Sibylle, who is fascinated with how people learn, and in knowing and understanding the challenges some people face while trying to learn, shared with me tonight a video documentary from Richard Lavoie called How Difficult Can This Be? Mr. Lavoie takes a group of adults (educators and parents) and, through a series of carefully constructed exercises, exposes them to the difficulties learning disabled children face in school.
Even as a viewer you experience some of frustration, anxiety, and tension the exercises impart. And you can see in the faces of the participants those emotions again and again as they struggle with the artificial, temporary, handicaps Mr. Lavoie creates.
It was a fascinating program, one that I won’t soon forget. Moreover, I think it should be required watching for everyone - whether they have contact with learning disabilities or not. By thrusting the participants of his workshop into the viewpoint, the life position, of LD children, Mr. Lavoie gives them the gift living the other person’s perspective.
You owe it to yourself to visit your local library to check out a copy of this essential documentary.