What a Few Days!

Phew! 

What a few days!

I am so excited and motivated!

I am so overwhelmed by the emails & messages & tweets I have received from people who don't know me - but have taken the time to congratulate me for what I am about to do - thank you!

"I have just seen an article in the local paper about your new flexi school and would just like to wish you luck in this endeavour. Students with dyslexia have so much potential and with the right guidance and help can achieve anything their hearts desire."

"My son ******* has Dyslexia and in Australia that is a tragedy with it only just being recognised (not funded) as a learning disability in 2010. We were living in the US where they had dyslexia ADHD schools which were fantastic.  I just want to say congratulations for starting your school."

 

"I have just read your article.. Wow!! I'm so excited for you... "

I am getting inundated with media interest:

• KMFM Medway 100.4 FM / 107.9 FM news bulletin on Tuesday 21 May 'every hour on the hour'
• Kent online     http://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend_messenger/news/Mum-sets-up-flexi-school-to-852/
• And today, a request by the news editor from Radio Kent for me to do a slot with Julia George on Wednesday 22nd May from 10am!  We chatted for ages and I am so looking forward to talking to Julia and finding out more of what the public think about my approach.

But the best thing of all?

My daughter came home absolutely over the moon, with her SAT's Reading Paper result written on her hand!

She had got a 3a, "My teacher said that I should be very proud of myself,' she said.  I couldn't quite remember what '3a' meant - was it that good?!  When we got home, I looked at what she had got last year, it was 2b - so she had gone up 4 SUB-LEVELS!!  Brilliant!  I also looked at the year before - she had also got 2b; so had made no progress in a year, but massive progress this year!

Now, I am not for one moment putting it all down to what I have done, she is a year older, she has a great teacher this year who she loves & who really 'gets her,' everything has really started to fall into place this year for her - BUT 4 SUB-LEVELS?!! after not progressing at all in the previous year - well, there is surely no doubt flexi-schooling works......

.....I wouldn't be so bold as to say that, but I recently got a report from a specialist teacher at KCC, who assessed another child I flexi-school.  In 7 months he had gone up 19mths in reading accuracy; 15mths comprehension & 12mths reading rate, scoring within the average range.  It also stated he had made "accelerated progress".  The child himself told the specialist teacher he was now improving "big time".

This particular student has gone from being a frustrated, angry boy to a happy, confident young man, who embraces new challenges.  I am so proud of him.  And, of course, my daughter.

All sunny days have to have a black cloud on the horizon, and my black cloud came, once again, in the shape of my son.  I was so excited about my daughter's results and my amazing day that I twittered on thoughtlessly in the car on the way home from school.  When I looked in the wing mirror, I saw his sad face.  I knew immediately the poor little thing felt totally left out, and I had been a fool.  He said to me later, 'I want to join in, but I have nothing to say...'  I spend a lot of time talking dyslexia; but I assured him I was mum first, to him & my daughter...I am just a thoughtless one at times - another lesson learned!!