Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
Hi, I'm new. I found this forum about a year ago, when I first learned about dyscalculia. I debated joining and decided against it, since I didn't know if I officially had it yet.
At first, I didn't even know dyscalculia existed. I knew about dyslexia and I had always had problems with math. In eighth grade, I really started to notice a pattern- I was writing my numbers out of order and making 'stupid' mistakes.
In ninth grade, I found out about dyscalculia. I didn't say anything about it to my parents because I was afraid they'd think I was using it as an excuse for my low math grades. I brought it up to a guidance couselor who looked over the paperwork and called my parents. My parents completely understood and were very supportive about getting me help (I used to go to tutoring when I was little, but I came out in tears most of the time, so we stopped). I went to Sylvan Learning Center last year and it greatly helped with my basic math skills; there I learned to tell time and sort of do fractions.
Last year, I was tested by the school psychologist. It was for learning disabilities in general, not specifically dyscaculia. I whizzed through the reading and writing section, but had a majorly hard time with the math. Unfortunately, when the results came back, I was negative for a learning disability. I was frustrated because I'd thought dyscalculia was my answer, and now I had none.
The school still remains adamant that I'm not dyscalculic, but I think I am. I might not be severly so, but I beleive that I am to some degree. I don't know how else to explain my near-failing geometry grade and my inability to count money.
I decided to register here because I started eleventh grade two weeks ago and I had my first math quiz today. I failed it. When I got home, I picked up my copy of My Thirteenth Winter and I cried through the entire first chapter. I don't know what to do- if it's not dyscalculia, what is it? I feel like I'm just stupid... It's even more ridiculously frustrating because I'm in honors history and AP English, but I can barely pass on-level math.
Sorry for the ridiculously long first post.
Edited by TheatreLvr08 on September 08 2006 10:03 PM
Welcome to the forum TheatreLvr08, I'm glad you decided to join
You need to get tested for DYSCALCULIA, not "learning disabilities" in general. A specific test aimed at diagnosing dyscalculia is needed, before anyone can claim that you have it or don't have it. Do you know what the test was called?
In any case, if you can't count money, something is wrong, and your school should help you EVEN if it's not dyscalculia.
Hi Theatre and welcome to the forum.
Hey, YOU ARE NOT STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!! and you dont have to apologize for a long post.
It`s great to hear that you got on well at the Learning Center and learned basic math.
If the school psychologist did not test you especaily for dyscalculia, so he cant tell you, you dont have it !!! That is stupid.
Could you try again ? Can you get tested especaily on dyscalculia again ? Give the folder to someone in your school. Make yourself heard.
I keep my fingers crossed for you
Countess
'You should really be sympathetic to people who suffer 'Normalism' (Geoff)
My Child (born 97) has Dyscalculia
Sorry for any spelling mistakes ;-)
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
Thanks for the encouraging words.
I don't know what the test was called, but I don't beleive it was specifically for dyscalculia. Parts of the test seems to match parts of the specific dyscalculia tests, there was a lot of reading and writing in it as well, which leads me to believe that it was for learning disabilities in general.
I just don't know if they'll test me again- although most of the people believed me when I said I thought I had it, there were a few people who thought I was just saying it to get attention. Why in the world would I want attention for having a learning disablilty? Hello?!
I have a big problem with reading numbers. Like, when I had to read something in front of my history class, there was a big number like 50000, and it took me a really long time to read it. (The teacher was one of the worst teachers I've had in the first place- he made fun of my friend because she's not a fast reader- so I was always scared when I had to answer a question in the first place) I had to count the zeros, then put the comma in, and then try to figure it out. It was so humiliating.
I just really don't want to fail math this year.
What do you mean by "the folder"?
Edited by TheatreLvr08 on September 08 2006 10:51 PM
~Rachel~
Countess
'You should really be sympathetic to people who suffer 'Normalism' (Geoff)
My Child (born 97) has Dyscalculia
Sorry for any spelling mistakes ;-)
Location: Australia Posts: 1163 Joined: 2005-03-20
Hi ,
You need to get a diagnosis from an independent educational psychologist. As school psychologists are not able to do an accurate diagnosis. They simply help the school understand the diagnosis and put accommodations in place. Though their main job is really to try and save the school money.
