My Dyslexia Story: From Illiterate to University Lecturer

แชร์
ฝัง
  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ม.ค. 2025

ความคิดเห็น • 86

  • @ArijeAikedeHaas
    @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +22

    I'm sharing my story, because I hope it will help somebody, who is struggling like I did. My background is the reason why I feel so passionately about the topic and why I have been making and will likely continue to make educational content on dyslexia.

    • @ronjaj.addams-ramstedt1023
      @ronjaj.addams-ramstedt1023 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thank you, and a * solidarity fist bump * from Finland!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ronjaj.addams-ramstedt1023 fist bump from Jerusalem. :)

    • @littlecloudinthebluesky
      @littlecloudinthebluesky ปีที่แล้ว

      Hey, I was wondering if you could do a claustrophobia test. Idk if you know what To do or if there’s such a test but yeah.

  • @RTFK
    @RTFK ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I feel so sad that this is so normal for us dyslexics.
    I remember being forced to stand up in class when I was 8 and tell my class how stupid I was and to appologize for holding them all back as my teacher needed to spend more time getting things through my “thick skull”. The next year, another teacher hit me across the face in class because I kept getting a question wrong and she kept repeating the question more aggressively like that would make me get it. This was all in the 90’s in the UK. I got diagnosed at 11 and we moved to New Zealand in hopes things would be better but I was horrifically bullied by my teachers. My classmates took it as permission to bully me to so I got into a lot of fights and was expelled at 16. I was so depressed and felt so useless that I refused to do anything with my life for a few years, I just thought whatever job I could get would only prove how much of a failure I was. I ended up becoming a drug addict and that was my life until 2019 when my brother died and I got clean. With new direction I applied for university and failed the entrance exam. They put me into a class called ‘University preparation’ which is essentially the last 3 years of highschool condensed into a single year. I downloaded the course syllabuses and taught myself everything I needed to learn in 6 months and got straight A’s on everything that year. Now I am in my second year at uni, having completed 12 courses so far, I have got A’s on all of them, top of the class in 5. But it feels so empty as you say, I built this armour to shield myself from other peoples opinions and from school performance marks that I just stress the whole time that people will find out that I’m really just stupid

    • @sallybally9731
      @sallybally9731 ปีที่แล้ว

      OMG you are amazing ❤ I feel your pain at school 😢 please try and be kind to yourself you deserve it ❤

    • @RTFK
      @RTFK ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@sallybally9731 That’s very kind of you. We got this! If I have to teach myself an entire psychology bachelors degree because no teacher knows how to teach me then it’s on them, not me.

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      First of all, most of us have experience with teachers that know nothing about dyslexia, but having abusive teachers is a whole nother level of misery to the already traumatizing experience. That sounds really tough. No wonder it took you some years after school to get things sorted out. I’m glad you did though. It sounds like you really found another thing that you’re good at. About this fear of them “finding out”, I also had a lot of fear of not being good enough when things were finally going well. On the one hand it doesn’t feel particularly good, but I also believe that it helped me to perform. In a way, I look at that as a silver lining because a lot of motivation was created through that fear.
      About the empty feeling, when I worked with my dad on accepting a more positive image of myself, we came to a point where he asked me to say “I gave 100% and I achieved a great result.” And I actually had physical difficulty getting this phrase out. I just couldn’t say it at first. But I think there’s something about communicating this positive side of yourself that helps rectify the negative image that’s been created. I can say the phrase now and mostly believe it. Maybe you try it out and let me know how it goes 😊

    • @RTFK
      @RTFK ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@ArijeAikedeHaas Thats really good advice. It definitely felt very wrong to say. If you're interested, I just read a paper by Niel Alexander-Passe (2016) on post traumatic growth from a dyslexia perspective. I recommend it!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ​@@RTFK Niel has written a bunch of great articles. :) I also really like the one you mentioned. I would say he is one of the researchers who really getts it.

