Female from age 19 to 24 with Dyslexia

I was in the fourth grade when my parents were told I should be tested for dyslexia. By this time I was failing math and struggling with English, which I was very upset about. Many people are surprised when I say I have dyslexia. It sometimes feels that to have dyslexia is to be labeled as stupid or just too lazy to learn like the other “normal” students. I can remember a teacher making me cry because I used my figures to do "simple" math problems. I jump ahead of myself while writing long paragraphs or a short sentence. I am constantly checking and re-checking my work even now at the age of 24. While in grade school I was told I was taking to long to do, once again, “simple” tasks. I always read at my appropriate reading level, but when asked to read aloud in class I became easily confused by words I knew that I KNEW! Instead of paying attention to what was being read in class I was trying to predict when I would have to read so I could jump ahead to prepare myself before I had to read it to the class. Before I taught myself what to look for I became very good at fooling those around me into thinking I didn’t have any problems in class. For the most part I have it under control, but occasionally my symptoms will pop-up unexpectedly. For parents with dyslexic children or teachers who have students with dyslexia the best piece of advice I can offer is patience. I know that at times it can be hard, but just remember as frustrating as it is for you, it is twice as frustrating for the child. Dyslexia is something that with time, practice, and patience can be overcome or at least controlled; I am proof of that. While in college I was on the Dean’s List multiple times, won several writing awards, and was a member of the National Honor Society. To reiterate, dyslexia does not mean stupid, lazy, or any other negative label people associate with a learning disability; it just means those children need a little extra time and need to be in an environment where they are encouraged to do their best and are not expected to live up to the expectations of the “smart, normal” students.