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The progress of education

Chloe_Scope
Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger

My name is Chloe Tear, I am 20 years old and am about to start my final year at university. In my free time I love to write a blog, take photos and cannot seem to resist a coffee catch up. However, education has always been something that I have had to work really hard at. I have mild cerebral palsy, chronic pain and I’m partially sighted due to visual cortex disorder.

When I started primary school, it was clear that I found it incredibly difficult at times. Academically maths has never been my best subject. I have always struggled to understand the most basic concepts. Despite still not knowing my times tables or being able to tell the time properly- I got a B at GCSE. I remember my Year 4 teacher telling me that times tables were fundamental to life. That I would never get anywhere if I didn’t just try that bit harder and learn them. However, he didn’t realise I have my own set of fundamentals. When you live with cerebral palsy it can be so hard to be sucked into the ‘normal’ timeline of events that should happen in life. We sometimes need to take a step back. I have found my own path that doesn’t have success that is comparable, but success that is just as valid.

At high school I continued to work a lot harder than my peers to achieve similar results. I found it hard to keep up with the amount of work and handwriting notes quickly became not possible. However, all these things were overcome. I started taking notes on an iPad and put in those extra hours because I wanted to succeed. I still couldn’t tell the time but could get an A in English. I found my own way to remember information and was able to access the support that I needed at the time. Due to higher levels of pain and fatigue I started to use a wheelchair on a part time basis at the age of 15. I could manage to walk around all day, but this meant that I probably had lower levels of concentration in the classroom, it all was a balancing act to get it to work. However, it didn’t mean it was all impossible.

But where is my educational journey at the moment? Heading into primary school is a big jump, so is high school. My advice would be to focus on the now as much as possible and try not worry about hurdles that lay in the future. However, here is a very real possibility. I am studying psychology and child development, on track to graduate with a 2:1. I love the course I am studying, despite wanting to now pursue a career in journalism, but that doesn’t make me value my degree any less.

When I started university, I moved into halls with 9 strangers, started employing a PA and no longer was around people who knew exactly how to support me! It felt like such a huge step. I was so used to being able to get through the day and then crash from pain and exhaustion when I got home. However, when you live with your friends that is not as easy. I have learnt to step back when I need to, even if I don’t always get it right- which results in my PA suggesting that it is time for a lie down.  

Yet university has opened up the world of work. Over the last two years I have taken part in two placements, one in the SEN department of a mainstream school and one working for RNIB on campaigns for people who are blind and partially sighted. I have always worried a little about how I would be able to get a job, not only that, would anyone employ me in the first place! The answer is yes! Slowly, but surely, things are falling into place. Hurdles that seemed so big when they were in the distance are being overcome. So, no matter what stage you or your child are at, it somehow works- just not always how you’d imagine it. If I hadn’t been registered as partially sighted, then I probably wouldn’t have had connections with RNIB to get a placement. Yet that experience is so relevant in terms of my future career.

What hurdles have you overcome throughout education? Has your educational path differed from peers because of your disability? Share this with the community!

Scope

Comments

  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @Chloe_Scope   Thank you for your post. Much appreciated.

    I myself often wonder how I came to achieve so much in later in life.

    Having had the experiences of not be able to fulfil my educational needs. Due to the education system which was in my opinion benefited others not people of our community.

    Made to look and feel singled out for wanting to learn. Always by teachers who views and opinions of you. Mattered to such an effect mentally caused you many days and nights of grief.

    Had the skills but there are so many like me of a certain age. That they feel betrayed by the lack of authority from teachers who considered you more harm really being at school.

    Only leaving with ringing endorsements from certain family members and teachers you never amount to much.

    Life time of wasted opportunities and by certain personnel along the way.

    Set about starting to give me the potential to find what I could achieve and do.  I have to do this and ended up fully charged and really ready to take on the world.

    Habits are always in my mind from days of old. Being denied entry , mainly discriminations of my self and others. By like minded people who did not see past the disability.

    Now I wanted to be educated not be praised for attaining qualifications and acquired a thirst for knowledge. Libraries, study rooms, books and watching documentaries became my teachers.

    By the mid eighties had gained many qualifications in Business and other related. Yet the working and the agencies surrounding employment opportunities still not of acceptance.

    Even had proof and valuable it was to doubt those who see me as a nobody.  By the end of eighties and early nineties had gained more insights into finding what life meant to me.

    This included more qualifications, more hard work to prove myself. Went into looking for answers.

    Had the knock backs the heart ache, filled exercise books with stories of it all.

    Started business came across all sorts of paths journeys and now after all I have been through.

    Am still learning but my education is now here on this forum.

    The big challenge is for me is remembering what I have done and in the early days of addiction doing health well being qualifications. Yet I am can not recall doing some qualifications. Due to mental problems.

    Met a lad years ago claimed to met at a course have no recollections at all.

    The other sad thing have some memories but have no evidence and all my certificates and anything else have no record of any of it.

    Problems ensued at Job centre plus for the CV. End of all the struggles trying to proof myself because I am disabled and ill. Is not knowing what and why I had this knowledge never to be used in a job role.

    Use it here instead if I can.

    Thank you

    Take care

    @thespiceman
    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you very much for your comments @thespiceman. It is amazing what we can learn over a lifetime and how much we apply these skills. I found it really interesting to read about :)
    Scope

  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @Chloe_Scope Thank you for kind words and support appreciated.

    As I move along my journey to fulfil the need I still want to learn more.

    Not from doing courses or college but here amongst the members of this community who can give to me a education and I can learn from..

    Sharing their own experiences and life knowledge wishing to share.

    Take care

    @thespiceman
    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes

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