Comments on: Dyscalculia Forum http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for ADHD, Dyslexia and Autism Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:21:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Dennis http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-164838 Dennis Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:14:44 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-164838 Khali! Anybody who made it to Pre- Cal. or what ever it is probably does NOT have dyscalcula. I took Pre algebra 4 times and could not pass it. Once the instructor started to put letters AND numbers in the same groups the entire thing just started to get fuzzy to me. I am a 47 year old man with 4 undergrad degrees and working on a masters degree with a 3.7 GPA. I have dyslexia and can't spell worth a damn so I have to write around words I can't spell or pray that I spell most of them correctly. I I have ADHD and on hell of a bad memory but I am a big enough A$$h@l# that I want to prove to the world and myself that a man that still doesn't know what 7 x 7 is can be a success. I am a Social Studies Teacher (of "at-risk" students)and I teach my students to try and use what I call "stupid math" and be proud of it. Think of a quick way to do daily math tasks, like, 9 x 6 = (drop the 6 to a 5 then add the amount it would take to reach the original 9, 54!) 9 x 6 = 54 (5+4=9) Work with it until you get it. Any way just accept that you have this one deficit in your life and get on with the rest of it. And you with that "worthless" History degree? Shut your mouth! Get out there and go to some foreign country and do some research that might help somebody find lost family members or discover new information about this or that stop your crying and embrace what God has given you as a gift, not what he has not given you that you thought you should have been given. The world is yours, go out there and get it, without the math!! Khali! Anybody who made it to Pre- Cal. or what ever it is probably does NOT have dyscalcula. I took Pre algebra 4 times and could not pass it. Once the instructor started to put letters AND numbers in the same groups the entire thing just started to get fuzzy to me. I am a 47 year old man with 4 undergrad degrees and working on a masters degree with a 3.7 GPA. I have dyslexia and can’t spell worth a damn so I have to write around words I can’t spell or pray that I spell most of them correctly. I I have ADHD and on hell of a bad memory but I am a big enough A$$h@l# that I want to prove to the world and myself that a man that still doesn’t know what 7 x 7 is can be a success.
I am a Social Studies Teacher (of “at-risk” students)and I teach my students to try and use what I call “stupid math” and be proud of it. Think of a quick way to do daily math tasks, like, 9 x 6 = (drop the 6 to a 5 then add the amount it would take to reach the original 9, 54!) 9 x 6 = 54 (5+4=9) Work with it until you get it. Any way just accept that you have this one deficit in your life and get on with the rest of it.

And you with that “worthless” History degree? Shut your mouth! Get out there and go to some foreign country and do some research that might help somebody find lost family members or discover new information about this or that stop your crying and embrace what God has given you as a gift, not what he has not given you that you thought you should have been given. The world is yours, go out there and get it, without the math!!