  • @craigphillips-1
    @craigphillips-1 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Thank you so much for these wonderful insights. They mean a lot. - In 6th grade Spanish class the teacher yelled at me saying, “You are so F***-ing stupid!” The good news is, my mother complained I never had to go to Spanish again and got a C! The C brought up my GPA! - But here’s the wild thing. I'm 68 years old and only months ago figured out that my problem was a combination of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Now I’m telling my friends about it and I’ve found 3 dyslexics my age that similarly don’t know much about the subject other than they have it. Nobody knew about these things 50-60 years ago. We were stupid or under-achievers. - It's been absolutely fascinating to watch all of your videos, and those of others, that bring me so many revelations. - I can’t tell you times tables reliably above 6X. But like you, I had the last laugh. I have had a very successful career, running very large companies, controlling billions in assets, and I am married to a top of her class MD. - It took decades of trying to prove myself to myself and others before I finally let it all go. I just laugh at myself, and live in gratitude every day. Thank you again; what a riddle you helped me solve in my lifetime!

    • @sallybally9731
      @sallybally9731 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ❤❤❤

    • @hannahteddyschachter7407
      @hannahteddyschachter7407 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ❤❤❤❤❤❤

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Dear Craig, thank you for taking the time to write. Reading these comments leaves me at a loss for words. Having an idea of where you’re coming from with your dyslexia and combined with my personal experience, I find it amazing that I can help you along on your journey.

  • @autisticcaroline2005
    @autisticcaroline2005 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You have actually helped me so much and I’m actually learning a lot from you! Dyslexic people are actually very smart !

  • @pandemichoneymoon
    @pandemichoneymoon ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I was so ashamed for most of my life about my dyslexia and could never take a compliment about my intelligence, I just thought that people were being kind. I see now, how it truly is a blessing and how lucky we are to have dyslexia. I mean we share the same hardwiring with so many legends! How cool is that?!
    Thank you for sharing your story with us!

  • @deryakk
    @deryakk ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I hate being dyslexic. People either don't believe it or tell me to use it as an excuse. I don't understand why they don't want to understand that I can't understand some things. By the way, thanks for sharing your story.

  • @Skoopyghost
    @Skoopyghost ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The fact you are a acedemic with dyslexia is bad ass to me as a dyslexic. A music teacher gave up on trying to teach to read sheet music, and just let me learn music by ear. I always been bad at school though.

  • @GS-ww9wk
    @GS-ww9wk 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This is very encouraging. My son who is a senior in high school, stated the other day that he doesn’t have anything any college would want because his sat scores are very low. There’s more to intelligence than being able to read. His ability to understand, retain, and utilize information is way above mine and I can read perfectly. I tell him all the time that he’s really smart but the way public schools are set up, it’s a hard job convincing him of this fact. I feel bad that we couldn’t afford a more specialized system of education for him.

  • @dyuthidharagurunath2280
    @dyuthidharagurunath2280 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hey, I just found your channel recently ( new subscriber) and as someone who got diagnosed with adhd in college, I discovered that I was borderline dyscalculic after a recent neuropsychology evaluation.
    Your story is very inspiring, unfortunately I never had any real support system or teachers as my parents were in denial about my problem ( I am from India where the education system is very metrics based and academic failures are othered and kicked out of mainstream education, moreover LD is a very big stigma due to limited understanding and poor teacher training).
    I went through hell for much of my childhood and adolescence with teachers branding me a lost cause.
    Now I hold a degree in child development and am due to pursue masters and a research based career in cognitive developmental neuroscience starting from this year.
    Your videos are a gem and shines light in the much ignored corners of the classroom.
    Thank you so much!❤

  • @ashley.g
    @ashley.g ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This was very encouraging for me. I'm dyslexic. School has always been a lot of work, and I've never been "good" at it. The help I received made a world of difference, but school was still a lot of work and very difficult at times. I didn't want to go to college (and didn't at first, for years I was working and building my resume), but at the age of 24, I recently finished my first two semesters of college with A's in all my classes. I still don’t know how to accept that or the positive feedback I've received. To hear that you have had to work through learning how to let positive feedback in and change how you see yourself, comforts and encourages me as I am going through something similar. Like you were saying, it sounds good but it can come with some hard stuff to work through. I hadn't heard anyone acknowledge that before.
    I'm so glad that you’ve made it to a place in your story where you are grateful things worked out the way they have. You have helped a lot of people. God bless.

