Today being day 5 of the 2014 Dyslexia Awareness Week it gives me great pleasure to introduce you tomy next inspirational and another of my favourite dyslexics; Nicola Rust, she is creative, positive and proactive!
Name:
Nicola Rust
Age (optional):
31
Business name:
In The Shed
A brief description of what you/your business do/does:
I am a graphic designer as well as a dreamer, believer, optimist and creator. Yes, I do actually work in a shed, and I am joined everyday by my adorable Chihuahua Boo.
I work with clients small and large, local and international on a range of design projects including magazines, invitations, brand identity and corporate literature. My work varies from very corporate work to very pretty and much more crafty and I am planning to launch my own range of invitation designs very soon.
Area you live/your business is based:
Shrewsbury
When did you find out you were dyslexic?
When I was 20, at University. I had been browsing through a magazine and stumbled upon an article about ADHD. As I often do with magazines, I read the pull out boxes first before committing to the whole article. It contained a checklist of symptoms to see if your child might be ADHD, and there I was at the age of 20, sat in my halls of residence ticking most of them off. I joked about it with my tutor one afternoon, and having previously mentioned to him I felt I was struggling to understand some of the literature we had been given, he suggested I might be dyslexic.
How did you feel when you found out you were dyslexic?
Finding out felt like a relief, an answer. It hadn’t been obvious before as I didn’t really know or understand what dyslexia actually was. It made sense when somebody explained. Looking back, there were habits, traits, and sometimes mistakes, which at the time I just brushed off. I would never have thought they would be related to dyslexia. I have always felt different to others. Even though I would brush off certain traits as just being me, there was something inside that still bugged me. Not knowing why I felt different to others. Now it started to make sense.
Like anything though, I couldn’t just accept dyslexia was the answer and leave it at that. Just because there was a name I could attach to some of my behaviours, I needed to understand what that meant and why it happens? I went on to research more about what dyslexia is, and have since grown to understand how it affects me.
What difference has it made, if any, to your life /business since you found out you are dyslexic?
Rather than dyslexia make a difference to my business, I actually believe that running my business has had a really positive impact on being dyslexic.
I have found that by having the control and flexibility of running my own business, it has considerably improved skills that I previously found difficult because of dyslexia. I used to find some of my dyslexic traits such as poor time keeping, organisation, time management really challenging. Running a business has meant I have found and developed my own ways of improving these skills and have noticed a huge improvement in how I plan and manage my time both in life and in business.
What advice would you offer to other dyslexics?
My biggest piece of advice is to be aware of how you refer to dyslexia. Whether you refer to your own experience of dyslexia or to someone else’s, some word choices can be very negative and therefore damaging to confidence and motivation.
Words have a very powerful influence on how we feel, and certain words can be very negative and disabling.
For example, referring to dyslexia as a ‘problem’ is very negative. Yes dyslexia does have its challenges of course, but I believe that calling it a ‘problem’ can be harmful. I have heard many people refer dyslexia as a problem, for example I have heard parents say “The problem with my child is…” in relation to their dyslexia. I believe that can have a really negative impact on how dyslexia is viewed both by the parent and the child.
Dyslexia is a different way of thinking. Dyslexia is neither better nor worse. It’s just different. Of course it has its challenges, and yes they may be difficult. But I truly believe that dyslexia should not be referred to as a ‘problem’. It is a different way of thinking and therefore creates a need for a different way of learning.
Another example of words that can have an negative impact are words such as ‘struggle’ or ‘can’t’. For example, if you say you struggle with something, you will struggle with it, or if you say you can’t do something then you won’t. A good replacement is to change the word ‘struggle’ to ‘challenge’. What could have been a ‘struggle’ now becomes do-able. It may not be easy, but it is achievable and much more motivating.
This was some of the most powerful advice I was given and has totally changed the way I talk about dyslexia now.
What do you do to relax/hobbies?
I love walking my little dog Boo. She joins me every day in the shed, and it is a great escape from sitting at the desk to get out and take her for a walk.
Anything you want to add?
The best book I read, and one of the easiest, mainly because it made sense, is The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis. It explained how the dyslexic brain behaves differently and why all those little habits and traits I had, such as being clumsy, being late for school (often) and irritating others with my legs shaking uncontrollably under the desk, are connected. It was a series of light bulb moments as I read each chapter, certainly worth a read to find out more.
Your website & business contact details:
http://www.in-theshed.co.uk
Eli’s Note:
If you would like to read more about Nicolas experiences with Dyslexia, please feel free to have a read of her blog “Thinking Differently?”
http://in-theshed.co.uk/blog-item.php?id=26
Eli’s top 7 favourite dyslexics – 2014 Dyslexia Awareness Week
November 6, 2014
Welcome to my blog …i know, I don’t post anything for ages then you get one a day for seven days!