]]> By: Cailin Gaelach,Eire http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-99856 Cailin Gaelach,Eire Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:53:14 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-99856 I was diagnosed a few moths ago at age 27, dyscalculia is such a frustrating thing to have, there's so little understanding /assistance available.I was always the worst person in the class at maths in school,I used to get 60-80% in Languages, and History,and 10-25% in Maths.There was no knowlege of dyscalculia,and teachers and my parents believed I was just being lazy, as I got results that were consistent with a person simply not having done their work properly.I was lazy, being stupid,and the problem could be resolved simply if i came to my senses and STARTED WORKING,it was up to myself.I began to believe that I was lazy and stupid,as others concluded for me.I underwent an assessment at school at age 14,and was told I had an above average IQ and the result provided no explanation for the difficulties I CLAIMED I was experiencing, there was nothing wrong with me!I was given a hard time at school and at home,I spent hours longer on maths than on any other subject,and still did really badly. I was told that, with results as bad as that in Maths, I would never get a job,and never get into any 3rd level institution,no matter how well I did in any of my other subjects.Even though I enjoyed most other subjects,I was made to feel it was pointless putting the work into them because any good results would not count for anything without an improvement in Maths! I was diagnosed a few months ago, and since then,I am entitled to extra time for aptitude tests required for promotion in my job,and I recently passed the test and am finally on a waiting list.There is hope! I am annoyed at the way I was treated by certain individuals, and if I have learned anything, I would strongly advise you to IGNORE people who are very negative,as this was one thing that caused me a great deal of stress. Don't take anything personally. I don't mean to be ungrateful and fully appreciate that people were trying to be helpful, but you need the RIGHT KIND of help! And ALWAYS ALWAYS seek an alternative opinion!Get your diagnosis done privately,its pricey,but worth it as it means your school is obliged to provide assistance! I was diagnosed a few moths ago at age 27, dyscalculia is such a frustrating thing to have, there’s so little understanding /assistance available.I was always the worst person in the class at maths in school,I used to get 60-80% in Languages, and History,and 10-25% in Maths.There was no knowlege of dyscalculia,and teachers and my parents believed I was just being lazy, as I got results that were consistent with a person simply not having done their work properly.I was lazy, being stupid,and the problem could be resolved simply if i came to my senses and STARTED WORKING,it was up to myself.I began to believe that I was lazy and stupid,as others concluded for me.I underwent an assessment at school at age 14,and was told I had an above average IQ and the result provided no explanation for the difficulties I CLAIMED I was experiencing, there was nothing wrong with me!I was given a hard time at school and at home,I spent hours longer on maths than on any other subject,and still did really badly. I was told that, with results as bad as that in Maths, I would never get a job,and never get into any 3rd level institution,no matter how well I did in any of my other subjects.Even though I enjoyed most other subjects,I was made to feel it was pointless putting the work into them because any good results would not count for anything without an improvement in Maths!
I was diagnosed a few months ago, and since then,I am entitled to extra time for aptitude tests required for promotion in my job,and I recently passed the test and am finally on a waiting list.There is hope! I am annoyed at the way I was treated by certain individuals, and if I have learned anything, I would strongly advise you to IGNORE people who are very negative,as this was one thing that caused me a great deal of stress. Don’t take anything personally. I don’t mean to be ungrateful and fully appreciate that people were trying to be helpful, but you need the RIGHT KIND of help! And ALWAYS ALWAYS seek an alternative opinion!Get your diagnosis done privately,its pricey,but worth it as it means your school is obliged to provide assistance!

]]> By: Zoe http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-90328 Zoe Sun, 09 Nov 2008 03:19:20 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-90328 Hi. I'm a 29-year old dyscalculia sufferer. I was diagnosed when I was in my early 20s. My whole life I had trouble doing math. I got tutors, nothing helped. I got A's and B's in everything else, and consistently C's, D's, and F's in math. When I was in college, the state of Florida requires that you get a C or better in math in order to "pass" the class. The two choices were algebra and finite math. I took both of these classes over and over again, for a total of about one whole semester of my college career. I almost didn't graduate because of it. Despite my attempts and communications with teachers, I received very little help. Even when I was just one point away from getting a C once. I realized I must have a learning disability. I took a test, upon which it was revealed that I didn't have one, though I seemed to have some problems with symbols and spacial abilities and was told I had the highest verbal and memorization scores the psychologist administering the test had seen in all her 25 years of practice. While I knew I was intelligent, I ended up feeling really dumb. No matter how hard I tried and what I did, I couldn't seem to advance. Ultimately, my mom wrote a nasty letter to the dean of the university and I was able to substitute a computer course for math which was completely easy and I got an A and graduated. To this day, just seeing numbers is traumatic. I'm not comfortable with them at all. My mother did research years ago and stumbled upon dyscalculia, which I had all the common symptoms of and it doesn't show up on standardized learning disability tests. I still have trouble with analog watches, reading maps, and my sense of direction is completely off. Not to mention, despite all of my years as a classically trained pianist, I could never read music notes and had to rely on my musical ear. It was a horrible experience and I still have trouble whenever numbers, fractions, decimals, and many other types of math come up. To those people out there that suffer with it - just know that we all have our individual talents and gifts, and no two people have to be the same. Learning disabilities don't make you stupid, they just make you human, and for everything you lack in math I'm sure you compensate greatly in something else. Don't let math destroy your life. Find ways to work around it or to use calculators and don't be too hard on yourself. Hi. I’m a 29-year old dyscalculia sufferer. I was diagnosed when I was in my early 20s. My whole life I had trouble doing math. I got tutors, nothing helped. I got A’s and B’s in everything else, and consistently C’s, D’s, and F’s in math. When I was in college, the state of Florida requires that you get a C or better in math in order to “pass” the class. The two choices were algebra and finite math. I took both of these classes over and over again, for a total of about one whole semester of my college career. I almost didn’t graduate because of it. Despite my attempts and communications with teachers, I received very little help. Even when I was just one point away from getting a C once. I realized I must have a learning disability. I took a test, upon which it was revealed that I didn’t have one, though I seemed to have some problems with symbols and spacial abilities and was told I had the highest verbal and memorization scores the psychologist administering the test had seen in all her 25 years of practice. While I knew I was intelligent, I ended up feeling really dumb. No matter how hard I tried and what I did, I couldn’t seem to advance. Ultimately, my mom wrote a nasty letter to the dean of the university and I was able to substitute a computer course for math which was completely easy and I got an A and graduated. To this day, just seeing numbers is traumatic. I’m not comfortable with them at all. My mother did research years ago and stumbled upon dyscalculia, which I had all the common symptoms of and it doesn’t show up on standardized learning disability tests. I still have trouble with analog watches, reading maps, and my sense of direction is completely off. Not to mention, despite all of my years as a classically trained pianist, I could never read music notes and had to rely on my musical ear. It was a horrible experience and I still have trouble whenever numbers, fractions, decimals, and many other types of math come up. To those people out there that suffer with it – just know that we all have our individual talents and gifts, and no two people have to be the same. Learning disabilities don’t make you stupid, they just make you human, and for everything you lack in math I’m sure you compensate greatly in something else. Don’t let math destroy your life. Find ways to work around it or to use calculators and don’t be too hard on yourself.

