There’s been a great deal of challenging weather around the country this winter. I feel lucky and grateful to live in Southern California, where we are blessed with lovely weather year round.  I’ve been consciously sending warming energy and thoughts from the West coast to the East coast. Hopefully nationwide, we will soon see signs of spring everywhere.

In addition to enjoying our warm weather, I’ve been in the process of doing some research on the latest developments in learning disabilities. If you’d like more information on the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), please be sure to click on the link within the article, or click here.  This association is an excellent resource for cutting-edge information.

Of particular interest to me was the discussion on the three main types of dyslexia, each with its own symptoms and causes.

I work with many students who manifest symptoms in similar ways, yet they are always surprising me.

These students bring me much joy, as they require me to be my most creative self. While I am trained in many programs – Lindamood-Bell and Wilson, for example – and have a wide array of tools within my teaching tool belt, there are still times when I need to create an entirely different approach to reach a particular student who struggles with the reading and writing processes.

Many famous people have been diagnosed (or are thought to be) dyslexic. Famous or not, the road through the educational process can be a windy and steep one for those viewing the world through this lens. I happen to believe that these types of learners are some of our greatest minds. It would behoove us all to think outside the box when it comes to designing our educational environments.

Allowing all types of learners (neurotypical or neurodiverse) access to a quality education is one of the cornerstones of our country.

When we start designing our classrooms with all types of learners in mind, we will have an even better shot at solving the other problems that face our society.

As our world becomes more complex, we must employ creative thinking and innovative problem solving skills to help our world solve challenges like hunger, terrorism, and global warming. If we start early in the classroom and design a way for all to access the curriculum, we have a better chance of engaging more minds in these processes and potentially improving the state of affairs worldwide. (I’m now stepping down from my soapbox.)