Today i would like to introduce you to the lovely Clare, a bright, bubbly, freindly, kind and inspirational dyslexic, whos answers to my questions i hope will help to inspire you on day 4 of Dyslexia Awareenss Week!
Name:
Clare Mason
Age (optional):
25
Business name:
Nutshell Bridgnorth
A brief description of what you/your business do/does:
Nutshell Bridgnorth is an online ladies boutique. We attend various shows, markets, events and Girls Nights with our accessories. We stock beautiful Italian Leather handbags, Scarves, Jewellery and other ladies accessories.
As well as running Nutshell Bridgnorth, I am also an Independent Social Worker.
Area you live/your business is based:
Bridgnorth, Shropshire.
When did you find out you were dyslexic?
My final year at university (2010) following my tutor picking up points in my assignments that indicated that I was dyslexic.
How did you feel when you found out you were dyslexic?
When being informed I was dyslexic I think things started to fit into place as to why I struggled with certain tasks. I felt frustrated that this hadn’t been picked up/recognised earlier so that I could have benefited from more guidance and support, rather than having to struggle through college and university, especially with written assignments.
What difference has it made, if any, to your life /business since you found out you are dyslexic?
Finding out that I am dyslexic has answered some of the questions to why I do things in certain ways.
What advice would you offer to other dyslexics?
Don’t feel silly or stupid and certainly don’t let it hold you back!
What do you do to relax/hobbies?
When not working I enjoy spending time with my dogs. I enjoy attending dog shows and participating in team displays for The Good Citizens Dog Scheme. I have been part of team displays with my dogs at Crufts for a number of years which I feel is a great achievement.
Anything you want to add?
Your website & business contact details:
Website: http://www.nutshell-bridgnorth.co.uk
Facebook: ‘NutshellBridgnorth’
3 of 7: Eli’s favourite inspirational dyslexics Q&A’s for 2014 Dyslexia Awareness Week
November 5, 2014
Thank you for visiting my blog, today i would like to introduce you to another favourite dyslexic of mine, the lovely Rosie …
Name: Rosie Beswick
Age (optional): 56
Business name: Rosie Consulting
A brief description of what you/your business do/does: Business Consultancy and Market Research
Area you live/your business is based: SHREWSBURY
When did you find out you were dyslexic? Put a name to my ‘problem’ in 2011
How did you feel when you found out you were dyslexic?
Angry as I realised all my life people had either ignored (parents and some teachers) or put me down as lazy or stupid. I just thought I had an inability to take stuff in despite having an IQ of 150
What difference has it made, if any, to your life /business since you found out you are dyslexic?
I stopped feeling guilty, so core confidence improved, but still would like to improve my memory etc. I want to read books and actually enjoy or finish. Lot of catching up to do.
What advice would you offer to other dyslexics?
Think something wrong? Don’t accept being dismissed but go and find out. No child coming through now, should be missed!
What do you do to relax/hobbies?
Walk, listen to audio books, listen to music, spend time in countryside
Anything you want to add?
Don’t blame yourself, but do not use it as a hide behind. You need to admit you have it and work hard to find ways to get around or get help. I have found many ways to work around but if I had known earlier I would have been reading books now. I am told too old to relearn but not so sure! Computers are the best tool ever. Before modern computers my life was 100% harder, right when I was building my career.
Your website & business contact details:
http://www.rosieconsulting.com
01743 8849972
rosie@rosieconsulting.com
Eli’s Note:
Rosie is also part of a group of fabulous ladies (Rosie, Kelly & Leigh) who set up run a ladies networking group, called Network With Style, based in Shrewsbury in Shropshire. over teh last 8 years they ahve inspired and supported countless local busienss women, and raise money for a charity called Headway at christmas their events each year. – we thank you x
Eli’s favourite 7 dyslexics Q&A’s for 2014 Dyslexia Awareness Week
November 4, 2014
Introducing one of my favourite dyslexics, she lives in London but has Shropshire links and is an avid supporter of Dyslexia Information Day events, its my pleasure to introduce to you today as my 2nd blog for Dyslexia Awareness Week 2014, the fabulous…
Name:
Penny Topsom
Age (optional):
47yrs, (19 in my head!)
Business name:
Multiplication Rules!