]]> By: PAMELA CHRISTINE EVANS http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-77649 PAMELA CHRISTINE EVANS Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:40:01 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-77649 Hearing about Dyscalculia has been a revelation. I too am 61 years of age and have spent the whole of my life believing myself to be stupid because of my total inability to understand the basic arithmetic needed to do quite simple everyday tasks. I have difficulty in calculating change (at least without the aid of a calculator). Working out areas and volume is a complete mystery to me i.e. estimating how much material to buy for curtains is a sheer impossibility. I also experience great difficulty in understanding financial matters and interest rates, which I am sure must impair my ability to make the best decisions with regard to my finances, and whilst understanding the principle that a balance sheet is merely a statement of money coming in and money going out, how such a balance is achieved is also beyond my comprehension. All my life this inability to understand numbers has contributed to a lack of self-confidence and a deep sense of inadequacy in almost every aspect of my life, even in respect of things which I know I am more than capable of doing. I venture to state that I am articulate, can spell without the aid of Spell check, have an excellent vocabulary, and am able to express myself clearly and cogently. Despite these abilities, which thankfully, have served me well throughout my working life, the overwhelming feeling I have always had about myself has been, rightly or wrongly, that I was stupid and that others would also automatically think I was stupid and therefore would never believe that I would be able to excel or achieve at anything I might do. Such belief, as I saw it, of course being based purely upon the fact that I cannot do arithmetic. I only hope that maybe, even at this late stage, I can find someone somewhere who would be able to help me reach something of an understanding of this basic but vital part of everyday life, and from which I feel I have been excluded. Hearing about Dyscalculia has been a revelation. I too am 61 years of age and have spent the whole of my life believing myself to be stupid because of my total inability to understand the basic arithmetic needed to do quite simple everyday tasks. I have difficulty in calculating change (at least without the aid of a calculator). Working out areas and volume is a complete mystery to me i.e. estimating how much material to buy for curtains is a sheer impossibility. I also experience great difficulty in understanding financial matters and interest rates, which I am sure must impair my ability to make the best decisions with regard to my finances, and whilst understanding the principle that a balance sheet is merely a statement of money coming in and money going out, how such a balance is achieved is also beyond my comprehension. All my life this inability to understand numbers has contributed to a lack of self-confidence and a deep sense of inadequacy in almost every aspect of my life, even in respect of things which I know I am more than capable of doing. I venture to state that I am articulate, can spell without the aid of Spell check, have an excellent vocabulary, and am able to express myself clearly and cogently. Despite these abilities, which thankfully, have served me well throughout my working life, the overwhelming feeling I have always had about myself has been, rightly or wrongly, that I was stupid and that others would also automatically think I was stupid and therefore would never believe that I would be able to excel or achieve at anything I might do. Such belief, as I saw it, of course being based purely upon the fact that I cannot do arithmetic. I only hope that maybe, even at this late stage, I can find someone somewhere who would be able to help me reach something of an understanding of this basic but vital part of everyday life, and from which I feel I have been excluded.

