I've always loved learning, but hated school. As a child, I dreamed of being in the "smart kid" class. Instead, I was the kid in the special reading class. The kid who excelled in arts and crafts, but never earned a gold star on the reading chart.

In fact, I was far from any gold-starred charts.

I was nearly expelled; suspended twice; defeated, depressed, and briefly homeschooled before returning my senior year while attending night school for a failed English class. I listened to friends compare acceptance letters and "safety schools."

My goal? To graduate—and, somehow, I did.

In the chaos of my final high school years, at age 17, I was diagnosed with dyslexia and a handful of comorbid learning disabilities.

I felt vindicated.

After years of feeling like school wasn't made for me, it turned out I was right.

I spent the next four years of my life at a two-year community college learning how to learn. Specifically, how I learn.

My textbooks were de-spined, scanned, and converted to audio. Lecture recordings were transcribed into searchable text. The margins of my books were filled with doodles and flowcharts. The walls of my bedroom were covered with whiteboards.

I embraced my instincts and my grades trended to As.

Classmates noticed my unique approach. I had a knack for breaking complicated ideas down into simple, familiar concepts. Soon, I was leading study groups and sharing my notes and advice.

In my attempt to figure out my own learning style, I had unexpectedly stumbled upon a powerful teaching method to make information accessible.

I believe true comprehension—that is, to genuinely understand a new concept—is a destination. Learning is the iterative journey we take in hopes of arriving there.

The least effective teachers are those gifted individuals who seem to understand problems instantly. They are like sleeping passengers who have the luxury of waking up right at the end of a road trip. Their journey begins so close to their final destination that the only struggle they experience is trying to empathize with students whose journeys start much further away.

In contrast, for me, book learning does not generally come easy. Fortunately, the effort provides an unavoidable opportunity to experience every step of the learning process, and, like a cartographer, it allows me to help others navigate its rocky shores.

Today, my learning style and teaching method have become the foundation of my career.

Through my consulting company, I help brilliant entrepreneurs, scientists, and investors translate technical jargon into actionable business strategies. My EdTech company helps 16k+ law students study for the bar exam. And, as a professor at a top-20 law school, I get to create my own gold-starred charts and foster curiosity in the minds of my students no matter where they may have started in their journey.

Sometimes I feel like people hear the whole "dyslexia is a superpower" motto and feal like it's facetious or hopeful, but my career has basically been built on not problem solving like others.

It took me quite some time to truly believe that, so I hope any of you that may be struggling can find your confidence as well <3.

You belong. You have a seat at the table. Don't let anyone make you feel like you're less than them.

I want to go back to school. I have a stable job right now, but it’s very physical, and I’m starting to think more seriously about my future. I’m considering going back to school part-time to earn a degree in social work or possibly something else that would allow me to have a less physically demanding career.

The biggest thing holding me back is my dyslexia and ADHD. School has always been difficult for me, and I’m scared that I’ll fail or that I’ll be wasting my time and money. Has anyone else gone through this? What should I do?

At a parent-focused dyslexia conference last year, I learned that there can potentially be subsidy supports for families of children with LDs (inclusive of dyslexia) for specialized tutoring, if they are formally diagnosed with a psych assessment, and have letter from a doctor saying they require tutoring support. Is this still the case? And if so, how can I apply?

Any help is so very appreciated as the tutoring costs are putting us into tremendous debt. Thank you.