A brief description of what you/your business do/does:
Designed a new way of enjoying times tables and then introducing division. By encouraging the use of maths patterns to learn and understand those pesky tables, it’s a visual tool. I have gone from writing a book to now developing maths resources that schools and parents /carers can use. Using number counters and a simple grid, it works without you having to write down endless lists of numbers. We hope to encourage a deeper understanding, and fascination with numbers that will lead on to increased confidence in your abilities, something that we all deserve the right to enjoy.
Area you live/your business is based:
South East London
When did you find out you were dyslexic?
At 15 years old, my art teacher in my last year of school finally took my mum seriously, schools back then didn’t recognise dyslexia.
How did you feel when you found out you were dyslexic?
No different, the damage had already been done! I went through school constantly being accused of being stupid and lazy. Something always told me though that I wasn’t, now I can use my resilience and stubbornness in a positive way.
What difference has it made, if any, to your life /business since you found out you are dyslexic?
No difference really, still can’t spell for toffee, can’t find my lefts and rights but I now recognise the strengths that I have. My ability to think ‘round a problem’ has proved to be very useful.
What advice would you offer to other dyslexics?
Rejoice in the unusual but unique rewiring of your brain and always have confidence whatever’s going on inside. Think of it as a gift.
What do you do to relax/hobbies?
Relax, what’s that. I have three growing boys, so most of my time is spent attempting to supply whatever the latest demand is, I do love long walks – watching the world go by and eating cake!
Anything you want to add?
Just one simple question, who invented the word ‘dyslexia’, were they having a laugh giving us a name that no-one knows how to spell! Maybe it’s to encourage equality.
contact details:
http://www.multiplicationrules.co.uk
e-mail via the above website
Failing that: 07477 589 375
Failing that my pigeon likes to sit on tall buildings watching the world drift by.
Eli’s top 7 favourite dyslexics – 2014 Dyslexia Awareness Week
November 3, 2014
Elizabeth is celebrating 2014’s Dyslexia Awareness Week, by inviting 7 of her favourite dyslexics to answer the following questions.
Posting their responses to her questiosn here over the coming week … in the hopes that they will inspire you as much as they have her!
Name:
Denise McGowan
Age (optional):
45 (in 2 weeks time!)
Business name:
Evanji Limited
A brief description of what you/your business do/does:
Specialists in the ancient Arabic Art of hair removal by hand sugaring. We teach others how to perfect this skill, along with having courses in all beauty and holistic therapies. Those without a beauty background can start a new career or add to what they already do. The sugaring element is a friendly franchise enabling us to help and support them to grow a business. We manufacture the sugarpastes, providing them internationally.
Area you live/your business based:
Live in Market Drayton but business is nationwide and international.
When did you find out you were dyslexic?
A year ago.
How did you feel when you found out you were dyslexic?
It answered a lot of questions about why I see things differently to others or have a different learning style. Having previously been a secondary school teacher it also made sense of why I have very adaptable learning and teaching styles. I had put my coping strategies down to a head injury, when in fact they were due to dyslexia.
What difference has it made, if any, to your life /business since you found out you are dyslexic?
I am able to identify my coping strategies and apply them more effectively. I can look at for technologies that will be able to help me, and people! I am not so hard on myself for not ‘getting’ certain things and do now ask for help if I don’t understand something…rather than thinking I should be able to understand it!
What advice would you offer to other dyslexics?
Anything is possible so don’t let other people set your boundaries! If you want to achieve something there is always a way if you talk to enough people.
What do you do to relax/hobbies?
Hmmm…I am a bit of a workaholic! I used to teach textiles and glass so I now do these as a hobby, making clothes from bras to ball gowns. I also make glass panels/windows and lamp shades. I enjoy going to the gym and love learning…so I am currently studying a level 3 national diploma in Marine Biology…Why? I am constantly asked…because I can!
Anything you want to add?
Never be embarrassed or worried about having a ‘label’ it’s kind of special as not everyone gets it…and not everyone will ‘get’ you…but that’s their problem!
Elizabeths Comments:
Denise recently won the Outstading Peronal Achevement Awards at the Biz mums 2014 Conference & Awards!
If you want to find out more about Denise & Evanji Limited please visit her website http://www.evanji.co.uk or you can text/call her on 07967 491845 and you can also follow her on twitter @evanjiSugaring
Hello June 2014
June 26, 2014
Morning all, having discovered the WordPress app for my phone and then remembering my log in (very impressive) I thought I’d write a quick blog to say hello 🙂
It’s now 7 years and 5 months since I started the Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant with the aim of raising public awareness of dyslexia, and I’m happy to say I am chipping away slowly and steadily at training staff in local schools, colleges, businesses and training establishments.
it’s also been just over six years since we ran the first Dyslexia Information Day (DiD). I started DiD so that local people could be equipped with information and understanding of dyslexia and I am proud to say that so far so good! With an amazing team of volunteers these events are going from strength to strength. October 18th 2014 sees our 12th event and this time it will be at Enginuity in Ironbridge! Very exciting and really looking forward to it.
