A Letter to Students I teach children and adults who learn differently One day a young student named Margaret wondered if other people also learned differently I told her about people like Thomas Edison and Leonardo da Vinci who never gave up even though learning was challenging for them Margaret asked me to write a book about such people for kids like her Many people have asked me how I met everyone in That's Like Me Well finding them was actually like going on a treasure hunt First I had to gather clues to find people who had difficulty in school but still worked hard I talked to teachers and friends and even people I met at parties I explained that I was looking to meet people who never gave up in school and who also had hobbies or interests that made them happy Eventually I met Kevin Alina Micah Jill Nico Paul Jessica Tremaine Emily Jason Kristin Aaron Nikki Dean and Ann Meeting each of them meant that I found many treasures throughout the hunt They all talked so honestly about how school was difficult and how they needed to work hard every day We also discussed hobbies that made them feel happy when school seemed too stressful I was even able to spend time watching many of the kids and adults pursue their hobbies I watched Emily dance in The Nutcracker viewed Tremaine's artwork artwork saw Jill on the flying trapeze and met many of Kevin's animal friends But no I didn't walk with Ann to Antarctica or help Jason put out a fire When you read this book you will be on your own treasure hunt Look for clues that might help you think of ways to face the challenge of school Think about what Aaron did when spelling tests were difficult or how Alina learned sounds to help with reading reading Read about hobbies that you might like to try one day Do you like playing sports creating art or making inventions As you read you'll find that some of the people in the book learn or do things like you do and you might even say That's like me At the back of the book you'll find some pages where you can write your own story Jill Lauren New York City 2009
A Letter to Parents Teachers That's Like Me is designed to inspire educate and empower children with learning disabilities With the help of supportive adults who read the book with them it can do just that The people profiled in That's Like Me found the means to face the frustration of school while enjoying hobbies that enhanced self esteem Their stories of overcoming overcoming obstacles can inspire young readers I hope that children will have a How did he do that or Wow she did something amazing reaction while reading this book Such moments open them to discussing how a real life person just like them was able to take a difficult situation and make it better A wonderful opportunity exists to explore aspects of resiliency within each profile and relate it to your own child's experiences As you read together help educate your child about his or her strengths that are similar to those of the people profiled In addition to recognizing their strengths children who learn differently must also acquire a firm understanding of their weaknesses so that they can identify what makes learning hard for them The goal then is to help children achieve a greater awareness of their learning profile Finally some of your child's connections to the stories may be emotionally based and reading the profiles may lead to important discussions about feelings related to learning differently As children experience success whether in school or out they often feel empowered Combine that feeling with a strong understanding of one's learning style and children are more apt to take action on their own behalf Indeed research has shown that when children believe they have the power to shape an outcome they are more motivated to work towards positive results as well as to learn from setbacks It is also true as many stories in That's Like Me illustrate that a supportive adult can help enhance a child's sense of him or herself Everybody can benefit from a cheerleader There is no doubt that it takes a mountain of effort to face learning challenges By exploring exploring these stories together adults and young people can share the path to success Jill Lauren M.A. Learning Specialist
Bridging My Two Worlds Jerry in elementary school Foreword by Jerry Pinkney I grew up as one of six children in a small house in Philadelphia Pennsylvania My most prevalent and vivid recollections of my early early years are that of a young boy struggling to balance the two seemingly seemingly different worlds I resided in during that impressionable time home and school I received full support and encouragement from my family most especially my mother and I was not laughed at or teased by the people around me My mother was a quiet woman who spoke mostly with her eyes and when there were apparent reasons reasons to be concerned about my apprehension at school she made me feel better about myself Because of my mother I was able to enter that second world school the place that made me so very anxious and a little off balance with no understanding as to why There was little knowledge of dyslexia in the 1940s and certainly not in the schools I attended In school I found myself in the favor of my teachers yet I was often sent to special classes I don't think anyone knew what those classes were supposed to accomplish I have loved to draw as long as I can remember and I was encouraged by teachers who appreciated and recognized my gift They were able to see beyond the slow reader I was to someone who wanted to learn and grow I was far too young to realize that my two worlds could be bridged There were two Jerrys one gifted smart and likeable and the other a slow reader who was unable to spell And oh how much work there was for me just to hold onto ideas as they were presented I have lived those two lives for most of my life Jerry graduating from high school
Over the years I have grown to accept that these two seemingly opposing personality traits are really one Jerry Each supports the other both come together in a way that I now understand makes me stronger and unique With uneven grades but a thirst to learn I became a model student Mostly I tried to show my teachers that this child with so many hurdles in front of him was trying My learning disability was not recognized or considered thereby making it invisible which caused me to find ways of keeping it unseen I learned to excel in areas where I was strong and hide those places where there was a challenge I became very good at hiding it and I had no way to express just what I was feeling I supported many assignments with drawing allowing my gift to shine I graduated from Hill Elementary School with honors Making images making art would become my speaking voice I drew to learn I learned to tell my story through pictures the story of the child I wanted to be I hope the profiles in this book will serve as a bridge to inspire every child to be all that he or she can be Characters from Jerry's books that overcame obstacles Jerry working in his studio
