Musing of a Dyslexic DJ by Bernice Raabis

So we finally did it. We delivered our first live in-person DJ School since May 2019. We have graduated 7 online DJ cohorts since that time but finding a suitable venue delayed the return of our in person version until now. And what a venue it was! Peacocks, go-karts, costume rooms, goat barns with built-in dance floors! If I hadn't been there myself I wouldn’t believe it. It felt good to be back delivering the DJ training in the most optimal way... or so I thought.

On day 5 of the 7-day program we have a day with no classes, to allow students to integrate, rest, practice, and do a 1-on-1 with one of the DJ coaches. I love this day because it allows me to meet students where they are at and remove whatever obstacle is preventing them from advancing. On this day I had two students who divulged to me that they had learning differences (what we used to call learning disabilities.) One told me that our manual was very absorbable, that it was obvious to her that it had been written by a dyslexic. I felt such a sense of pride and gave myself a pat on the back. Then my next student told me that the training was triggering his traumatic childhood classroom experiences, that he wasn't able to absorb what was being taught. This one didn't feel so great.

It was humbling to experience this situation from the other side. And healing for me that I could do something different, make a change I wish would have been made for me. Rather than falling into the old trap of remediation (different learners aren’t able to advance as quickly because of a perceived deficiency), we got creative with an accommodation. How did we do this? Once we spoke about the root of the issue, it was agreed that once the training was over he would receive the self led program. This way he knew he could revisit the content at his own pace in a low-pressure environment.

You want to know the magic of accommodation? The next day he told me that simply knowing the pressure was off resulted in him absorbing more class content. Voilà!

This experience deeply impacted me. Initially, I thought in-person training was always better due to more contact hours (and the occasional peacock or dance in a goat barn). However, I’ve realized that for some, learning to DJ through our online program can be more effective. The ability to absorb, practice, and revisit videos between modules is invaluable.

This realization that our in-person training had a gap, especially for those with learning differences gave us the opportunity to create a better program. Going forward, all in-person graduates will get access to the self-paced program, thanks to the bravery of unnamed student who paved the way for future alumni. You've helped us make the DTM Fam even more inclusive my friend—thank you!