Michelle Collison

Submitted by Garrett of Bath

School Washington Elementary Owosso

When I was in first grade I was struggling to read. I understood everything that I was reading, but all of the letters would jump around and after a few minutes of reading I would get tired and struggle more. I happen to have this same teacher in the second grade and of course I was still struggling to read. I was only reading 33 wpm when I started that year. My teacher, Mrs. Collison had been to a conference on Visual Perception Disorders and told my mom about it. My mom took me to the eye doctor and that is what I had. I easily skip a line when reading, it looks like I have dsylexia because sometimes I will write or I used to read my letters backwards. The eye doctor gave me a CD to do that would hopefully improve my vision. Well, within two months of doing this vision therapy I jumped up to 90 wpm! I had alread hit benchmark for a second grader and it was only January. By the end of the year I was reading 120 wpm. Mrs. Collison also believed in me and had me tested for the gifted class, in which I qualified to be in. The only area that I did not qualify in was the reading, but I still got in. I have had the privilege of having Mrs. Collison for the last three years and she has helped me everything. I will be forever grateful to her.