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In Grade 2, Chloé was diagnosed with ADD and dyslexia, causing her to struggle academically. -
She joined Edublox’s school in Durbanville in Grade 3, and by the end of the second term, she had already made amazing progress.
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“Her reading skills transformed from viewing reading as a chore to reading willingly. Her math skills improved significantly, and she enjoys teaching her little sister basic maths. Emotionally, she became more resilient, boosting her self-confidence,” says Gaynor, Chloé’s mom.
Chloé’s mom tells her story:
I remember the day Chloé was born—so small, so fragile, arriving at just 28 weeks. Our hearts raced for such a tiny being. Yet, against all odds, she battled through her challenges, demonstrating what it truly means to be a little warrior. From day one, we committed to supporting her growth into the remarkable fighter she was destined to be.
In her first two weeks of Grade 1, Chloé’s teacher noted her difficulties with concentration and staying still. With the school’s support, we developed a plan to help her adjust. However, she struggled across all subjects within a month, falling behind her peers. We arranged for extra morning and afternoon classes alongside occupational therapy twice a week. This intense schedule drained her, leading to her reluctance to attend school. Ultimately, she passed Grade 1 with the minimum requirements.
Grade 2 began with a wonderful teacher eager to assist. After the first term, we and her doctors decided that she needed additional help with concentration, leading to her starting Ritalin. Her teacher provided updates on her progress and the medication’s effects. After trying several types and doses, we found one with minimal side effects. Although it only offered slight improvement, we continued using it. During this time, Chloé underwent multiple tests due to her physical growth concerns and was eventually diagnosed with complete growth hormone deficiency, beginning a new journey with daily growth hormone injections. This took a significant emotional toll on her.
By the end of Grade 2, we collectively decided it was best for Chloé to repeat the year. Although we sought a child psychologist’s evaluation, we faced delays finding one. The school recommended Edublox for assessment and additional classes. After discussing her situation with Hannelie, Chloé was scheduled to start Edublox extracurricular classes the following year. Finally, we received an appointment with a psychologist, who diagnosed her with ADD and dyslexia. She wrote a report advocating for Chloé to repeat Grade 2, noting her academic, physical, and emotional struggles. Unfortunately, the education department did not consider this a valid reason for her to repeat.
Once again, she passed Grade 2 with the minimum requirements.
Chloé returned for Grade 3 emotionally shattered. Each day brought a new excuse to avoid school: headaches, stomach pains, or simply saying, “I don’t want to go to school because I’m dumb.” This broke our hearts. By the end of the first term, her marks dropped to 1s and 2s despite extra classes and medication. The school was supportive in developing plans to assist her.
The school suggested a smaller setting that could better cater to Chloé’s learning disabilities, and Hannelie suggested that she join Edublox Durbanville’s school full-time. After a few days, we found the right fit, although Chloe was hesitant about the change. At the end of the second term, she had already made amazing progress. She passed both Afrikaans and English! However, even more importantly, we noticed significant emotional improvements. Chloe was excited about going to school and wanted to remain at Edublox for the long term.
In discussions with her Edublox teacher at the end of the second term, we agreed that Chloé would benefit from repeating Grade 3, as she was emotionally still very young and would benefit from strengthening her educational foundation, especially in Maths. We welcomed this advice and were prepared for her to do so. The teacher also recommended discontinuing her concentration medication to see how she managed without it. This was also the last time she ever used concentration medication.
Surprisingly, by term four, Chloé had made great strides emotionally and improved beyond expectation academically – she even passed Maths! Repeating Grade 3 would not be necessary, but the school would hold off on formally assessing the content subjects during the first part of the year to gently ease her into Grade 4. We were given the option for her to repeat if we felt it would be beneficial, which we appreciated. We decided to dive into Grade 4!
Gradually, Chloé began to excel both academically and emotionally. While she wasn’t yet on par with her peers, her progress was remarkable. She decided to change her language of instruction from Afrikaans to English, as she was more confident in English. She, therefore, was assessed in both Afrikaans and English Home Language (still needs to be adjusted at the WCED). The first term was a bit of an adjustment in English, but from term two onwards, she started to thrive! Throughout the year, her teachers informed us of her improvements and ways we could help. Her third-term report astonished us – she thrived academically and grew emotionally despite the pressure to be assessed in the content subjects. She was excited about school, eagerly sharing what she learned daily, and celebrated her achievements.
Her reading skills transformed from viewing reading as a chore to reading willingly. Her math skills improved significantly, and she enjoys teaching her little sister basic maths. Emotionally, she became more resilient, boosting her self-confidence.
We sincerely thank Edublox Durbanville and all the teachers and staff who have supported Chloé’s journey. Your encouragement and guidance have helped her academically and nurtured her emotional growth and self-confidence. Thank you for allowing her to flourish in a way that suits her needs and for empowering her to become the warrior we always believed she could be.
We look forward to witnessing her continued growth under your care.
Never stop believing in your child. Each one is unique and capable of achieving anything with the right support. Embrace their individuality, encourage their strengths, and watch as they grow from little soldiers into formidable warriors.
Gaynor Saayman
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*Chloé attended Edublox Durbanville