Rebecca's Story
As told by her mother, Sue
After
21 months, we have finished the DORE Programme at the Centre, and I feel I have
to write to give hope and encouragement to any parent starting on this course
of treatment. Like almost all of the parents of the children attending the
clinic, we had begun to think that we were banging our heads against a brick
wall trying to get help for our daughter.
Due to the fact she could not express herself on paper she was treated as thick,
stupid and unable to learn. The fact that no one listened to the information
coming out of her mouth made the problem even harder; as a teacher, I knew
there was a major problem and started looking for an answer.
In the end we had to change both school and education authority to ensure that
she received the help she needed. This action cost Rebecca almost two years
schooling when she was really not even holding water in her educational
programme.
The Dore Programme will not work if the child is not prepared to make the
effort. The child must understand the importance of being dedicated to the
exercise programme and completing them to the best of their ability. Some of
the exercises that seem simple to others are extremely difficult for those with
learning difficulties— did I hate it when Rebecca had to hop! But before the
first month was over we knew that she was improving. Silly little things, but
things she could not do before; tying shoe laces without having to think about
it, for example. Her attitude in school and her work improved at a rate that no
one would have thought possible. She went from a child at the end of Key Stage
one, that was barely on the line. She improved in five terms to a child that
achieved above the National average— a result that would not have been possible
without the DORE Programme and Rebecca's determination to improve and prove
everyone wrong.
We all know that the Programme works, and without it Rebecca would have been
written off by an educational system that is unable to cope with bright,
intelligent children that happen to be dyslexic. As a member of a profession
that can be extremely stubborn in its approach to new ideas and its reluctance
to admit that other systems work, I am convinced that this Programme works and
should be accepted by the educational system as a standard approach to teach
children with this special educational need.
We will keep in touch and thanks again. May you continue to have the success
that you all rightly deserve.