A Year

The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis

You can talk about reading comprehension, the power of the brain or types of learning styles, all important topics, but the process of becoming a Davis facilitator was one of the most important things for me!

It started in the early 2000's when I was on an intense journey. The journey's mission boiled down to one thing: my students. 

These elementary kiddos had abundant potential (some were my special ed students, others were simply in the same classes as my students. Some spent lots of weekends with my family and I, others only had a few minutes a week in their classroom as part of their IEP) that wasn't being accessed; furthermore, I was confused by the endless stream of medications and drugs some were religiously given. 

The array of seminars I attended had a bounty of information, but the sessions never quite hit the target for my students. 

Seminars were not the only place I searched. There was one book that jumped out at me through my research, The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis.  My husband generously bought me the book and I packed it without questioning for spring break 2001, reading it on the airplane as we passed over mountains in the western United States. My friends made fun of me for 'working' on vacation. I did not care! 

The Journey!

It would be several years before I would finally start the path toward becoming a licensed Davis facilitator, but once that journey began I was ALL IN for the RIDE! 

The year of training was long, required many sacrifices, but I was impassioned to obtain the best results obtainable. There were no short cuts on this journey, I had too many questions to answer. 

There was this one question that nagged at me -- How would people know I was capable of providing the Davis Dyslexia correction program? Would they trust me with their children? Would I honestly be able to help anyone? 

The specialist involved with my training told me she would always be there to vouch for me. That seemed reasonable. I still had questions!  

That was over twelve and a half years ago as I was finishing up my training. I genuinely had no idea time would speed along so quickly through these years! Sincerely, I know there were times in the beginning of opening a new business where I had to jump high hurdles, but sitting here typing, right here in this moment, I cannot name any hardships or struggles that didn't, in the end, pass rather quickly.

Reflecting over years of facilitating the Davis program it truly all comes back to dyslexia. 

That's right, dyslexia. Not in the way you might think of dyslexia, but my own dyslexia, it's about my own dyslexia now.  Some say they think my dyslexia has added to my ability to help others. Maybe they are right; maybe that's my gift of dyslexia, the ability to help others. 

I no longer wonder what my clients, their parents; students, their grandparents or friends think about this program. I believe in them without reservation. Wholeheartedly. Onward with the journey!

Thank you, Ron Davis!

  

Cathy Henkle Cook, M. Ed.

OnPoint Learning Center, LLC

Columbia, Missouri

(573) 819-6010

Empower Your Life with the GIFT of DysLeXia! 

More than senses

Power of the Brain

Our brains take-in information (for example) sounds from inside of our home, the smell of dinner coming from the kitchen, the feelings of those who live within close proximity to us; from the colors decorating our rooms, to the arrangement of our furniture, and even from the textures of the carpeting and the upholstery of our furniture. 

Here's what I've noticed about myself--

The raised, looping-textured fabric of an indoor-outdoor rug in one room of our home feels nice on my bare feet. I like to think of it as a mini (MINI!) foot massage! I can tell the different between areas tread upon frequently and those barely walked on. 

Here's another: I realized my brain was taking in information from the environment way back in my college days. In the early days after I first left home to live in the girl's dorm at Western Illinois University I woke up one night from a deep sleep feeling reassured. What was so reassuring? The sound of the refrigerator! That was it! And then I thought, "I don't have a fridge in my room!" I soon realized what I was 'hearing', out of the blue, was the refrigerator back home! 

Well, not really a refrigerator (at least not one I could reach over to touch) but the memory of home! My mind created a way to cope with this brand new situation in life by playing out the sound clip of the humming Kelvinator from HOME! Who knew that something so simple would bring comfort.

Life Application

As nice as these memories are, what does it all mean? 

I talked about my brain waking me up from a deep sleep to play the sound clip of the family's refrigerator, but the drone of a fridge isn't all that important! 

In helping dyslexics, as a Davis Dyslexia Correction facilitator, I began applying the tools used for hands-on correction of dyslexic symptoms to adult emotions.  Creating the letters of our alphabet A-Z with some of my adult clients, we first make alphabet letters from non-hardening clay. My letters on one side of the table, my client's on the opposite side. 

We joke, carry on delightful conversations and at the end of the alphabet making we take a short break. Afterwards we focus on some simple Davis tools, and start creating letter A.  

I'd like to say from here I have an elaborate plan of attack, but truthfully at this point my clients take over. While I do ask a few questions to get things started I'm amazed at the power of their brain that supplies these adults with the answer. Not any old answer but the viable answers to their questions! 

While not all things in life are that easy, this is certainly a place to begin. 

We start with letter A, process through some simple tools with the clay materials and the brain begins to fill in the holes. It fills in the holes, while exposing deeply immersed items from recent or long forgotten interactions, reactions, emotions; from visions, feelings, interpretations, and an endless array of brain absorbed materials.  

Any idea what may be locked inside your brain? Let's start with a little clay and see where we can go! 

Cathy Henkle Cook, M. Ed.

OnPoint Learning Center, LLC

Columbia, Missouri

Empower your life with the GIFT of Dyslexia!