Marcel was born in May 2012. Everything went well during the pregnancy and birth. He was an active baby, reaching his milestones as expected.
Just before Marcel turned 5, we took him to an occupational therapist and psychologist where he was tested, and it was found that he had ADHD.
Marcel went to Gr R. He was so excited about going to a “big” school. Due to several reasons, he had four teachers that year. That was not good. However, Marcel still completed Gr R with a lot of confidence.
Due to his ADHD and trying to assist Marcel in getting on par, I sat every day and did exercises with him. Writing and colouring were the worst. He battled to do it.
Marcel is a bubbly child who likes to talk, ask questions, and figure things out. In Gr 1, Marcel performed well. He loved school and his teacher. He is an active child participating in sports like rugby, cricket, hockey, and athletics. I requested that he sits in the front of his class to prevent him from getting distracted by what the other kids were doing. However, homework that is supposed to take 30 minutes would take him 50-60 minutes with assistance and a lot of frustration. I started noticing that he could write, count, and read, but his reading was slow. He could not read the required number of words per minute. However, Marcel still passed Gr 1.
During Gr 2, he had an older teacher. I informed her of his ADHD, that he should wear his glasses and sit in the front of his class. She understood the situation and gave him extra support. But then the Lockdown came…. Schoolwork went online. What a disaster! Marcel disliked doing schoolwork online. He missed the one-on-one contact with his teacher. Every day we tried to read to improve his reading. He was complaining, and schoolwork became a huge struggle. At the end of Gr 2, he had to start learning cursive writing. It took him longer, but he managed to do it. Every day I would sit and make him write the letters, as practice would make it better, but it went along with lots of frustration and tears.
In August 2020, I was driving and saw a sign that said Edublox. I had no idea what it was. I googled it and read up about it. I immediately decided I was going to try this for Marcel. It is worth a try.
Marcel is currently in Gr 3. His reading, writing, and maths have improved so much. The feedback from the teachers at school is very positive. Last year during the 3rd term at school, Marcel was nominated by the school to attend an unprepared reading competition. What a privilege for him, from not being able to make the required time in Gr 1 with his reading to going to an unprepared reading competition and achieving a golden award.
Marcel’s homework and classwork have improved. It is less frustrating for him to do homework as his ability to comprehend and execute has improved. Marcel’s confidence has also improved. He even does his homework on his own. I only check the work to ensure it is all done.
Edublox has boosted Marcel’s schoolwork, confidence, and emotions. Marcel is encouraged to read, write, and do maths. He loves school and enjoys reading now. Edublox has helped Marcel a lot. I would definitely recommend Edublox! To invest in your child now is to invest in their future!
Bronwyn Venter
Bronwyn Venter Marcel's Mother