Upcoming events:
August 2014 Sinclairs Law seminar on SEN Law
October 18th 2014 Dyslexia Information Day 12
Parent courses September & October 2014
Contact: elizabeth@theddc.org.uk for more information
5th Birthday
January 31, 2012
January 31, 2012…
As I sit at my desk I am thinking back eight years and thinking of the research, discussions, idea storming, planning, dreaming and hard work that I have put into reaching 5 years of The Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant being in business, and I smile as I realise that today is The DDC’s 5th Birthday and that tomorrow is the 1st day of my 6th year!
I vividly recall my visit to Priorslee Tax Office on the 31st January 2007, full of nerves and excitement they must have thought me slightly mad as I pronounced that I have come to notify them that I was officially self employed!
My very first client was a neighbour of the tax office, RICOH UK also in Priorslee; I was called in for consultation and to work with an employee, a fabulous lady who they were keen to help. Next client it was the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering (D C A E) based at RAF Cosford here I was asked to build and deliver a bespoke training programme for 400 of their trainers. Since 2007 The DDC clients have included both corporate & private clients alike, be they schools, colleges, training agencies, parents, individuals, Academy’s, local fire service and many more.Services provided to date include training, teaching, staff development awareness, tuition sessions, one-to-one specialist tuition, dyslexia screening tests, Mears Irlen screening tests, consultations and advice & guidance and much more.
I would say the joint first place for job satisfaction is the Dyslexia and SPLD Awareness training that I deliver; the Gestalt moments, the moments where the penny drops and the people I’m training or teaching suddenly realise and start to believe and understand; what dyslexia is, how it effects their students, trainees or employees and then, the realisation that I was serious, when I told them that dyslexia really wasn’t about – reading, spelling & writing! Those moments are why I started The DDC. They are amazing moments!
The other joint first place is my work with individuals, the 1:1 specialist SpLD tuition that it is my privilege to provide. Exhausting work but so worthwhile, I get to work with the most amazing people. People who the compulsory education system is sadly letting or has in one way or another let them down, is failing or has failed them. These individuals who demonstrate a passion and determination with a thirst to learn and achieve that is second to none, are an absolute pleasure to work with! It is testament to their abilities that they learn so much in the short time I work with them.
A warm sense of achievement fills me as I reminisce over the last five years. All that has been achieved, all the people who have been enabled, trained and made aware that dyslexia isn’t about reading, writing and spelling! Then a jolt of realisation that this work is not finished, with approximately 30 before I reach retirement age, then makes me nauseous but exhilarated, as much as I did 5 years ago when starting The DDC … 30 years… I start to wonder the possibilities of how much more could be achieved in 30 years? How many more people can I reach, train and enable in that time …WOW now 35 years that really would be an achievement!
Does the term ‘Duty of Care’ actually mean anything?
April 7, 2011
Makes me wonder….
I was chatting with an adult student of mine yesterday about the year 6 SATs. He and his wife had been invited into school for a meeting to discuss the SATs.
I listened with great interest as to what happened at this meeting as I am always interested in finding out the different attitudes of our local schools, especially in relation to how they handle the SATs, what advice they give and just how much revision /catch up work they give the children to do at home.
I was aware that this school had already issued the children with a rather substantial book of work for the children to complete at home with parents, in readiness for their year 6 SATs. However i was still agog with surprise as i listened to how the parents at this meeting were given a surprise ‘mini SATs test’!
I was horrified that a school could do such a thing! My immediate reaction was a huge gasp as my hand raised to cover my mouth in surprise. I then asked the question ‘…’what? Even the SEN parents?’ the reply … ‘ all of us!’.
Where in this situation was the empathy, understanding and responsibility for the SEN parents in the room. As most of us are aware, there is a high likelihood that any parents with SEN children may well have been SEN children themselves, and so will now be SEN Adults (so to speak). The school legally have to make reasonable adjustments for their SEN children, but, felt it was perfectly ok to spring a ‘mini SATs test’ on the parents at this meeting with no regard to the impact and ramifications this situation may have.
I know & I know that the school know that the parent telling me about this is dyslexic and is entitled to exam concessions as a restful of his dyslexia. I also know from his reaction and our chat that this situation was extremely stressful experience for not only him but for his wife who was also subjected to this surprise test, both intelligent & successful people who found this to be a genuinely un pleasurable and highly stressful experience!
