Last year, my school informed me that I have dyscalculia, a learning disability that affects the way I process math. Having an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) isn't the easiest thing to cope with. Having an IEP means that I need a secondary resource teacher to make sure I understand what is going on in the classroom. I have more work than other students because everyday after school I need to go over the notes I took in class and write another set of notes in the way I understand them. Having the disability sometimes makes me doubt myself and wonder, “Why can't I learn like everyone else? My life would be much easier.” Sometimes I come across people who treat me differently because I don’t learn in the same way, but I’m really just a regular student like them. I ignore their behavior and don’t let it affect me. People’s negative opinions make my passion to conquer this disability stronger.
My teachers expect a lot from me academically. They hold me to a high standard to prepare me for college, where I may not have the same resources. When I go to college, my learning disability won't affect any goals I want to accomplish. I’m the type of individual that likes to challenge myself, so I know I will succeed in the next phase of my education. I want to prove to kids that also have a disability that they can make it too.
