From Frustration to Flourishing: My Journey with Dyslexia in the Classroom

As a child, I struggled deeply with reading. Letters flipped, words blurred, and no amount of effort seemed to make it easier. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with dyslexia and received targeted therapy from third to fifth grade that things began to change.

That experience shaped not just how I learned, but how I teach.

When I look at a student who’s falling behind, I don’t see a problem. I see potential. I see myself. I understand the frustration, the fear of being called on, the exhaustion of trying to keep up when your brain processes differently.

Too often, students with learning differences are labeled as lazy or defiant. But they’re working harder than most people realize. What they need is not more pressure, but more understanding, more tools, and more time.

Today, teachers can use multi-sensory strategies, allow flexible pacing, and intentionally build confidence as students build skills. The goal isn’t just better grades—it’s helping students believe they can learn.

Supporting struggling learners means refusing to give up on them—and refusing to let them give up on themselves.