Whilst I understand that this situation was more than likely thought up to give an insight of the ‘SATs experience’ for the parents, I am shocked and disappointed in the schools lack of care for the parents and also question their empathy and understanding of their SEN children and parents!
I wonder if they are aware of the Disability Discrimination Act – DDA and if the term ‘Duty of care’ actually means anything to this education establishment?
SEN Label or teaching attack?
September 14, 2010
14th September 2010 headline:
Ofsted says special needs used too widely
14th September 2010 The DDC alternative headline:
Less need for ‘Special needs’ label, if schools focused more on teaching for all their children.
Not quite as catchy and nowhere near as emotionally evoking as the headline this morning, but a lot nearer the true message of ofsted comments and much nearer the truth itself!
Head lines that are stated such as this are not helpful and are very stressful for our special needs children or the parents of special needs children, especially those who are fighting really hard to get special educational needs recognised in their children!
In my opinion the truth is that our children in the main are not taught in a way that meets their individual learning styles, there is too much ‘talk and chalk’ style teaching in the classroom and not enough hands on practical teaching in and out of the classroom.
Teachers should be given access to a team of specialists in their school who have knowledge & experience of all the ‘Special Educational Needs’ and not just one person who is the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). It is also pertinent to point out here that the SENCO in a lot of schools usually has to teach a certain number of hours a week as well as carry out the role of SENCO, for the whole school!
A new academic year begins…
September 13, 2010
Here we are, at the beginning of another academic year, with students, parents & teachers returning to education with renewed passions, energy & expectations for the year ahead.
For some students that first day back signifies a new beginning, the holidays have given them time to recoup, reenergize and reassess attitudes and expectations. So with head held high, deep breaths and hope in their hearts they step into school, college & university ready & determined to work harder, smarter and better, than they have ever worked!
For some parents that first day back signifies a new beginning, this year their child will be organized, they will keep up with home work & assignments, spelling tests, dissertations etc. This is the year that their child will ‘catch up’ will reach the average grades for their age group and/or get grades that reflect the amount f energy and effort that they put into their work.
For some teachers that first day their students come back signifies new beginnings, & opportunities, they are full of determination that this year they will make a difference, that they will inspire, motivate, effect change and enable ‘all’ their students to succeed. Also determined that this year the paperwork, marking and grading will be coped with, that the enforced bureaucracy will not get in the way of educating their students!
For me in my role as ‘The Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant’, that first day back signifies that it is time to brace myself! To ensure I have both the time & emotional energy to be able to offer the right advice and guidance to those students, parents & teachers call when their initial expectations fall apart!
This year it was earlier than I expected, by 1:30pm on that first day back I had received my first phone call! A parent who was already at the end of her tether; promises made last year not kept and yet another teacher who didn’t understand the implications of her child’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) not to mention the ‘reasonable adjustments’ that should and need to be made. This parent wanted to know her legal rights, I could hear and recognize the despair in her words & vice as she realized she was going to have to fight for her child’s right to an effective education.
Later that afternoon I received my second phone call from another parent who last year had been promised a dyslexia screening test or their child, that work would be differentiated and that the teachers would be given some dyslexia awareness training; a meeting with the SENCO (special Education Needs Coordinator) that morning confirmed that last year’s promises had not been kept!
How is it that these collective passions, determination, spirit, hope and potential can be so quickly suffocated?
Our SpLD (Specific Learning Differences) students return to education determined that this will be the year that they do better, that they try harder, that they will knuckle down and impress their teachers, lecturers & parents!
I wish the government would put specialist (plural) teachers into each school who really understand and know their stuff too advise teachers. Each school, university should have a team of specialist teachers & assessors ‘on site’ for the teachers, students & parents to access. (it’s not rocket Science!)
It is so wrong that students have eating disorders, emotional & self esteem/confidence issues want to do things like break fingers or worse, attempting and even achieving suicide, because school, college or university is so stressful. Surely if it were their parents who were responsible for inflicting this, they would be prosecuted and done for abuse! So why do we tolerate this from our education system?
Surely with the combined students, teachers and parents passions, determinations and expectations our education system should be enabling our teachers, parents to enable our SpLD students to reach their potential and not be wasting it leaving it to lay dormant, and worse than that in so many cases its left or buried beneath ignorance and lack of understanding!
If you live in the Shropshire area and you would like legal advice about education I can hand on heart recommend Mortimers Solicitors in Bridgenorth www.mortimers-solicitors.co.uk
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