]]> By: khali http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-74646 khali Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:48:39 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-74646 I am 17 years old and I seriously didnt think anyone had this problem. I am absolutly horrible at math and its not that I dont try its that I cant grasp the subject. I can sit there and listen to every word the teacher says and I cant do it. I Cant even graph something on a calculator becasue i dont know how becasue it dosent stick to me, nothing does not even formulas, its a miricle i even got by all these years in a math class. Now with Pre-cal Im either going to fail or someone needs to know theres somthing wrong with me. I am 17 years old and I seriously didnt think anyone had this problem. I am absolutly horrible at math and its not that I dont try its that I cant grasp the subject. I can sit there and listen to every word the teacher says and I cant do it. I Cant even graph something on a calculator becasue i dont know how becasue it dosent stick to me, nothing does not even formulas, its a miricle i even got by all these years in a math class. Now with Pre-cal Im either going to fail or someone needs to know theres somthing wrong with me.

]]> By: AW http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-58433 AW Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:18:59 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-58433 My 24 year old son still can not make change properly or seem to grasp the concept of time, yet he does have mechanical ability. He does not keep a job and is very depressed. The disability has caused great anxiety and a low self esteem. I do not know what to do . He tries nothing for fear of failure. Who can help? My 24 year old son still can not make change properly or seem to grasp the concept of time, yet he does have mechanical ability. He does not keep a job and is very depressed. The disability has caused great anxiety and a low self esteem. I do not know what to do . He tries nothing for fear of failure. Who can help?

]]> By: Juaquina Castillo http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-52880 Juaquina Castillo Wed, 07 May 2008 20:58:54 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-52880 I am feeling really depressed today, I relate to all of you. I am 30, and it took me 9 years to graduate from college because of my math disability. I wanted to be a teacher my degree is in History, I could not get into the college of ed because I could not pass elementry statistics, I had to retake so many math classes that it pulled my GPA to a 2.2 so my GPA is low too. I went to KU and got tested in 2004 and the only reason I graduated was because they had K-State wave Statistics and Philisophical Logic my last 2 classes that I took over and over again for 2 years. I walked aways from K-State with a History degree that is worthless and cost 55,000, because I suck at math. I am a sales assoiciate for a sportswear company and I have recently tried to get promoted and they gave a math test I failed so I didn't get the promotion even though I am excellent at sales and I am gifted in so many things but math. I applied at another job and it was for 35,000 a year made it through 3 interviews an hour long and jumped through hoops and then they gave me a 2 page math test a 5th grader could pass with 15 problems and I failed they didn't give me the sales job, I don't know what to do, I have been with my company 2 years great worker strong work ethic, but I have a hard time with the accounting tab, and taking Credit Card number and when customers tell me there account number I have a hard time grabing the lists of number did great in my other classes but math escapes me, I just don't understand I don't understand percentages or fractions, I reverse my numbers but not letters and when I am going for a promotion or changing jobs, I pray for no math test, because otherwise I am marketable, but one math test I'm done. I'm 30 with a college degree from a great school and I don't cut it. I make 10.00 an hour how sad it that. I am feeling really depressed today, I relate to all of you. I am 30, and it took me 9 years to graduate from college because of my math disability. I wanted to be a teacher my degree is in History, I could not get into the college of ed because I could not pass elementry statistics, I had to retake so many math classes that it pulled my GPA to a 2.2 so my GPA is low too. I went to KU and got tested in 2004 and the only reason I graduated was because they had K-State wave Statistics and Philisophical Logic my last 2 classes that I took over and over again for 2 years. I walked aways from K-State with a History degree that is worthless and cost 55,000, because I suck at math. I am a sales assoiciate for a sportswear company and I have recently tried to get promoted and they gave a math test I failed so I didn’t get the promotion even though I am excellent at sales and I am gifted in so many things but math. I applied at another job and it was for 35,000 a year made it through 3 interviews an hour long and jumped through hoops and then they gave me a 2 page math test a 5th grader could pass with 15 problems and I failed they didn’t give me the sales job, I don’t know what to do, I have been with my company 2 years great worker strong work ethic, but I have a hard time with the accounting tab, and taking Credit Card number and when customers tell me there account number I have a hard time grabing the lists of number did great in my other classes but math escapes me, I just don’t understand I don’t understand percentages or fractions, I reverse my numbers but not letters and when I am going for a promotion or changing jobs, I pray for no math test, because otherwise I am marketable, but one math test I’m done.
I’m 30 with a college degree from a great school and I don’t cut it. I make 10.00 an hour how sad it that.

