Sara's Success Story

If you have been following along on our blog for a while, you'll know how much I love sharing Bridgeway success stories.  A young woman named Sara stopped into our offices the other day to say hello and let us know what she's been up to since she left our school a few years ago.  I couldn't resist doing an impromptu interview so that I could share her story with you.

Congratulations on your success Sara!

Rhonda

Sara’s story

“Yes, I have a learning disability, but I can still learn and you can still teach me stuff.  I’m not stupid.  That’s what I learned from Bridgeway.”

Sara is having a big week.  She has just started her first year of university at Acadia, and like thousands of other students, she’s busy finding her way around campus, meeting new people and attending her first classes.

But there was a time that Sara didn’t believe she’d ever get here.

Sara has a learning disability.  At public school, her classmates called her stupid, and her teachers didn’t understand why she couldn’t do the work she was being given, since they could see she was bright.

She laboured for hours over homework, starting on it after school and continuing well into the evening.  Her parents would make her go to bed, sometimes close to midnight, and often before she was done.  When she returned to school with her homework unfinished, her teachers would put her in detention. 

The cycle started to take a toll on Sara.  She started getting sick, and didn’t want to go to school any more.  She would even fake sick for the chance to stay home.  Her mom realized that something was very wrong and started looking for answers.  She soon found Bridgeway, and registered Sara for two days a week (she’d attend her public school the other three) during her grade three year.  She went back to public school full-time the following year, but things didn’t go well, and she was back at Bridgeway as a full-time student by Grade 7.

Sara said the experience at Bridgeway was completely different for her.  The teachers worked with her in small classes, with lots of one-on-one attention.  They only gave her work she could handle, so homework was no longer a marathon of frustration.  Sara says she felt at home with students who were all the same.  Because everyone had a learning disability, she was no longer teased for not understanding.

Sara stayed at Bridgeway through Grade nine, and then switched to Churchill Academy, another provincially-designated school for students with learning disabilities in Dartmouth.  Even as she worked on her high school credits, she was still concerned about her ability to graduate.  She stayed in high school an extra year because she was afraid she wouldn’t be good enough to succeed.

Sara tried a college program soon after graduation, but because she didn’t have an updated psycho-educational assessment, she wasn’t able to receive the supports and accommodations she needed to succeed.  She wasn’t successful, and left the college before finishing her diploma.

But the dream of working with kids has stayed strong.  She had a rough childhood, and believes she can reach out to troubled kids to show them they can succeed.  She has always been curious, and asked those who were working in jobs that she’d like to have what kind of education they had.  Psychology was often the answer, so she’s now working with Acadia to get an updated assessment, and putting the supports she needs in place to get her psychology degree.  She’s confident that this time, she will succeed.

Dealing with Bullies: Who is standing up for our kids?

Today is provincial Stand Up Against Bullying day.  We all know someone who has been bullied, or we have suffered at the hands of a bully ourselves.  Children with learning disabilities are especially vulnerable because they're "different".  Now that kids are back in school, they will be dealing with bullying once again.  We all have a responsibility to protect kids from hurtful behaviours.  Here is some advice on what you can do.

Thanks to Angela Rudderham for allowing us to republish this article today.  You'll find this article and more information for supporting youth with social, behavioural and organizational skills in the weeks to come on the new Turning Tides blog site - www.turningtidescommunity.blogspot.com

Rhonda

By Angela Rudderham, Director of Turning Tides Community Outreach

For a child who is bullied, there are a plethora of emotions they are left to struggle with; fear, embarrassment, helplessness, rejection and worthlessness are just a few.  These are real emotions that can lead to serious stress-related health problems.  Our children deserve our protection, but we often excuse these experiences as a part of growing up.  I would argue that these experiences are not a necessary part of growing up; families, schools and communities could be making the eradication of bulling behaviours a higher priority than it currently is.  I believe the lack of action is because we are at a loss of what we can do both for the bully and the bullied.

