Confessions of a Dyscalculic
I never know that there was such a disorder called Dyscalculia, a learning disability involving innate difficulty in comprehending and learning mathematics. I read about it in a July 20, 2009 issue of the Manila Bulletin. I enthusiastically read the whole article because I do hate mathematics – or that is what I programmed my subconscious. Some of the common symptoms, which I think I have, are the following;
- Normal or accelerated language acquisition: verbal, reading, writing poetic ability – [I have no problem reading a 5-inch book over the weekend, but give me a 1-page full of numbers and I will instantly get headache.]
- Good in areas of science (until a level requiring higher math skills is reached), geometry (figures with logic not formulas), and creative arts. – [Hmm, this explains why I got 1.25 in geometry but a 2.75 in calculus.]
- Difficulty with abstract concepts of time & direction and inability to recall dates and sequences of past. – [Well, yeah, I’m always having a hard time remembering birthdays.]
- Cannot do financial planning or budgeting, checkbooks not balanced, short term not long term financial thinking, unable to mentally figure change due back, the amounts to pay for tips, taxes, etc. – [Maybe that’s why I’m always broke..{sigh}]
Well, here are my confessions:
It’s a good thing that my slight dyscalculia doesn’t become a major deterrent in pursuing my goals. It’s also interesting to know that Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Alva Edison, Hans Christian Andersen and Cher is said to be dyscalculic – not a bad company eh.
- During college, I’m going to lose my government scholarship if I failed my Integral and Differential Calculus subject – so I cheated in the final exams, by inserting a list of formulas in my calculator.
- I am the last one to memorize the multiplication in grade four and during grade five & six all my notebooks have a multiplication table at the back cover.
- In all the exams I took (college entrance exams, scholarships, civil service exam, licensure exam, etc.) I always skip the math questions and answered it last – thanked goodness I passed all major exams I took.
Nyahahahhahaha... pwede! jijijijij..hala ka! sinabi mong nagcheat ka sa final exams... jijijijijiji... ok lang di rin naman yan mababasa ng prof mo saka graduate ka na rin eh... jijiijiji
ReplyDeletePaalam sa tanging Ina ng ating kalayaan...
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ReplyDeleteit seems that you want to be a dyscalculic, you've been weak in maths.. you've kept it the last in your preference.. how do you even expect it to be good... as for the weakness in maths when you were young... it happens... you might have liked other subjs more or the vid game was just too good to resist... maths needs practice to perfect.. if you've done that then there might be a slight chance that you have it but if you can count from 100 to 0 backwards.. and multiply two four digit no (irrespective of time taken) you don't have it.
ReplyDeleteaha! we do have something in common... i read your blog with much interest because im kinda positive with some of the supposed signs and symptoms of the "disability." i hate math. i like it, im just not so good at it. i like to write, got high grades in my biology and chemistry in both high school and college. but until now i get confused when i multiply. and often miscalculate the change i get when paying for something. as for what rishi said, maybe like any other syndrome, there are levels as to the severity. mine might be very mild. but then again, our skills can also attribute as to what hemispehre of the cerebrum is more dominant for each individual. nice blog.
ReplyDeletehays... I have this too but not totally :(
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