]]> By: Anna http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-52141 Anna Thu, 01 May 2008 18:29:45 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-52141 I struggled with math all the way through school also. I excelled in English, Science, etc. I went to a trade school when I was very young so that I could get skills to get a decent job; however, I have never been content with what I was doing and have always wanted to go back to school and get a degree. I began to persue that since last year at age 37. I only had to take remedial classes in mathematics. Problem is, I flunked pre-algebra and now I have to take it again in the fall. This is seriously setting back my dreams of ever getting a degree which I not only want, but need now because I am financially struggling and need a better income, and I don't have time to wait several years, especially at my age, to get through this. I studied very hard, 4 hours or so a day, received tutoring, took notes religiously, did all of my homework, and I would get the concept down pat, or at least I thought, just to forget it, as if I have some kind of short memory problem. It's very frustrating when your classmates don't understand and they seem to assume that you are not trying hard enough, when you are probably trying harder than anyone. And I am becoming very depressed now because I realize that I will be maybe 43 or so by the time I earn an associates degree which means nothing. Neither does a bachelors degree anymore. What's worse, my major and the field I would go into after I graduate will never require higher math. I feel like, "is it worth it?" at that age to start over, but my worst nightmare is the fact that I may never be able to earn a college degree or get so discouraged that I give up. I don't have any motivation to live on if I have to give up my goals, I think I would be suicidal even though I am with someone who loves me very much and everything else is going well for me. I struggled with math all the way through school also. I excelled in English, Science, etc. I went to a trade school when I was very young so that I could get skills to get a decent job; however, I have never been content with what I was doing and have always wanted to go back to school and get a degree. I began to persue that since last year at age 37. I only had to take remedial classes in mathematics. Problem is, I flunked pre-algebra and now I have to take it again in the fall. This is seriously setting back my dreams of ever getting a degree which I not only want, but need now because I am financially struggling and need a better income, and I don’t have time to wait several years, especially at my age, to get through this. I studied very hard, 4 hours or so a day, received tutoring, took notes religiously, did all of my homework, and I would get the concept down pat, or at least I thought, just to forget it, as if I have some kind of short memory problem. It’s very frustrating when your classmates don’t understand and they seem to assume that you are not trying hard enough, when you are probably trying harder than anyone. And I am becoming very depressed now because I realize that I will be maybe 43 or so by the time I earn an associates degree which means nothing. Neither does a bachelors degree anymore. What’s worse, my major and the field I would go into after I graduate will never require higher math. I feel like, “is it worth it?” at that age to start over, but my worst nightmare is the fact that I may never be able to earn a college degree or get so discouraged that I give up. I don’t have any motivation to live on if I have to give up my goals, I think I would be suicidal even though I am with someone who loves me very much and everything else is going well for me.

]]> By: Tonya http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-51132 Tonya Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:23:26 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-51132 I also just found this site in my search for treatment. I've known I have dyscalculia since high school. My uncle has dyslexia so my family is supportive & this was never a problem. Now, I have a job as a Passion Party consultant that I absolutly LOVE. However there's alot of math involved. Now it affects my every day life & I feel like an idiot. If any one can tell about some good treatments for adults I would appreciate it. My husband helps me with the math at my parties but I don't want to have to drag him around, even if he is supportive. TIA. I also just found this site in my search for treatment. I’ve known I have dyscalculia since high school. My uncle has dyslexia so my family is supportive & this was never a problem. Now, I have a job as a Passion Party consultant that I absolutly LOVE. However there’s alot of math involved. Now it affects my every day life & I feel like an idiot. If any one can tell about some good treatments for adults I would appreciate it. My husband helps me with the math at my parties but I don’t want to have to drag him around, even if he is supportive. TIA.

]]> By: Nicole http://www.myomancy.com/2006/05/dyscalculia_for/comment-page-1#comment-46929 Nicole Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:51:32 +0000 http://owl.vm.bytemark.co.uk/2006/05/dyscalculia_forhtml/#comment-46929 Just found this site! I've stuggled with math my whole life. I'm trying to get a degree but, the math requirements go up to calculus! I barely made it through Algebra 2 (after the 4th time!). I need a degree to get a job. I can't even get a job doing what i've been doing for nearly 20 years because it now requires a degree. I'm moving soon and my current position will be much to far away to commute. Frustrated after all these years! I am 38. Just found this site! I’ve stuggled with math my whole life. I’m trying to get a degree but, the math requirements go up to calculus! I barely made it through Algebra 2 (after the 4th time!). I need a degree to get a job. I can’t even get a job doing what i’ve been doing for nearly 20 years because it now requires a degree. I’m moving soon and my current position will be much to far away to commute.
Frustrated after all these years! I am 38.

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