When Emily Gee became that student at school who was left behind and forgotten, it was hard to see where she fitted into the world. Always having that sense at school that something wasn’t quite right when struggling with common challenges of dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Emily always found comfort and confidence in the performing arts.
Being a talented performer, Emliy found her place in the world, and whilst she would always struggle with the challenges which come from dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia, performing not only brings her joy, but is also the area where she excels the most in.
Surrounded by the right support and encouragement from some great teachers and her parents, Emily learnt to lean into her strengths in performing arts, share her talent with everyone, and not to overthink and dwell on what she found a challenge.
The traditional school system would commonly ask students to stand up and read chapters of books and write on the blackboard (old school interactive white boards for those who didn’t go to school in the 1980s). But never do teachers ask students to stand up in front of the class and sing. In Emily’s experience, she had teachers which would celebrate her talents by welcoming her to sing at the front of class as opposed to reading.
These early days of building confidence in your strengths as opposed to focusing on weaknesses are incredibly formative for most people with dyslexia. For Emily, with the support and encouragement she received, she studied performing arts at university and is now pursuing a career in that field.
From Emily’s experience, support for dyslexia was plentiful. Most teachers are fully aware of the challenges people with dyslexia face, and how to support them. However, this was not (and still is not) the case for dyscalculia.
Very little is known about dyscalculia, how to identify it at school, and to support people with dyscalculia. It is the reason and through Emily’s experience that she is an ambassador for the Dyscalculia Network.
Emily is now on a mission to share her experience and help others get the support for dyscalculia that they need as early as possible.
If you are a parent with a child who has early signs of either dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia, this episode is for you.
Strengths:
- Grit and Determination,
- Emotional Intelligence,
- Creativity.
Dyslexic Hack:
- Being OVER organised.
Key Topics:
- Surviving school with Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, and Dyspraxia.
- Leaning into her strengths through encouragement.
- Sharing experience to spread awareness.