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Accepting the positive feedback and letting it in is still a work in progress and for me I really realized through that the big impact it actually had on me. You know, there are many things we don’t remember from childhood, but this point really caught up with me. I’m sure we’re not the only ones…I’m glad this is encouraging you 🙂

  • @jamesmoore9511
    @jamesmoore9511 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    All I can say is - thank you - I'm no longer feeling alone in this world of math and reading. My self image is getting better all the time because of you, thank you again.

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thank you too. I was honestly nervous publishing this video because it is very personal, but seeing how it resonates with you and others really is gratifying

  • @DavidJVMusic
    @DavidJVMusic ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Awesome, I feel A LOT of your story! School people (and classmates) thinking I am dumb, some teachers but not all of them. Math wasn't a problem unless it involved a story I had to read. If I was graded only on the questions I could answer (in the time frame given), I would have had all 92% or higher. What is encouraging and discouraging is that I believe I was trying/working so hard that no one noticed the dyslexia. And growing up in the middle of nowhere with all the teacher only basically trained to teach their 1 or 2 subjects and not at all trained to spot dyslexia in more than one form was not conducive to recognizing students that needed a different teaching approach for their learning compacity. Thanks for sharing Arije!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi Davi, yes, lack of knowledge among the teacher community is definitely still an issue. I’m working on it 😅

  • @thomsonclan5878
    @thomsonclan5878 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    How lovely, love your mum to hide it away from you, she was right you didn’t need to know that!

  • @garrybrown3165
    @garrybrown3165 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you for sharing your story. Another story from Eric George about his experience at The Higher Education for Learning Problems (H.E.L.P.) Program created by Dr. Barbara Guyer at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, lead to my own diagnosis of dyslexia at age 45. I am 70 now, and wish I had known earlier. Keep sharing! Garry J. Brown, DO, MS 6/24/2023 08:30 Pacific

  • @owleye4510
    @owleye4510 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you for allowing yourself to be vulnerable and sharing this with the world.
    Much of what you went through I can relate too. I never had to leave my home country and I can only imagine the stress that caused you and your family.
    I did have to attent speacial education classes due to my dyslexia. I was bullied by my peers and called stupid by my teachers. I was lucky enough to have supportive partners that placed me on a specilized school for learning disabilities. But that broke my self image as some of my classmates where autistic, or had down syndrome.
    I know the determination you speak of. I was also determined to prove my teacher's wrong. That I am smart and could go to university, which I did. I also know what it like to be your own worst critic. Even when you succeed, you always think you could have done it better.
    You are an inspiration to the dyslexic children that are stuck in a school system that was never ment for them. Keep doing what you do! Its more meaningful than you know!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you for commenting and sharing your experience !

  • @bigpoppa0206
    @bigpoppa0206 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you for sharing your story. It took me 8 years to open up about my journey with Dyslexia. I'm becoming more open about it 😌

  • @angieschimara9389
    @angieschimara9389 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You and your parents are so inspiring. I appreciate that you never give up, and you're helping others find solutions. I still struggle to accept my accomplishments as a dyslexic writer. I'm still waiting for someone to point out my mistakes. You've inspired me to go to a therapist and work it out. Thank you

  • @SonnyAi01
    @SonnyAi01 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Excellent video. Telling your story will enable others to tell theirs. It is more impactful than facts: even though both stories and data are important. The worst thing any teacher can do is underestimate someone. I’m lecturing tomorrow on the importance of access to audio and tools like immersive reader. As a dyslexic university teacher mother of dyslexics, please tell your parents that they are epic!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      I will tell them. I knew for a while that I probably should tell my story but it’s easier to talk about academic studies than it is to talk about that. But reading the first comments, I’m immediately glad that I did decide to share 😊