Developing our ability to recognize bullying is key, both at home and at school.  Most of us know that bullies can attack their victims physically by punching, kicking, restraining, spitting and so on.  But there is the lesser known form of emotional bullying, which is harder to identify.  This can take the form of insults, rumours, slander, threats, exclusion, name-calling and so on.  This form of bullying leaves lasting invisible scars on the victim and changes who they are and who they become.

Recognizing the signs, at home or in school, that someone is being rejected, targeted or isolated can be very challenging.  Parents may see a change in behaviour such as mood swings, outbursts, depressed demeanour or reports of feeling too sick to go to school.  The victim may be so embarrassed that they act as if they are having the time of their life or that nothing is wrong.  
Parents can do their part by talking to their children about their social life.  Often times we ask our children how their day was and they will reply with the typical “fine”.  If you want a specific answer from your child ask a specific question, such as, “Who did you eat lunch with today?”, “Did you sit with anyone on the bus?”  If your child discloses social difficulties to you, say as little as possible.  Listen first. Avoid judgement by saying things like, “You should have never hung out with those kids in the first place.”  Don’t support victimized thinking through statements like, “You poor thing, this is so unfair.” Instead ask questions such as, “How are you dealing with this?”, “Do you have a plan?”
  
Help your child be proactive, and identify why they have become a target.  Are there circumstances within their control that they can change or do?  Sometimes bullies will target an individual that stands out and sometimes the reason is not clear.  Teach the bullied child to problem solve.  Help the victim identify three possible plans of action and then the worst possible outcome for all three plans.  What possible outcome will they be able to live with?  This will become their plan of action.  Does the child need help with their social skills, hygiene, weight, appearance or grades?  Perhaps it is a matter of getting the victim help for dealing with a senseless rejection.  In any case, ignoring the problem will not lead to a solution.

In school, the bullied child may show externalizing behaviours such as; outbursts, fights or a poor attitude, each as a result of the frustration they feel.  The victim may also develop internalizing behaviours such as withdrawal, a slip in grades, increased absences or self harm.  School personnel should be trained in identifying the signs and encouraged by their administrators to follow through in the reporting process.  Every school should have procedures and policies in place to deal with situations surrounding bullying.  An extra effort to communicate these policies to all parents, students and staff should be taken.  Students will only regard these policies as seriously as school personnel take them.  If we throw our hands up and say there is nothing the school can do, then the message we are sending is that we have lost control of our student’s behaviour and we are not concerned.  

Parents can ask schools about their policies surrounding bulling issues and schools can keep the lines of communication open with parents.  When parents and school work together and support each other, change comes sooner rather than later.

Welcome back!

What a wonderful time of year!  Our students are back in the school, and you can almost feel the excitement in the air.  Old friendships are being renewed and new friendships are being made.  New beginnings are always full of possibility, a theme celebrated in a recent Truro Daily News story about one of our former students.  As tough as it is to see our students go, we know that by the time they're ready to leave, the possibilities are truly endless.

Read and enjoy!

Rhonda

'I'm really excited about going back' - Local - Truro Daily News

 

Truro teen ready to return to public school system after time at Bridgeway Academy

TRURO - With a new school year just around the corner, some students are undoubtedly wishing for a way to turn back the calendar a bit.

Not so for Joseph Hammond.

"Actually, I'm really excited about going back," the 16-year-old Truro resident said. "I cannot wait."
Not only will Joseph be entering a new school when he takes a classroom seat at the Cobequid Educational Center on Tuesday, it will also mark the first time in three years since he has been part of the regular public school system.

During the interim, Joseph, who has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and other learning disabilities, has been enrolled at Bridgeway Academy.

The academy, which has been operating in Colchester County for three years, is a special education private school that specializes in individual learning for students with such disabilities.

Joseph is one of the first students from Bridgeway to return to the regular public school system after successfully receiving instruction at the academy. His outlook and behaviour between when he left the regular system three years ago is like night and day, his mother Denice said.

"I think he's ready. More than ready. I'm more nervous than he is but I know he is going to be able to do it," she said.

