AIM'S Secret Formula Saved Me

 I attended very specialized schools until I stepped foot on the campus of Texas Christian University (TCU) during my freshman year of college. These schools allowed me to learn the way that works for me and to advocate for myself in and outside of the classroom. Now I have a college degree. There was a time when I didn't see that happening.

As a result of these successes, I owe tremendous gratitude to my parents and all the people who work at these schools for helping me navigate school as a kid who learns differently. The curriculum also played a significant role in helping me do well in my classes and my self-esteem. I would be lost without them fighting for me to have a shot. This also gave my parents peace of mind because they never had to help anyone with learning differences navigate school. This was all made possible by the great folks at AIM.

AIM's secret formula is that every aspect of the school's curriculum is specially optimized for children with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. From interactive humanities like the Knights' and Ladies' Club, where the teacher pretends to be an important figure from that era, to hands-on learning in robotics class, where I built a drone, every aspect of the school's classes is built for brains that are wired differently. The founders of AIM and teachers understand how the dyslexic brain works and tap into what makes their students successful. Now, with the addition of The Hub, students could theoretically graduate with HVAC and other certifications. How cool is that? No other schools in the Delaware Valley offer those services.

The structure of the curriculum aligns with what I read about the dyslexic way of thinking in the book, The Dyslexic Advantage, written by neuroscientists Brock and Fernette Eide. It all taps into the big-picture and visual thinking that results from the dyslexic brain, which is why so many entrepreneurs and other creative people have learning differences. This advantage is all thanks to the spacing of the minicolumns in the brain.

The AIM secret formula is one of the many reasons I have beaten the odds.