  • @donnaleggott4199
    @donnaleggott4199 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thank you so much Arjie for your videos and for your personal sharing here! I live in Canada and I am 52 years old and I have never had any educational testing however because of your dyslexia information and You might be dyslexic videos, I will be getting a psycho educational assessment in a few months. Because they are very expensive tests I had to try many different agencies to help cover the costs ...it felt like a lot of doors being closed in my face but now I will get one a lower cost at a local university by Masters students learning the process but they are of course supervised by their professors. So thank you again! I really like your videos you have a caring, kind demeanour and I trust your intention and quality of information. i am pursuing a masters in counselling psychology right now so your information is extremely helpful and video format is excellent !!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Hi Donna, thank you for your comment. I’m so glad to hear that you have found an affordable way to get assessed. I hope the result comes as a relief to you. Thank you for your encouragement and kind words

  • @thuggie1
    @thuggie1 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i must admit i really did not like the moment i could leave school i did, when i first went to college i resived little to no help until i decided to go back to study horticulture. at that college they helped me a lot with my dyslexia and i even managed to receive some awards. but i did have a nagging feeling did i deserve it, but ii do tend to have a negative opinion of myself, i did not even go to my graduation but i think that was more i feel overwhelm and over stimulated in large crowds specially with noises and bright lights i just shutdown or tend to freak out. one thing i liked about college was i actually found friends for the first time in my life which i still have amazingly.

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you for sharing. That nagging feeling is very real and common among dyslexics even when we do succeed

  • @walkacrosschina
    @walkacrosschina ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I just popper back in and I see you have 23k subscribers now!! Congratulations man! I'm glad you didn't give up! Keep going. Your channel is important for us!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks, it’s an up and down with TH-cam and the income isn’t reliable, but I really enjoy making these videos and I’m very glad if they can help people

    • @walkacrosschina
      @walkacrosschina ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ArijeAikedeHaas I'm here for the ride! I was wondering, could you consider making a few videos for family and friends of people like us? Lots of people have videos about dyslexia but I can't find anything out there for like, "Send this to your friend so you can have them understand your dyslexia better." I don't want a cure, I just want support! Yah know?

  • @shannonmiles8910
    @shannonmiles8910 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you Arije for being brave and sharing your story. It’s not easy to do and I applaud you for doing it. Self-esteem is a tough thing, especially when you’ve been through the dyslexic route in school. I’m so happy for the generation now who has the knowledge, if they want to understand, what their learning disabilities are and how they can combat or compensate for them. Bravo!

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      You are welcome. I meant to make this video for a while. In fact, I finished it once, and then then I did not post it. I guess I was not ready yet. But I am happy with how this version turned out, and I am glad I decided to post it :)

  • @lucho24p
    @lucho24p ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm from Chile, I have dyslexia and I want to thank you for your videos, they serve a lot

  • @geameijering1283
    @geameijering1283 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Mooi verteld Arije. What a journey and kudos to your parents for advocating for you and helping you succeed. I am the mother of a dyslexic son and recognize some things you tell about. I've also written a children's book about a dyslexic boy at elementary school to promote dyslexia awareness in children and adults.

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you for commenting. Is the book in Dutch? Send a link

  • @shanydror7107
    @shanydror7107 ปีที่แล้ว

    Not letting even the positive feedback seek in- finally I understand why. Thank you. ❤

  • @BrendaMichelleReads
    @BrendaMichelleReads 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Hi Arije, thank you so much for your content. I live in Belgium and my son has been struggling with concentration and learning to read, write and spelling. The teacher just told me that she thinks he is dislexic or might have adhd. We are going to have him tested and find the best way to help him.

  • @daisybaggins1138
    @daisybaggins1138 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thank you sharing your story. Your parents are brilliant and I am so glad you had them to support you. Your kindness and determination is truly inspiring ✨️

  • @johnwatson1268
    @johnwatson1268 ปีที่แล้ว

    Your mum and dad are fabulous people. They have been very active in their support for you. Thankyou for telling your story. Your channel is terrific.

  • @hannahteddyschachter7407
    @hannahteddyschachter7407 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Your story is inspiring, Arije. Thank you for allowing us to hear it ❤

  • @franhornett2078
    @franhornett2078 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you.

