To Whom it May Concern,
I had the unusual opportunity this summer to be a 'fly on the wall' while my
daughter Molly went through the Rocky Point Academy program with Larry. It
was a revelation to my daughter, and a huge educational experience for me!
Like many other parents with dyslexic children, I knew my daughter to be an
intelligent, articulate child, with an inexplicable inability to read.
This in a family that is addicted to reading! She's always been surrounded
by books, yet she couldn't read. When I expressed my concerns to her
teachers at school, they never seemed to think there was a problem, and when I
insisted on testing, her performance was low, but not low enough to qualify for
any special help.
I was frustrated, and Molly was frustrated. Sadder, though, was I think
she had already given up and decided that she really was stupid, that she
couldn't do better. All this at the age of 8.
Which was the situation when we started at Rocky Point. Initially Molly
didn't want to go. She knew she would never learn to read. She
didn't want to spend a whole week of her summer vacation in summer school.
She hated school!
But that one week has changed our lives!
By the second day of sessions with Larry she was looking forward to going.
This wasn't like school at all. The difference was easy for her to
express. In school it didn't matter how hard she worked, she would just do
worse and worse; but with Larry, if she followed his direction, it got easier
and easier, and she could do it! And just like that, within a day or two,
my little girl had a confidence and self esteem that she had lost years before.
By the end of the week, it was tears when she had to say good-bye to Larry.
She wanted to stay and work with him forever, she felt so smart when she was
there.
It's not as easy at home as it was at Rocky Point. Its hard to find the
time to do clay, and she still doesn't like to do spell-reading. But
there's a difference in Molly now. She knows she's smart. And now
she's still an intelligent and articulate child; but she's also a self-confident
one who enjoys going to school, who loves all the Ivy and Bean books, and who
has an 'A' in spelling!
Our
lives were changed by our week at Rocky Point Academy. From my experience
listening in, I understand much more clearly how Molly's brain works. And
Molly, well Molly has decided she can do anything. Last week she wanted to
be an astronaut, this week its a geologist. I don't know what she'll end
up doing, but my sincere thanks go out to Larry at Rocky Point for making it
possible for my child to excel.
Sincerely,
Donna
