Ryan
Our son Ryan is 17 years old. Ryan is a well mannered, and gentle person, with a unique sense of humor, and a great singing voice. Ryan also has a receptive speech and language disorder, which causes him to have delayed speech and cognitive processing abilities. He needs to stop and think about what he wants to say, but he is remarkably able when he can work at his own pace.
Ryan likes computers, video games, soundtrack CDs, going to the movies and bookstores. Although he has a difficult time with verbal expression and short-term memory skills, we have always tried to make life as normal as possible for Ryan, but other children, including my own family members have been very cruel. I have even witnessed his cousins making fun of him. This has caused a lot of tension in my family. We have stopped attending family gatherings, and our family is not as close as we used to be. As a result, we don't have a strong support system. This means that we usually only go out to places Ryan can go because we are not comfortable leaving him home alone.
In the past, we always felt that Ryan was not getting the help he needed at school. He was often frustrated. We thought Ryan's teachers chose not to go the extra mile, which led to many miscommunications, and Ryan missing assignments. He was not able to tell us what his homework assignments were, or what he needed for school. Although his teachers knew about Ryan's problems, they did not support him appropriately. We knew Ryan needed more one-on-one help and a more structured classroom where the teachers work on his weaknesses and build upon his strengths.
When Ryan was entering 9th grade, Eton Academy declined to accept him. They told us that their programming would not meet his needs, and they referred us to Learning Circle Academy. Ryan has been an LCA student for the past 2 years. The teachers have given Ryan the individual attention he needs. It shows in his study habits. His memory has improved, and really enjoys going to school. His homework is usually done before he gets home. He has started to read more books and he comprehends what he reads. He asks us more questions, and he doesn't hesitate to ask for help. Now Ryan volunteers information about school. We rarely have to ask him anymore.
We have spent so much money over the years on different schools and programs trying to get Ryan the help he needed. This is the first school that makes us feel that it is not about the money, but about the child. This is also the first time that I (his mother) have been able to relax while Ryan is in school. Now I know he is OK.
Voncille and Leon