Looking for opinions on my experience
Hey everyone,
To start off, I do not live in the United States, and grew up overseas in a country in SEA. However, I'm curious if anyone has any information/experiences about any 'non-traditional' approaches that have been used in GATE adjacent programs to assisting people with 'sensory integration issues' learn.
As a disclaimer, especially when I was younger, while I was never diagnosed with ASD directly, I was medically diagnosed with 'sensory integration issues'. When I was younger, I was incredibly sensitive to visual stimuli and especially auditory stimuli (covering ears, making noises to cope with noisy environments ect), and was VERY behind in literacy and numeracy abilities, as well as poor handwriting (possible from damage to cerebellum from when I was a baby- two hairline fractures on the posterior of my cranium). Anyway, I digress.
My parents, obviously concerned, took me to a pretty expensive learning/tutoring agency, twice a week, during school time for two hours. I have a great memory- I remember walking inside, and which room I went to, but I remember very little from what happened in these classes, except that I was always looking forward to them, and sometimes very disappointed after I asked about whether we would do an activity, that we would not end up doing. Weird thing was that the only thing I can remember is listening to some music or noises, possibly on a beanbag/something comfy, and was either closing my eyes or has a blindfold on? Makes no sense because I was there to read and write, and never remembered any of that.
After just four months doing these classes twice a week I was not just back on track, but exceeding expectations in my reports.
I heard about GATE, but I really don't believe this was anything with any sort of government interest. No memory of 'bad' experiences. However, I was still curious to see who my tutor was. For privacy reasons, all I'll say is that they were from Europe, and were 'older'. Look online, and literally everything is gone. No more website, and just a insta page that hasn't been updated in years. No message to anyone publicly that they were closing.
Using the way back machine, I found the old website and found my tutors bio (who was the principal of the org) and it's pretty odd (yet quite beautiful) to say the least- I'll redact the Name of the current org, again, I don't want anyone involved to be publicly scrutinised because I'm going off my subjective memory, and I have no recollection of anything bad/strange happening to me, infact quite the opposite.
Here it is:
"At that late afternoon hour, when day fades giving way to night, I love to listen to the violin. Contemplative spirits know well the consoling powers of that most metaphysical of instruments. Sometimes I dream and imagine what the invisible, unknown creature to which the violin lends its voice might look like. What strange God, what curious spectre, what a weird animal it would surely be. Seductive and whining, caressing and moaning, captive and plaintive. Yet violins are made, not born, and though they are at their best in the hands of a maestro, they are only ever as good as the master who first made them.
I work with students who need literacy support as well as those who are gifted and aspiring to be enrolled in the top Independent Schools in COUNTRIES. Only a handful of teachers craft their pupils from the first piece to the last. The fact is there are only a few who can justifiably take this name and make it their craft. I am a restorer, my set-up simple in the extreme. There is no ‘shop’, the only work I do is my own, all is ordered by the student, determined by parents and schools seeking the highest calibre. That said, I sometimes repair and adjust before restoring. And why my referrals come from all around.
I have a great deal to say about my trade, my Associates, my friends, and our relations. We must after all, be indulgent about virtuosi. Progress is neither linear nor technical, it is the overall vision which matters.
For 27 years I have worked with Dyslexic people and educated them in beautiful surroundings. At first at Oxford in England where I was subsequently awarded Associate Membership of the British Dyslexia Association. I came to COUNTRY in YYYY as Head teacher of the ORGANISATION. In YYYY I formed Enigma and my original foundation of 10 scholars grew into The Enigma Variations, at first in LOCATIONS, then LOCATIONS. Enigma has long gone – but the legacy continues and like a Phoenix |ORG I WAS TAUGHT AT| has taken up the reins.
The experienced teacher has an intimate knowledge of the student’s vibratory qualities. Like music, our students are taught to transcend time. And talk about it. For if we listen carefully, from Mozart to Beethoven, from Schubert to Bach, Handel to Grapelli, it speaks with a gentleness which we share with learning and understanding.
Violins begin with an assemblage of some 80 pieces of wood and meticulously prepared with knife, chisel and file. It calls for intense concentration and a sure eye. Just like a teacher, a visionary of sound, who calculates its power, tone and reach even before putting the finishing touches to the different parts and preparing for the finale, a balanced, confident person equipped to achieve to their highest abilities, with grace and humility.
…..in the quiet solitude of the early evening, I share this knowledge with you."
Anyway- just wanted to hear about whether there is any learning methods for people with poor literacy skills to learn via listening only (and blindly lol). Can't find ANYTHING about who they are, or what they are doing now.
If you can piece this together and find them (which I doubt) PLEASE don't harass them.