hello, I'm Rachel

[piano rachel]

Hello, I'm Rachel, in my mid-forties, a piano teacher and part-time music student. I was diagnosed with dyspraxia about three years ago and have been trying to find out as much as possible about it ever since.

I came across this website because pressure of studying has made me even more disorganized than usual and it's getting me down so I was looking for possible solutions or coping strategies. I'm currently doing my 3rd OU music course, and also doing singing and piano exams this year. When I look at my diary, I do have time to fit it all in, it just doesn't seem to happen. Everything takes longer than I think it will, and learning anything new takes forever

My friends are constantly telling me I'm doing too much, and they're probably right, but giving anything up feels like admitting defeat!! Any suggestions would be very welcome,

Rachel

[gherkin001]

Hi Rachel and Welcome to the Mad-House!!!

Kirsty

[cazzzzy]

hi rachel,
welcome,hope you find info that helps
caz

[Elizabeth]

Hi Rachel, and welcome (I'm new,too!)

I've seen a book that might be of interest to you. It's:

"Music solutions. No. 1, Dyspraxia and learning to play a musical instrument" by Jan Poustie

Hope this helps, Elizabeth

[piano rachel]

Hello Elizabeth, great to chat with another newcomer! Thanks for the recommendation and for taking the time to reply.

I managed to find a few references to the book you suggested ... but I think it's possibly geared towards using music as a way to help overcome some of the difficulties posed by dyspraxia - which I totally agree with!!

I probably didn't explain myself very well in my initial post - it's not the music I'm not coping with, it's the memory issues and, most especially, needing to be hyper-organised and stay focussed

but thank you anyway
Rachel

postscript: if anyone else is in a similar situation to mine (I'd be very surprised if I'm alone!!) - I've just come across a useful looking website, which seems to be aimed at higher education (not just music students) ...

http://www.scips.worc.ac.uk/subjects_an ... raxia.html

[Tim G]

Hi Rachel

I understand exactly how you feel about studding and being disorganised. I was studding at unie but had to leave after 2 and a bit years as it got way too much and had a major effect of my mental helth and really set me back and I am still trying to recover and get help from that time so I can move forward.

You say that it looks like you can fit in the things you want but from my experance and from what you have said then its probably not the case and you are doing too much. I reccomend that you only focus on one aspect e.g. just the music course and put the rest of the things off. Its better focusing on just that and getting a ok outcome raver then failing at all of them beceuse you took on too much. This isent exactly admiting defeet but raver re-pirotrising and doing what you are capabable of.