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Information for Students

What is a Learning Disability?

• Do you have trouble with school even though you think you are smart?
• Do you try to listen to your teacher, but cannot tune out the other noises in the room?
• Do you have a hard time following directions at school?
• Do you sometimes wake up on school days and wish you could just stay in bed with the covers pulled up over your head?
• Do you wish you had as many friends as the other kids, but you just do not know how to say and do the right things?
• Do you feel different, like you don't know where you fit in?
• Do you feel that you are all alone in the world and that no one really understands you, including yourself?

The term L.D. is short form for Learning Disability, but people with a learning disability often refer to this as Learning Difference. It's not that they can't learn, but they learn differently.

The first step is to understand your learning difference. Once you understand how you learn best, you can take the steps you need to help yourself overcome and compensate for difficulties at school.

Amethyst School

The Amethyst School is a specialized setting for students with a severe learning disability. The regular curriculum is followed, but specialized classes help students cope with their learning difficulties.

Student Work

Amethyst

Amethyst is helpful because my reading has gone up and I am reading better. It is fun because you are always with your friends. You can do interesting things such as snow boarding, skiing, scuba diving and other fun activities. I like going to our school next door for my Science course.

By Ryan

I like Amethyst because everyone is the same here because we all have a learning disability. Everyone is on the computers and it is not like you are the only one on a laptop, we all use computers here. I like using the technology because it makes your homework and your school work easier.

By Nigel

This painting was created by the Raptors' class of 2003-2004 with the help of Moses (Amik) Beaver, a visiting Canadian aboriginal artist from Summer Beaver. It represents the students' journey at Amethyst. They felt that they began their journeys at Amethyst as a turtle. Then they were reborn as represented by the egg. The three baby birds are preparing to leave and the one bird has earned his feather to leave. The teacher and counsellor are watching over the baby birds.

Please enjoy our Alphabet Book!

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