Show of hands, folks...
Poll DyscalculiaI've been thinking about learning disabilities lately. Specifically mine, and specifically the fact that there really is just not enough knowledge out there about what dyscalculia IS.
For those of you who DON'T know what dyscalculia is, here are two very quick, informative links:
First, a quick overview.
Symptom Check
(I have every single one of these symptoms - plus this site is just a fantastic resource in general)
I was diagnosed with dyscalculia at the end of my junior year of high school. It's been a problem my whole life, and I had to wait for eleven years to find out what was wrong because people were simply ignorant about math learning disabilities - and other learning disabilities in general. None of my teachers understood why a bright, verbally gifted kid struggled so much with basic concepts when I did just fine in every other aspect of school. Consequently, I spent the majority of my life feeling stupid when I had to count on my fingers, got lost doing the simplest of things, froze during money transactions of any kind, and couldn't remember people's names when I never forget a face. There's more, but that is the gist of it.
The reason I'm making this post today is because over on ljsecret , someone posted a secret about having dyscalculia and feeling like numbers were ruining their lives. Most of the responses were surprisingly supportive (or others said they had dyscalculia, too, like me and offered a shoulder to lean on), but one person basically said, "I'd never heard of this. After reading a little about it, it just sounds like math is harder for some people, let's call it a disability..." This INFURIATED me. Without even thinking, I posted an angry response, calling them an insensitive, ignorant moron.
And yeah, they were insensitive and ingornant, but how much of that is their fault? Learning disabilities everywhere are misunderstood because nobody talks about them. I'm tired of that.
I'm not a slacker. I'm not making excuses. I sure as hell am not stupid.
It's like my mom says: you wouldn't call someone from Russia stupid because they'd come to America and couldn't speaking English fluently. I'm not stupid. I just don't speak the language of math.
I guess I just wanted to open up the discussion about dyscalculia and learning disabilities in general. What do you guys think? How much do you know about learning disabilities, do you have one, what do you think should be done to make sure more kids are diagnosed early on? I want to know what you think!
For those of you who DON'T know what dyscalculia is, here are two very quick, informative links:
First, a quick overview.
Symptom Check
(I have every single one of these symptoms - plus this site is just a fantastic resource in general)
I was diagnosed with dyscalculia at the end of my junior year of high school. It's been a problem my whole life, and I had to wait for eleven years to find out what was wrong because people were simply ignorant about math learning disabilities - and other learning disabilities in general. None of my teachers understood why a bright, verbally gifted kid struggled so much with basic concepts when I did just fine in every other aspect of school. Consequently, I spent the majority of my life feeling stupid when I had to count on my fingers, got lost doing the simplest of things, froze during money transactions of any kind, and couldn't remember people's names when I never forget a face. There's more, but that is the gist of it.
The reason I'm making this post today is because over on ljsecret , someone posted a secret about having dyscalculia and feeling like numbers were ruining their lives. Most of the responses were surprisingly supportive (or others said they had dyscalculia, too, like me and offered a shoulder to lean on), but one person basically said, "I'd never heard of this. After reading a little about it, it just sounds like math is harder for some people, let's call it a disability..." This INFURIATED me. Without even thinking, I posted an angry response, calling them an insensitive, ignorant moron.
And yeah, they were insensitive and ingornant, but how much of that is their fault? Learning disabilities everywhere are misunderstood because nobody talks about them. I'm tired of that.
I'm not a slacker. I'm not making excuses. I sure as hell am not stupid.
It's like my mom says: you wouldn't call someone from Russia stupid because they'd come to America and couldn't speaking English fluently. I'm not stupid. I just don't speak the language of math.
I guess I just wanted to open up the discussion about dyscalculia and learning disabilities in general. What do you guys think? How much do you know about learning disabilities, do you have one, what do you think should be done to make sure more kids are diagnosed early on? I want to know what you think!