It’s only natural that you’d want nothing but the best for your kids. That drives many parents to enroll their kids in the best schools as it gives them a stable foot in education.
That should be the case when pursuing special needs education. Most parents are crushed to discover that their kids have some trouble learning. While that might be a cause for concern, it doesn’t sound the need a death knell on your child’s chances of success. Not if history has anything to say about it.
Richard Branson
In his cheek in tongue named book, How I Lost my Virginity, the CEO of the Virgin Group, a conglomerate of over 400 companies recounts his life. From an early age, he had trouble keeping up with classes. That led him to win the title of the dumbest person in the school.
Fast-forward today, he’s not only a self-made billionaire but also one of the ten most influential people on the planet. It turns out that he wasn’t dumb after all — he was struggling with dyslexia — a learning disability that made reading a Herculean task for him.
Frustrated with the formal learning process, he dropped out at sixteen after deciding to learn from the school of life. He began his entrepreneurship journey from a tender age, and it culminated in him become a leading business kingpin.
To his credit, he quit formal schooling but not the learning process. In his Autobiography, he admits to being a voracious reader. It took him a little bit longer to get the hang of it, but he eventually mastered the art of learning.
Anderson Cooper
You’ve no doubt seen him on TV —astute, smart, and intelligent as he hosts the award-winning show Anderson Cooper 3600 on CNN. Looking at him wax lyrical about worldly affairs, it’s impossible to think that he had learning difficulties.
As a child, Cooper struggled to make sense of words as he struggled to recognize individual letters. He was later diagnosed with dyslexia after his teachers noticed his learning issues. He went on to work with a reading specialist a couple of times each week from there on.
That lead him to become a strong student, securing a coveted space in the prestigious Yale University. Cooper credits his teachers for helping him overcome what would have otherwise become a crippling disability.
They helped to make a difference in his life from an early age by helping him find his footing. Since he kept his dyslexia a secret for most of his life, most of his friends are surprised to discover that he suffers from the condition.
If a child seems to lag behind in school, you shouldn’t be quick to dismiss them. It can simply mean that they need a little help getting the hang of it. Providing them with the necessary learning environment and approach to learning can help them get a bearing.
Enrolling them to a special needs school can help them realize their true potential and achieve great things in life. There are many cases in history where slow learners have gone on to become great leaders in the world.