Joseph's problems started manifesting themselves at around Grade 4 when he began to experience anxiety issues over attending school. Throughout the next several years, they worsened until Grade 7 when he reached the point of missing at least two days a week from class.

"I couldn't handle it. I was having a very hard time keeping up with my work, not showing up for school and due to my anxiety having a hard time coping with it," he said. "I would stay home because I would feel really sick so I really didn't want to go to school."

And there were many times when Denice would receive a call to come take him home.

"I wasn't sure if he was really sick. I was trying to figure out what was going on with him because he'd go to school; he'd get up, get ready, go to school and then within an hour, hour and a half, the school would be calling me. 'He's throwing up, he's as white as a ghost, you have to come and get him.'"

As his symptoms increased, Joseph became more withdrawn, choosing to stay inside and play video games rather than interacting with others. And while he wasn't overly communicative about his issues, they were certainly troubling for the young teen.

"I was really scared because I was really concerned about my future for college and that and how it would affect me there and how I didn't know what was going on. I was just really worried. It really built up," he said. "But I really tried to cope with it myself and just kept it bottled up in a way."

It reached a point where his parents decided to have him tested, and his disabilities were disclosed for what they were. It was also around that time that Bridgeway Academy was opening in Colchester County and eventually Joseph was enrolled.

Despite the struggles he was having in school, Joseph was initially against the idea of leaving his friends and heading off to the unknown environment the academy offered. It took about halfway through his first year for Joseph to fully realize the benefits of his new learning institution. But when that change began to take shape, it was a welcomed revelation.

"As I progressed at Bridgeway I seemed to take more control of them (his anxieties), so eventually they were not a problem at all," he said.

Joseph also offers praise for the academy's teachers.

"They're really supportive and they teach you at your pace in the way you need to be taught. So it's really helpful for someone with learning disabilities or someone who needs to be taught a certain way than just being told what to do and being left to do it themselves," he said. "It showed me how to overcome my anxiety, how to prepare for the world after school is done, how to study, all the things you basically need. And pretty much how to cope with your learning disability."

Joseph's parents were also obviously relieved at the change.

"He's now outgoing more, he's communicating, he's got people coming and going, he's coming and going. He grew up," Denice said.

"His self confidence and self esteem has really improved."

A view from a visitor

Time spent at Bridgeway has an impact, regardless of the reason for your visit.  This spring, I was fortunate enough to work with two NSCC Business Administration students who spent five weeks working with me at Bridgeway.  They helped plan a conference and two fundraisers, and did invaluable work researching, tracking data and developing new marketing ideas for our school.  What they took away was a greater appreciation for the impact that learning disabilities have on young people. 

Thanks to Angelina for writing this blog post for me.  I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to post it!

Rhonda

My name is Angelina and I took part in a five-week work term at Bridgeway Academy in May that is required for school.

Bridgeway Academy is a school for kids with learning disabilities. The kids that attend this school could have social skill problems, math struggles, or have ADHD. But this does not define the children at this school. What defines the kids is their great personalities, their individuality and their love for one another. The kids here are full of life, energy and love to learn. Some of the kids definitely feel different, like they are from another planet. They feel as though their learning disability puts a strain on life, and they can’t be “normal”. Truth is, everyone feels this way at some point in their lives. We all go through that stage of feeling different, or being the outcast. At Bridgeway Academy, the kids might feel different, and may feel like they wouldn’t fit in with public school children, but they fit in with each other here. They are all different, but are all the same because they are all struggling with their own battle of having a learning disability.

It has been amazing to see the kids work together, and help one another in a way kids from public or private schools might not. From this work term experience, I have realized that I want a career that surrounds me with children. I want to help kid’s everyday and make a difference in their lives. I am unsure where I would like this dream to take me, but I am certain that working with children for the rest of my life is definitely what I want to do. I am so happy that I was able to have the opportunity of working with Bridgeway and gain the experience I did. The faculty here at the school is easy to get along with, the children are spectacular, and their mission to help the kids is inspiring. I hope one day I can help kids in need like Bridgeway Academy does every day.