I needed who I am now when I was younger. Now I will be that person for someone else.
Contents:
Confusion and medication -- The resource room --Letting others make me believe i was dumb (big mistake) -- The transition -- High school with an IEP -- So I was back -- God gave me a lot of gifts, but why didn't he make me smart? -- I was a wrestler -- The great escape -- SAT -- The college hunt -- The come back -- The step ahead -- I started to notice the change -- And it begins -- The hideout -- The new identity -- College graduation -- No more college, and no job -- Door-to-door sales -- Still selling -- Leveling up -- Time to move on -- Study time -- Round two -- That was the warm-up -- A new light, it's my time -- What I'm made of -- Haters -- My kryptonite -- I feel free -- I'm just a kid with an IEP.
Summary:
"Jordan Toma is a motivational speaker, financial advisor and a real estate investor "But it hasn't always been this easy" My life has been a roller-coaster with this "Learning Disability" and I let it control my confidence and outlook on life for the first 18 years. I let it define me - it became a permanent label stuck to my shirt every day. I will give you an idea of what I mean. You know when you are attending a conference and they give you a name tag to pin to your shirt? As far as I was concerned I had a permanent name tag. But mine said "You're not as smart as everyone else. You can't do this". This happened to me because of my experience in school and it grew roots into everything I did. I would feel helpless in class. I struggled to understand why I couldn't just pick up information like everyone else. I remember sitting in class telling myself I am going to try really hard to understand everything in class today just like everyone else and be a normal student, but I just couldn't grasp it! I was made fun of because sometimes I had to have special lessons. Other students, even so called "friends" called me dumb. I let this problem control me until I graduated in 2008. I was accepted into a life changing program called The Step Ahead. I remember moving in filled with fear and anxiety. I went into the bathroom looked at myself in the mirror and promised myself I was going to change. I knew I couldn't let this label last forever. After that I started building a foundation of confidence and belief in myself brick by brick. It has brought me to where I am today. This journey has just started for me but now I believe it's time to help young students that can relate to my story. My objective is to create the foundations of the belief, the confidence, the work ethic and everything that you need to become the best you can be now and not let anything ever get in your way"-- Page 4 of cover.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.