JORDAN AND HER MOTHER

PHOTO BY RANDY BACON

JORDAN AND HER MOTHER

“Adapt”

As written by Jordan’s mother

As Jordan’s mom it was very hard to determine if something was wrong, Jordan was reaching her milestones as a baby but also not as quickly as her older brother. It was hard to know as a parent if you were just overreacting or if I needed to say something. I just knew that something was “off” with her learning.

When Jordan entered preschool, I remember sitting at a “parent teacher conference” and her teacher telling me that she was doing so well and making progress and that she was great to have in class. Although I believed everything the teacher was saying was true, I also remember thinking there is no way. There was no way that Jordan was making the same progress as her peers, she had been trying for so long to write her name and she still had no idea what letters to use or how to write those letters. I remember looking around the classroom noticing that other children could write their names, but Jordan’s school items still had teachers writing on them. After spending over a year in preschool and about to enter kindergarten Jordan still could not spell or write her name. She was not able to tell you when her birthday was or remember a phone number. Jordan struggled being able to communicate what she did at school, what she had to eat for lunch or even the names of the kiddos she played with.

I remember thinking, “it will be fine, when she gets to kindergarten someone will notice and we will get the help we need”. Kindergarten and 1st grade passed, and we were still being told that she was making improvements and all kiddos learn at a different level, and this statement is true, but it was heartbreaking to watch your child struggle and to not understand why.

I knew as Jordan’s mom that she wasn’t understanding or remembering things and eventually would be very far behind her peers, we needed to get her help. I remember telling Jordan’s second grade teacher that Jordan was scared to go into the 2nd grade, her teacher’s response was “why”? No one knew at the school yet just how much Jordan was struggling. I am grateful for this teacher who very quickly noticed that Jordan was using coping skills to get through the day, such as copying off her peers or always volunteering for a helper task, so she didn’t have to do the schoolwork, and when doing those tasks outside of the classroom, taking longer to return to class.

12 days into 2nd grade Jordan’s teacher suggested it was time to request testing to see if Jordan was eligible for an Individual Educational Program (IEP). Shortly after this, Jordan met her tutor from the Ozark Literacy Council. Jordan and her tutor met consistently until the end of Jordan’s 5th grade year. Before this I would have told you as a mother, I knew how to advocate for my children, but it is more difficult than I had ever imagined. As a parent I am very emotional about Jordan’s learning because I know what we have been through to get her the help she needs, I know the struggles that Jordan has gone through, and I know how hard she works to stay on task. I know that this will be a lifelong struggle and I know that at times in her life she will feel left out, unable to understand or even be made fun of by her peers. I don’t want any of those things for my child.

Jordan is now entering the 6th grade and will continue to receive accommodations. In January 2021 Jordan was diagnosed with ADD and Dyslexia. Jordan understands that due to her having Dyslexia she processes and learns things differently than others and due to those needs she must have different instruction in order to learn. Jordan has overcome many obstacles in her short learning career and is excited and anxious about her next chapter – entering middle school. She doesn’t know what to expect and that scares her a little bit, but Jordan is tenacious, courageous and has an infectious personality which will allow her to adapt to any situation school and learning will present her.