Ever since I started to explore my own stutter at the end of 2001, I thought I began to stutter during 7th grade, around the age of 11. For some reason, I can’t seem to remember speaking situations prior to that period. Perhaps it’s because that year my stuttering became so severe, it caused me to avoid as many speaking situations as possible. For those that know me now, I know this is a shocker.
While in New Jersey this week for the holidays, I had breakfast with my 3rd grade teacher. That’s her in the middle of the picture above, along with my wife to the left. This was the first time I had seen my teacher since 3rd grade, or that I remember, but yet I still seemed to recognize her. Our memory works in mysterious ways.
After a nice chat about our lives, I decided to ask the question which had been on my mind the entire morning. Did I stutter in 3rd grade, if you can remember? Her answer immediately was yes and informed me that I spoke very little because of it. I think this comes as a relief to me, personally, as I wondered how my stuttering could have come about in 7th grade. There are some cases of stuttering where a traumatic event can trigger the stutter, but I did not know what that was. Well, now I know I’ve stuttered all my life, just like most people who stutter.
Tech Spinning 