  • @jryan1canal
    @jryan1canal ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for sharing. Not sure where I would be without the obstacle of Dyslexia. I certainly don't avoid challenges, such as climbing 😅

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      It does definitely feel the same for me. I can’t imagine my life without dyslexia either. I’d probably still be climbing though 🙂

  • @grandma_ashe
    @grandma_ashe ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks for making me feel accepted

  • @emmasimpson3565
    @emmasimpson3565 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks for sharing your story.

  • @olgazavydniak1793
    @olgazavydniak1793 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you for your story

  • @Jefff72
    @Jefff72 ปีที่แล้ว

    How is the understanding of dyslexia in education today? I believe 99.9% that I am dyslexic too. In elementary, I needed special ed for reading and writing. I'm good with wriiting today but sometimes struggle with reading. I often have to pause videos in order to read the message. I remember how written instructions made me nervous. I used to avoid them like the plague. In math, I was pretty strong where I made it to multivariable calculus in college.

  • @gerardkinneen7252
    @gerardkinneen7252 หลายเดือนก่อน

    How do you learn languages?
    I lived in the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.
    Nothing sticks, or else every language I try to learn comes out mixed with the language I am trying to speak.
    I was diagnosed with Dyslexia in 2012 when I was 32. In Primary school, my teachers thought I was really intelligent, but I was just really careless.
    In highschool I started with the smart kids and ended up with the worst kids and I dropped out of school at 16.
    Fortunately, in my home country, you don't need a high school exam to go to university.
    I loved university. I now have 2 master's degrees and 2 bachelors.

  • @lightloveandawake3114
    @lightloveandawake3114 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    💗😊💕Take care, from a fellow dyslexic.💗😊💕

  • @kishageorge7788
    @kishageorge7788 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you for sharing.
    I think teachers dismiss dyslexia students a lot of the time and we feel deflated. I’ve learned to embrace my dyslexia now.
    My only issue now in uni is there’s a lot of reading to do. I don’t enjoy reading.
    Any tips ?

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      My biggest tips: be open about your dyslexia with your teachers, use technology to read the pdfs to you, and ask if there are oral options to written exams. You can do it-good luck!

  • @Shredder_Pro_Gaming
    @Shredder_Pro_Gaming ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My reading is impeccable, it’s my comprehension that’s the problem.

    • @thomsonclan5878
      @thomsonclan5878 ปีที่แล้ว

      Have you tried coloured overlays, they worked wonders for me, after a little while of using them!!

  • @vesch5083
    @vesch5083 ปีที่แล้ว

    I actually moved from Germany because I was worried about how the school and Uni system handles dyslexic and dyscalculic students. I do not agree with the way Germany tracks students especially at such an early age.
    It would be interesting to hear how you were placed in German schools and how you got into Uni and what your experience was in German Uni. What accommodations and support do German Unis give?

    • @ArijeAikedeHaas
      @ArijeAikedeHaas  ปีที่แล้ว

      A lot of fields of study are only applicable to students with a very high grade point average from high school, which I didn’t have. For example I would have studied psychology but because my GPA (abitur score) wasn’t high enough, I had to choose something else, in my case education studies. When it comes to accommodations, I received extra time on tests for language classes after telling my teacher about my dyslexia. That teacher also accommodated me in class, so I wouldn’t have to read out loud unless I felt comfortable to do so. That helped me manage my stress which was great. A lot of written tests were offered to me orally and there was one big exam with multiple choice questions which was timed that I was allowed to replace with a written thesis instead. I would say that overall my German Uni was quite accommodating. However I do believe that the reason for that has to be because I was so open about my dyslexia and because it was education studies, which I imagine is more flexible than the psychology curriculum would have been.

  • @Shredder_Pro_Gaming
    @Shredder_Pro_Gaming ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I have Dyslexia, I also have Dyscalculia.

  • @allfiredupltd9108
    @allfiredupltd9108 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I’m sorry I have to complain I can’t understand your dad or your mum be really nice if you had a audio version of what they’re saying lol

  • @RudiPurwana-7
    @RudiPurwana-7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Whay for police and dpertmnt defense to protec good not to ver with crime dont be stupid again okay