A young boy struggles with learning disabilities                                                 I WAS A BOG

            It was a warm September night.   I lay in my bed hoping morning would never come.  Mommy came to my room. 

            “I don’t want to go to first grade again,” I said.

            Mommy held me close.  I thought I could feel her trembling.  

            “This time it will be all right, Robert,” she said.

            I don’t think she really believes things will be all right.  She has tears in her eyes. 

            I went to first grade last year.  I couldn’t wait to go. I thought it would be fun.   I didn’t know how dumb I was until I got there   It was what I learned best. 

            I can’t learn things at school.  I can only learn them at home.  At home I do a lot of interesting things.  I find out how things work, and then I do a lot of interesting things with them.  Dad says I will be a famous inventor some day. 

            When I went to first grade last year, I thought it would be fun.  I thought I would be able to find different ways of doing things.  I found out that I am different from other kids.   I do things in different ways.  But teachers don’t want you do things in different ways.  They want everybody to do the same.