On the Subject of Math: Lack of Knowledge or Learning Disability?

Math has long been my weakest academic subject, to the point that I nearly failed geometry and physics both during my freshman year of high school, after getting continuously poor grades in my previous courses. After moving down a level, my grades improved, but I still struggled.

Now, I have technically failed my math course for the semester with a smashing 244 points of the needed 291 points to pass...Truly flying colours, am I right? This then broaches the question, is this the cause of lack of knowledge, missing so much school throughout middle and high school, or a math related disability? Or perhaps is it a combination of both? 

To clarify, due to the extenuating circumstances of Covid putting the school on to fully online instruction and seeing my determination my professor did very graciously pass me though I did not have the required points if things were typical and we were in person. 

Currently my neuropsychological profile indicates a math based learning disability, and writing rate, among other things when taking into account the numerous non-educational disabilities, and neurodevelopmental disability. With math I operate on a middle school level, while I can do basic math functions (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) they take me awhile, I have been unable to quickly recall multiplication table facts, and despite the many many many attempts of my previous teachers to get me to actually remember how to do long division, it’s never stuck beyond how to set up the problem itself.

 By contrast, my writing skills aside from the length of time it takes me to write and my awkward pencil grip and less than ideal fine motor skills, is rated at or above grade level, with vocabulary noted as exceptional. 

I missed estimated over a thousand classes during my high school career, and in the past few months have ended up in the emergency room four separate times since August twice due to severe dehydration (the first time they sent me home after doing nothing except an ekg so I ended up back the next day) once for severe abdominal pain, lack of appetite, and general malaise, and once most recently due to severe pelvic pain and question of ovarian torsion or germ cell tumor (that was all fine by the way I’ve just been flagged by oncology and hematology for my funky platelet counts and inflammation markers, and unknown BRCA status until the scone sequencing is back) so it’s been a rough start to my college career already…

If you ask me, it’s likely a combination of a lack of knowledge and the impact of my disability. 

Now what to do about that?

This semester I worked with a peer tutor once a week, had a calculator, exams were open notes, reviewed class videos and CART notes, took extensive written notes, and yet still bombed every test. It’s likely I’ll require more extensive tutoring either with a peer tutor or with an adult who runs the quantitative resource center, in addition to my standard class accommodations such as a calculator. My professors and I still need to meet with the head of disability services to determine if an actual modification of the course or my course load will be needed. 

Oh college (well- zoom college) so much fun…

I’m very much hoping for at least a hybrid set up for the spring but with how Chicago is looking at the current moment I highly doubt it. In the meantime I’ll just be here plugging away, I’m currently doing Inktober over on my Instagram @thedisc0panda (it’s Elder Scrolls themed) working on trying to finish up some writing that’s been sitting around forever, and managing the rest of the semester.

Until next time,

Max