So you cant trust their diagnosis.
You might like to have a look at the section Dyscalculia Sub-Types, and particularly Sense of Number, which could be relevant to you.
Geoff.
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
Thanks. I'm thinking about asking two of my friends moms to help me. One of them is a psychologist, and she did a lot of tests on my friend to see if she could be in the gifted program (the school did them later, as well). My other friend's mom is a special education teacher. My friend had shown her my frustrated Xanga entries and e-mails and her mother said that she thought it sounded a lot like dyscalculia.
A big problem for me in math, which was demostrated during the quiz yesterday, is that I'll study and study and study- I even had some of my friends go over problems with me before the test- and as soon as the test is put in front of me, I forget it all. It doesn't matter that I studied.
Last year in math was a horrible year, but it was made less horrible by the fact that my friend (the same one with the special education teacher mom) was doing just as badly as I was. i had friends in the class. Now I'm stuck in a class full of people who won't hesitate to make fun of me, and who always "know the answer" and talk about how easy it is.
I guess one of the worst experiences for me was when my theatre class had a sub. Our usual teacher was awesome and knew that I had difficulties in math. This sub decided to tell us riddles. I love riddles, so I was eager to participate. Unfortunately, he chose a math on to tell me, not aware that I wasn't very good at it. He asked, "What's 9 + 1?" I quickly answered "Ten." "What's 8 + 2?" I felt like an idiot as I counted on my fingers. "Um... ten...?" He rolled his eyes at me. "And what's 7 + 3?" This was a question I always struggled with, and it made me feel awful, because everyone else could do single-digit addition. I slowly counted on my fingers, then messed up and had to do it again. Finally I said, "Ten?" And I couldn't believe it, but he did an exaggerated impression of me counting on my fingers, putting an "I'm stupid" look on his face. I wanted to cry.
It didn't help that since our school doesn't take theatre class seriously, we don't get real subs- we get teachers who have off that period, who don't really care. So I see this guy around school. It was humiliating.
I read the entire My Thirteenth Winter last night. Although, unlike Sam, I am not and never was depressed and I'm willing to accept that i have a learning disability (I just want something to tell people when I can't do it, rather than just 'I don't know' ), I have "smart status" at my school. People see me as the smart girl and ask me for help in math. When I try and tell them I can't, they say, "Come on, I thought you were supposed to be smart."
I think I'm going to ask my mom about sending my math teacher (whom I quite like, though I've heard terrible things about her and her teaching method) the folder and also that "A Letter to My Math Teacher" about dyscalculia. I don't want my teacher to go through what last year's did- he ran out of answers by the middle of the semester. He had no clue how to help me, though he tried.
Edited by TheatreLvr08 on September 09 2006 01:05 PM
~Rachel~
Location: Australia Posts: 1163 Joined: 2005-03-20
Hi Rachel
You wrote:"A big problem for me in math, which was demostrated during the quiz yesterday, is that I'll study and study and study- I even had some of my friends go over problems with me before the test- and as soon as the test is put in front of me, I forget it all. It doesn't matter that I studied."
Though I also had a look at your website, where you wrote about your recent Audition. Where it seems that you had the same problem, where you had studied the script, but then forgot it when it came to the Audition?
You might like to have a look at the section on Maths Anxiety, as this seems like it could be relevant to you?
The problem with anxiety, is that it comes in and occupies our Working Memory. [The small space in our brain that we use for Thinking.]
So when you say that when the test was put in front of you, that you forgot it all. It's more a case of there not being enough free space left in your Working Memory to remember what you want to.
If that same test was given to you again later, when you were at home and relaxed. Also, if I gave you the answers, and told you that you would mark it yourself.
I would guess that you would find the maths test a lot easier, and be able to remember most of what you had studied before the test?
I am not suggesting that Anxiety is the cause of your Dyscalculia, but that it will make it even more difficult for you.
The comparison with a Test you did at home and marked yourself. Is to highlight that the Anxiety is produced by other people! You could also have done the test with the Friend that helps you with maths.
Where you wouldn't be anxious about making errors in front of her.
Whilst this relates to maths, I was also very concerned about your recent Audition, where the anxiety of the Audition as a Test intruded on your Memory of the Script.
Which might be more important than maths?
Though Acting does require some degree of anxiety, to give some passion to the performance.
