A short
biography
I am 65 years old,
registered blind and profoundly dyslexic plus on the autistic spectrum.
When I left school at the age of, 14 all I could write
was my name and address. I had never been encouraged
to read, however, loved to be read
to, I have very fond memories of sitting on the floor in front of a teacher in infant school.
Then the move to junior school,
which was full of problems and downright mental abuse, due to a lack of
understanding of my needs. So much so I
was pulled out of the school and placed into a what was called a special school
at that time. I was taken out as I learnt
some years later as to being put under so much stress and abuse that It was
thought I needed a rest from the primary schooling as to my mental state. I
remember clearly the day as I sat there oblivious to what had been planned for
me. When a total stranger came into the classroom, the teacher nodded towards me, and he came
over to me and squatted down beside me. He asked me my name and then said. “
would I like to take a trip with me, my man?” I looked at the teacher, and she
nodded to as to give me permission to do so. He took me out of school and drove
me to what was going to be my new school from that day, I never had the chance
to say goodbye to my friends.
I will give two instances of what
I went through, of what I was subjected to for some two years by one particular
teacher, and her colleague. Times tables still to this day bring back the memories
of the frustration and the shame I had to endure from her. My Father knew there
was something not right as I had started to try to say my time's tables in my
sleep. Every day in the morning each one of us had to stand up and recite a
Times table of her request. She knew I could never understand or learn them,
and would just stand their in silence, un till asked by her.” “what are 6 times
7?” Again I had to just stand there and wait for what I knew would come next.
I would be then sent to a lower
class of younger children than myself.
Then I had to have to stand in front
of the class to belittle my self to ask them the answer to the time's table. To
take back to her. This was every day, and the teacher in the lower class let it
happen day after day.
My desk was at the back in the corner
of the room, and I would also spend much time facing the wall at the edge of
the room as to displeasing her in some way. I would also have blackboard rubbers
and chalk thrown at me from the front of the classroom.
Fortunately, a classmate that
lived next door to me told his mum, and she told my parents of what I was going
through. I was too afraid to say anything as I just thought this was life at
school. What did a 10-year-old no?
My father went up the school and finally
had it out with her and the headmaster. Many years after my father told me of
the meeting and the one thing that angered him the most. The only defence she
had to justify her treatment of me, was by saying. “ I would end up being a
dustman.” My father asked her? Who would
empty her dustbin if we all became teachers? What is wrong with being a
dustman? And they probably earned a better wage than her. I loved my dad for
that.
Not long after that, I was taken
out of that school and
given a year and a half rest in a
special school, a place that made no demands on me. I was treated well, and I
was given my confidence back.
I was assessed, and all agreed I
should be placed back into the main schooling stream. So I started at a modern
secondary school along with some of my old friends. I was delighted to meet
them again on my first day there. We all stood there in our new long trousers
and blazers, I was petrified, this was a big school with big kids!
All the new starters were taken into
the hall to be allocated their new teachers and classrooms.. and I was the last
still sitting there all on my own, with the teachers looking through their
lists for my name that was not there? I became very anxious and worried and had
tears in my eyes.
One of the male teachers sat on
the floor with me, and gave me a hanky, and asked my name and what school I had
come from and told me not to worry so he would sort it out and I was to stay
with him until he did.
What a difference, I knew from
then on things was going to be different. After they realised I had not come
from a juniorr school He took me in the
end to my new teacher and classroom and to my delight as it was full of my old friends
from junior school.
I did not learn much more I have to admit in
this school, and spent my time there in the bottomless pit of the no-hopers
class.
I did learn a lot about art and
had a teacher that encouraged me and taught me many things I loved and still do
about all things art, I had a very close relationship with him. I believe he
recognised my vulnerability and needs. I have many memories of the times we
spent together in and out of school.
I
liked sports I suppose as I did not have to think just run, I was bloody
good at that. That was about it, so I left;
as I said at fourteen years of age near illiterate.
Then began what I call the wandering
years, of many jobs and experiences as I grew up, not all a happy time and much
not worth remembering or recalling here.
Until
many years later I became an employee
of BT a once great peoples company, by a strange twist of fate. After a few years
working as a driver at motor transport then being transfer to work within telephone
exchanges as an engineer, I began to loose my eyesight, then at that time they
had a fantastic ability to help its employees. They sent me and paid for the following.
A one year in a dyslexic college, I attended that once a week for the year,
which was a great help, but also a great disappointment. as at the end of the
year, I was given an assessment of all the tests and teaching I had been given.
The one thing that sticks in my mind. It stated that Graham has a high above
average IQ, that if he had been taught correctly as to his disability could
well have attended college and higher education, as Graham is a rapid learner
if taught correctly. I spent one year and past a computer course at another college,
as computers were becoming the main office tool.
Then as my eyesight deteriorated
BT then sent me to the RNIB college for the blind at Truro, sadly now closed down.
I spent two stays there, an assessment week then a months stay, where I was assessed
fully and helped to come to terms and live with sight loss.
BT then did everything it could
to keep me in a meaningful job of work, supplying any piece of software and hardware
available I could use. I spent 15 years of my 30 years at BT in an office, and
computers changed my working life completely.
However, as time changed the nature
of BT changed to, till it became evident, that my time was coming to an end. Time
moved on as them that used buzzwords like.” Moving forward, and let's harvest the
lower hanging fruit, and so on. As the graduates moved in. The know it all but
know nothing brigade, that sucked your brains to impress their manager. Attitudes were forcing me out as I just did
not fit the new company's direction.
And the claim to be disabled friendly employes
became an empty front, just another meaningless set of words and a logo.
However, it all came at a point where
I was beginning to struggle with the company strategy and its management, and the impact of my eyesight on my dyslexia.
I could not touch type and have to see the keyboard, as to my dyslexia, and
having to listen to the computer as I had speech software. But I was losing the
ability to see the keyboard so making my working day very difficult I was
becoming prone to mistakes.
So seeing the writing on the wall
and with my difficulties, I asked and was given medical early retirement, I
think BT was very relieved to have not to spend money and time with a disabled
worker as the old support HR system had disappeared.
I count my self as so fortunate
to have served my time at BT. A time
when it looked after its employees and had a decent final salary pension scheme.
In the thirty years working for BT, I had a lot to be loyal to the company
about. I had got married and had two children and bought a house. I have a lot
to thank the company for at that time, and for some great memories and a lot of
fun when it was a real peoples company.
Now I am retired and have so much
time on my hands, and in the last 15 years had discovered Audiobooks and I have been devouring them. My
Love of books developed and I rediscovered my love of history too. So as I have
an excellent computer set up now with update specialised software and hardware.
I thought I would give writing a go.
Now as you see, I have a book published,
and there is no one more surprised than me, or happier. It's like a final
justification in my life. I have finally proved to all, that called or told me
I was I was stupid a slow learner and
would never amount to anything. What I can now say to my self. I will leave
something behind me a book. And have achieved along the way a beautiful family.
Please feel free to make a comment
on my output.
Many thanks
Graham Williams
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