Originally published in The Dyslexic Reader,
Issue 10 Copyright (c) Summer 1997 year DDAI.
Great Britain
The Birth of a Davis Facilitator
By Hilary Farmer
It all began in February when I was scanning the bookshelves in a bookshop in Oxford on the subject of Dyslexia: a strange habit acquired through studying for my masters degree and writing a dissertation n the dyslexic adults. I bought and read The Gift of Dyslexia. I couldn’t believe how this simply presented book could answer so many of the baffling questions I had formed since starting to teach dyslexic students ten years ago. It so closely resembled observations I had made that I had to find out more. I discovered Ron was speaking in London and that there wan an introductory course offered in Paris. The London conference convinced me that Ron was not some slick Californian selling dreams. (These English prejudices run deep!)
I drew on savings and went to Paris with a colleague. I felt privileged to be on this course and I knew then that I was lucky that Ron was there in person. It was so exciting that neither of us could wait to start using it. I worked in a Further Education College and my job was to offer study support to those requiring it: many of them dyslexic.
The results were impressive and I learnt so much from the students I worked with that I feel I could write a book about that, alone. At this time I also started using the methods with children. The success was so amazing that I felt that I had been looking for this for some time. (My daughter is dyslexic and so, I discovered later, am I.)
In February 1997, I took the momentous decision to start a practice of my own. I wanted to be free to develop the work and not just spend part of my time on it. I decimated my savings and traveled to San Francisco to do the advanced course and as much of the certification process as possible. It was an amazing experience to be with other who felt as passionately as I did about this.
Over the Easter period, I went through the Dyslexia Correction programme myself. Her, my words run out … I am still marveling at it. Added to this, I know my work with clients has improved tenfold as a result.
The wisdom and learning to be gained from using the Davis method stretches forever. The possibilities are endless and that is the excitement.