So perhaps to summarise all of this, I might suggest that as an Actress, that you view Anxiety as a 'tool' in your Acting Tool-Kit, that you learn to master and use as a strength?
Though I also wanted to discuss the question of your new maths teacher and having no clue how to help you. But I'll do that separately.
Geoff
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
Ah, thanks for visiting my website, LOL.
Hmmm. interesting comparison between the two. I suppose anxiety could have played into the audition, but I think the big part of it is that I absolutely abhor monologues- they're definitely not my strength (hey, like math! Maybe you have a point!)
I might be able to remember the formulas better, but I don't know that I'd be completely comfortable with the test still because, well, it is math. It doesn't happen in any other subject.
Of course acting is more important than math !
The main reason why I beleive I had such trouble at the audition was because I put enourmous pressure on myself. I loved the play and we were supposed to do that play last year, but too many people got the same score on their audition forms so we had to choose a bigger cast. I did well at the audition last year (the audition material was from the play I auditioned for the other day) and so I beleived that if I didn't do even better than last year, I wouldn't have a chance. I got in last year, when I had so much fun at the audition, and i didn't get in this year. So I think the anxiety there was because I was pushing myself too hard.
Anxiety can defintely work in a performance, I've seen that- perhaps I could learn to ue it as a strength.
Another reason why I'm convinced I have dyscalculia is because I've been playing the violin since I was eight years old and I've been singing since before that. And I can't read music. No matter the efforts of myself, my teachers, and my parents, it just will not go into my head. I do it all by ear. People ask me how I can possibly pay an instrument without reading music; my answer to them is that the notes are merely symbols. Ask me what they sound like, and I am at a loss. The second question is that, if I play the violin, why I can't I read music for voice? Well, when you're playing the violin, you can get by with using the notes as symbols. But when you're singing, it's ut you. There's no fingering. You have to know what it sounds like. I'm lucky enough not to have gone to an audition yet where I've been asked to sing an unfamiliar song by using memory, but I know that one day I will. I've heard of some theatre companies that won't allow you to be in their production if you can't read music.
There is, however, an upside to this. I pick up music very quickly- usually the second or third time I hear the song, I have it down. Also, I'm not hindered by the need for a music book during rehearsals, because I'm forced to memorize the songs early. And if the conductor playts something not in the music and asks us to repeat it, I can do that with ease. So I guess it's not all bad...
Edited by TheatreLvr08 on September 10 2006 12:23 PM
~Rachel~
Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 129 Joined: 2006-06-27
Hi Theatre
Welcome to the forum! Sounds to me like you have dyscalculia.... for sure. Even if you can't get tested (I never did) it does not mean you are stupid or lazy.
Like Countess says, print out some info and try to spread the word. I know school is a nightmare, I hated it with a passion the whole time I was there, but you are among friends here. So don't worry! bubble
(Katie)
That thing that you were describing about counting on your fingers is exactly what I have to do with certain math problems, like 8+4. For some reason I didn't memorize those when I was younger, so I have to count on my fingers. For me, all the math problems I have memorized are "colors". For example, 5+4 is red. 2+2 is blue. 6+3 is kind of gray. So I sort of associate those colors with what my memorized answer is. Hard to explain, but I've always thought that way. In any case, 8+4 doesn't have a color, so it's hard for me to find the answer. There are a few other facts that are the same way for me.
Lara
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
Yeah, I know what you mean about the color thing. I don't do it for numbers, but other stuf for me is "color-coded".
I guess I just want to be offcially diagnosed so that if someone asks why I can't do math, I can tell them it's dyscalculia without feeling like I'm lying. I just need an explanation. There's really no doubt in my mind that I have it; I have nine out of the ten symptoms on everything I've ever read about it.
~Rachel~
I do the color coding thing too! but i always get mixed up between my colors... so that's kind of a problem, hahhaha either way - most nubmers have always been more like colors to me than numbers.
