Soon after starting school, my mom realized I had a learning disability. I was tested and diagnosed with dyslexia. I would learn a whole spelling list and all would just fade away. I just could not remember the words. My tongue just could not make out the sound of the words which also made reading very difficult. I spent my entire primary school career going for lessons.
Once you get to a certain age, the lessons stop. They are only offered for a certain length of time and or until one reaches a certain age. When I was told my lesson time was over, I begged my remedial teacher to continue with my lessons. She agreed and did it in secret as it was not government policy to continue with the lessons. Eventually, she was forced to stop.
Now I was on my own. I did the best I could. Standard 5 was high school and I completed the year but obtained a dismal report but enough to go to standard 6. I was not happy with my results, so at the start of the next year, I excused myself from the standard 6 teachers’ class and went back to my standard 5 register class teacher. She came to the door and asked me what I wanted. I said my marks were not good enough and could I please redo standard 5. She told me to come in and sit down. This turned out to be the best move I ever made.
Still embarrassed by my writing, as it swung in all directions below and above the line, I would hide my work and rewrite it all at home slowly each afternoon. When my English teacher said she was going to take reading marks, I would pray endlessly for the bell to ring so she did not get to me during that period. I had worked out her system and how many pages each of my peers would read. I’d go home and count the pages till it would be my turn. I would read the same pages all afternoon, just trying to make sense of the words so I would not falter through my reading. She got to me too early that next day. I stammered and panicked; I felt awful and realized all my friends would know I could not read. I turned the page….wow! This was where I had started the previous afternoon. Suddenly I read like a champ. Not a proper champ but much better than the previous pages. I think my English teacher realized what I had done and was pleased with my efforts.
Before the exams I would write essays on topics I thought she might give us, so what I wrote would made sense in the exams. This backfired a bit, as I never guessed the essay topics correctly. I continued this for much of my high school career.
Maths was slightly easier for me. I could recognize patterns in Maths, so this helped. Also in primary school, we had a male teacher who scared the living daylight out of me. In fact, I don’t think he liked children, but because of this fear, I knew my bonds and tables. As an adult, I realize this did save me. I battled through Maths.
Then one year I got an amazing Maths teacher, she was fabulous. Anything and everything I ever learnt or heard about Maths just fell into place. I was in standard 7. This is where my passion for Mathematics began.
This was when I heard that I was not going to pass matric, was thought I’d fall out. “Louise was not going to make it”. I think this is where my stubborn personality turned into un-quivering determination and perseverance. I was going to pass!
I worked diligently every afternoon. My years of determination paid off. My goal was to pass matric and go to prize giving. It took me twelve years, but I had achieved my goal. I received two prizes that day. The proudest day of my life!
I helped my twin brother pass Maths. From this, I could see I had the ability to explain Maths from any direction and I had an understanding. I could spot and fix a Maths problem he had. Teaching became my calling.
Even though I had achieved my goals, college was a new challenge and I knew I would still battle with the written word.
I was accepted by a college in Pretoria far from home…..far from Windhoek where my family lived.
At res, I got on well with the matron, who was a retired teacher. I think I was looking for a mother figure. I would go to her room most afternoons, she would lie down to rest and I would sit at the end of the bed and read to her. She would correct me and help me as I went along.
I realized this was not enough. I was desperate. I did not want to fail. I had to rewrite my English IOI to pass my first year. I approached the remedial lecturer at college and asked her to help me. College was not like school. One had free lecture periods, which were your own time. I chose to go to remedial lessons. The lecturer would put me on a machine to practice my reading and spelling. I spent many free periods doing that. This continued through my college years.
My teaching pracs were a breeze, but I had one problem. Little pupils look to their teachers and always ask, “How do I spell this word Miss?”
Panic set in. How was I going to teach if I could not spell? Then by sheer luck, I got to teach Mathematics. Here I was “at home” and comfortable. My knowledge and ability shone through. Spelling and reading were still a problem, but this is when my perseverance and exceptional skill of beating the system truly came alive. I became organized and well-prepared. I predicted all the words the children would ask. I would swop my Maths skill for help. I would add anyone’s marks in exchange for someone to proofread what I had written. I still do this today.
Computers were my saving grace. With spell check as a tool, I could design worksheets and write without pressure. If I did make a mistake, I’d call it a typo, so no one knew I still could not spell. I am faster and more competent typing on a computer than writing a letter!
I do believe that because of my dyslexia, I am able to help children. I can spot a problem, help break it down and fix it.
I gave a lot of extra lessons. I really enjoyed helping children. Many of the parents of the pupils I tutored wished they could buy a book to help their kids with Mathematics. This is when the idea of Mom’s Maths Manual was born. I could provide moms with the help they needed to help their kids! MOM = Mastering of Maths and helping Moms teach Maths to their children.
I think I have always loved Maths. Maybe because I could do it better than all the other subjects I did at school. I have been teaching for more than 35 years, most of which have been Maths. Each year my passion deepens, I just love it when I see a child’s eyes light up as a concept begins to make sense. There is no better feeling!
Not so long ago, I went out to dinner with a few friends, all of them in the corporate world. They were all talking about job satisfaction, and I did not want to be part of the discussion, as I felt that as a teacher, we don’t earn much and my stories did not seem so fantastic.
When suddenly the waitress threw her arms around me and hugged me. She blurted out “You were my best Maths teacher I ever had. Even my dad says so. He still says he wished you taught me at high school.” I got so embarrassed by the attention. She truly went on about how great I was for at least 10 minutes. Eventually, when she took our order and left the table, I turned around and said….THAT’S MY JOB SATISFACTION. That table was silent.
To this day I will not write a letter by hand or write a cheque. I panic and begin to sweat. My two daughters know never to ask me to read a sign or how to spell a word in public. They are wonderfully understanding.
I do not embarrass children in class with difficulties. I try to build and encourage. I know and remember only too well what that embarrassment feels like. Sometimes I even give them a second chance.
What makes my books so successful is that, it’s step by step, I tell the parent how to do the required work for the grade. I have used colour to track how numbers change in a sum. I have finished the sum in as many different ways as possible so the child and parent can choose the best method for themselves.
But most of all, I was a dyslexic child, and have used my disability to help others. I believe that is why my books succeed.
Below is a few awards and achievements I have picked up along the way.
2012 Mathematics Provincial Teacher Challenge (Winner)
2012 CAPS Facilitator for the Department of Education
2011 Mathematics Provincial Teacher Challenge (Winner)
2011 National Teachers Awards (Excellence in Primary School Teaching)
2009 National Teachers Awards (Cluster Finalist)
