She caught my attention when I noticed she was lost in her own thoughts. While I spend so much time trying to make them understand the topic of the day, all she ever did was look away when others were all ears. "What could possibly be wrong with this child" i wondered. She can't even write, whenever she tries it turns out to be a disaster, something only she can understand. I directed my questions to her class teacher and here was the respond, "thats how she behaves... she can't read and write, she fails every exam over and over again and as a result can't progress to the next class. Her junior sister is in a senior class while she lingers in a more junior class....".
When i heard that I was more concern, how could she survive in a world like this as a female child who can't read or write? She could turn out beautiful, grow to become someone whoose beauty catches the eye. But without brains to think for herself and to get things done? the disaster and the embarassment she will incur upon herself could be destructive phsycologically. I wanted to know more, understand her real problem, so I called her to my office. She came in with mixed smiles on her face, an expression of one who feels life's got nothing for her; No friends to play with. Who would want to have anything to do with her?
The brokenness she felt, the island she was becoming and the pain of dejection that runs in her veins. Words cannot best describe.
When she stood before me, I looked at her with genuine love of a teacher. Then I held my clock in a position that was upside down, "is this how it's suppose to be?" I asked. And with much confidence, she said "Yes". I smiled.
I moved further and unbuttoned one of her circle shaped button on her shirt, " please button your shirt" I said calmly. The tears I held back when I saw her struggle to perform such a simple task as that, I can't imagine. She couldn't do it, tried to several times but to no avail. Her efforts was fruitless. "Esther, who buttons your shirt for you at home?" I asked. "My daddy" she said. "Oh, I see" I said. That was when I was quite certain that she was dyslexic. So I thought it wise to report to the head of the school. This child needs special attention.

This Thing Called Dyslexia..
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NOTE
Have you ever heard of dyslexia?
When a child cannot read or write, don't be mad at her, she suffers more than you think. The words she sees are dancing in her eyes and so she can't recognize them. So teach her with love.
Esther in the story, saw my clock upside down as the normal because in her eyes things are inverted and so she most times writes in inverted form. E.g
saw for was.
Don't see her as stubborn because she doesn't pay attention to what you say. She also suffers from what is called "attention deficit disorder".
The signs are more than these.
Have you ever seen one?
Its not normal, the name is called dyslexia; a learning disability characterized by difficulty in reading and writing.
Don't think of it as a curse, the world's greatest invention was done by such people who couldn't read and write in their childhood. Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, Walt Disney and many others passed through situations in their childhood. So you can say, "they are gifted children whoose abilities are hidden beneath their challenges". Get them through their challenges (teach them with love and concern) and you will see what great things they can do.

Source:http://akpansblog..com