Anyways... Theatre I totally TOTALLY know how you feel about wanting a real diagnosis. I went through the exact same thing. I think it's more than just somthing you can tell other people - it's sort of a validation for yourself. If you have the "expert" tell you that you have dyscalculia, then you don't have to keep doubting yourself all the time. For me, I went back and forth for a REALLY long time thinking "well, maybe I'm just too stupid, or too lazy to do it the right way, and to really learn it." It was especially bad since I was also seen as the nerdy smart girl in school - and my family is full of math wizzes as well. So I was pushed and pushed and pushed.. and even though I cried my brains out to my parents, I still somehow convinced myself that I was somewhat good at math. (I really wasn't - It was just that I always turned in my homework on time )
Anyways I had lots of problems in college and eventually got diagnosed with ADHD, but even though that helped a lot, it defiantely wasn't the whole story. I finally got diagnosed with Dyscalculia in my last year of college. A little late too help anything, I know, but I NEEDED the diagnosis as an explanation for myself. I would never tell my employer that I have it either, since I have to use math everyday (I'm an engineer!! of all things... lol) I just use the calculator and it hasn't been much of a problem. (I can do calculus just fine, but not the basic arithmatic like 8+4... hahaha)
Anyways sorry that was a really long winded post, but I wasnted to say that I completely identify with your story! And I think a lot of doctors who do diagnosing don't really know much (if anything) about dyscalculia. So you kind of have to shop around until you find the right one. Having the diagnosis isn't really important unless you're trying to get accommodations at school... but for personal acceptance reasons it can be a HUGE help. Like I said - that was the entire reason I got mine, and beleive me it was a HUGE pain in the butt to get it!!! (i had to convince the insurance to pay for it, and go through like 4 different referrals to find the right person)
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
Well, I got my first math quiz back today- 8/20 including the bonus. And I studied for hours. Just awful.
Edited by TheatreLvr08 on September 11 2006 10:37 PM
~Rachel~
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
*furstrated sigh* You guys, I've reached the end of my rope math wise, and I haven't even been in school for a full month yet.
Yesterday we started slope. I've always been bad at slope, but I've done it for the past two years, and now we started in in Alg. 2, and I don't remember a thing. The only reason I got my homework done for tomorrow is because we did the assignment with a partner and she knew what she was doing. It doesn't help that I missed class yesterday, but it's not like I've never done this before. It makes less sense to me than it did the other two times, and now my teacher has added five more foumlas, and I have no idea what any of them mean, and when someone explains it to me, all I can think is 'Why'. Why do I have to do this? I will never, ever use slope in my future life. I don't know how I'm going to get through this semester. It's going to be awful.
My teacher e-mailed my mom, saying that I looked "comfortable" in class and that maybe I didn't need a tutor. My mom e-mailed her back saying that I did need one.
I sent this teacher the "Letter to my Math Teacher". I asked her if she got it and she said yes, but then she muttered something and I couldn't hear what it was. I don't know if she beleives me or not. I really don't know what to do... does anyone know where I can get tested in Pennsylvania? I feel like I need this to prove that I'm not just not understanding...
~Rachel~
What I hate about math is when the "Why" question comes... you get word problems. They try to apply WHY you would ever use math into a word problem...... and it's one of the hardest things to do. I draw a really nice picture of what I'm supposed to, but no maths comes out of it.
The answer to my math Why has always been "Because I told you to learn it. I'm sure you'll use it someday." Yeah, right, I'll use it when I become a math teacher. *shakes fist*
Don't be afraid to talk to your teacher. Be assertive and tell her all about dyscalculia. Don't let her mumble and run away from it! I'm really outpsoken and I'm good with talking to adults, so this is no problem for me... but if this is your education, you need to stand up and take control. Then again, I tried talking to my math teacher about having math dyslexia and she said, "No, everything you do is just careless. There is no cause for concern." and that was that. Never mess with ex-special ops army people!
But... you can do it. Hang in there. Take colourful notes, write all your steps out, and bring a calculator with you everywhere you go!!
I don't know about testing in Penn., unfortunately. Have you asked your parents for help finding one?
Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 171 Joined: 2006-09-08
Well, I got tested for general LDs last year, but they said I didn't have a math LD, just "trouble with the basics". But I was told by those here that I should get tested for dyscalculia specifically, not just LDs in general.
I want to find somewhere free, that would be best. We can afford it, but my parents are letting me go to a private performing arts school for half the day and it's pretty expensive, and they paid for private tutoring in math last year, so I don't want to make them pay for that much...
~Rachel~
 of clu[26].jpg)
,
