Notley weighing in about the way Catholic schools should teach sexual education. Am I the only one who thinks that politicians and education bureaucrats have their priorities screwed up?
Someone failed Joe’s daughter, all right. But it certainly wasn’t her dad.
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