Dominique Troisfontaine - Student with a label

Why do we treat people with dyslexia as less intelligent than other people in the Netherlands? Dominique Troisfontaine experienced it himself when a teacher called him dumb in elementary school. Looking back at it, he might need to thank the teacher. Because it made him all the more determined to prove himself. At this moment the 24 year old Dominique is a student at HAS. During his internships in Canada and Finland Dominique experienced a different culture, where people had a completely different approach to dyslexia. “Here everybody wants to put you in box and try to solve problems or move forward within that box. In Finland and Canada the goal is to move forward with the whole class together. It was a group effort and not that of one individual”. New cultures taught Dominique to look at how he interacts with people. He has found some great insights about dyslexia and how to deal with it, which he wants to share with you in his talk.

Thank you Mr. Stupid.

Dominique is a student with a label; “Or what other people might say, I’m a student with dyslexia. I had to redo the second grade because I simply couldn’t read. Teachers said I was lazy, they were not wrong. I was simply not interested. In the fourth grade a teacher told me why I was struggling with the dutch language. “Well Dominque, he said, it’s explained in the first three letters of your name. You’re simply stupid.” Dominique explained be believed this for a long time, because you believe that what your teacher tells you is the truth.

I feel determined. Despite of my label I achieved a lot. It took me three years to got a specific internship, but i got it. I finished high school with above average grades.

I’m happy that I met mister Stupid. I love him for the fact he called me stupid. I should thank him. I wouldn’t stage here, I wouldn’t have made my bachelor. It’s time to take the label of begin

You create your own road to success and if you focus on your path, no one is gonna pass you by.