<p>The reports will most likely NOT say dyscalculia, they will say “mathematics disorder.” That is the official name. The official name for dyslexia is actually “reading disorder,” as well. A diagnosis with “mathematics disorder” is MOST CERTAINLY enough for accommodations. What accommodations are offered vary depending on the school but you definitely have some wiggle room to fight for more/better accommodations if needed. His current college’s disabilities office is full of crap if tutoring is all they offered him, that is completely unacceptable. </p>
<p>On my testing I scored in the 98th percentile in every area, 99th in some, but then scored in the 12th for math. My school tried to deny that there was anything wrong with me in k-12 because my test scores were so good in all my other subjects, but to me that seems like kind of a no brainer!</p>
<p>ETA: I strongly suggest reading the dyscalculia forum and doing as much research as you can. Dyscalculia, or mathematics disorder, is recognized both by the DSM and by the WHO, but there are still tons of people-- even professionals in the LD field, that are not familiar with it and as such don’t think it is legitimate and will dismiss it. People with dyscalculia need to arm themselves with knowledge about what they struggle with, why, what helps them, and what rights they have. We are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and thousands of school officials either don’t know that or don’t care. He has to be able to advocate for himself in order to get the right treatment at his current school or his next one, because in the current climate dyscalculia accommodations are not often just handed out to anyone who has documentation of math LD like they are supposed to be. People are just damn clueless. The dyscalculic cannot afford to be as clueless as the folks at the disabilities office if he or she wants to finish college.</p>
<p>Twisted, DS got the same message as you in k-12, as well as from some teachers in college, despite the documentation. Unfortunately, many educators still don’t believe that you can be way above average in some areas and way below in others, despite the lip service to LD.</p>
<p>I would be very hesitant to put many more resources (financial & otherwise) into your son without some evidence that he was serious about his education. (I say this not just theoretically but with a freshman son who knows he won’t be going back to his 4-year school without a achieving a minimum GPA by the end of Spring semester.) Based on your description, there is a lot contributing to his low GPA that doesn’t have anything to do with math disabilities. Statistics is one thing, but why would you be failing biology & Spanish due to a math disability? I think a full-time job with some provisional courses at a nearby 4-year school would be the ticket for the near future.</p>
<p>Also, have you spoken with your son about what he plans to do if he is able to complete his degree in creative writing? While it is admirable that he wants to get his degree, I think his career options would be very limited with that major coupled with a low GPA. </p>
<p>I know this issue of “practical” majors is controversial on the Parents Forum, but I think I’d be pushing very hard to get for him to get a teaching certificate in English to go with his degree.</p>
<p>I hope the above doesn’t sound too harsh. But I know these are the things I’d be evaluating if it were my son.</p>
<p>The teaching certificate is a good idea (and what I am doing if I don’t get into law school), and I agree with most of your points, delamer. However, many if not most dyscalculics are unable to go for “practical” majors because of the math requirements. We just literally do not have the ability, and it’s hard enough to get gen ed math requirements waived, getting math classes for a major waived would be next to impossible. In my state I have to pass a basic skills test that includes math, as well as the social studies subject test in order to go for a certificate. Even that may be out of reach for me. So it is unsurprising to me that the OP’s S would be in a liberal arts sort of program even if it weren’t his passion. So when my dad nags me about what I am going to do with a political science degree, there’s really nothing to tell him but, “whatever I CAN do.” I can do a lot more with a political science degree than with no degree and bills from failing out of school. It is very important to avoid discouraging a dyscalculic from completing a degree, despite the fact that many of the more marketable programs are out of their reach. </p>
<p>I also definitely agree there are more factors here. Biology past the 101 level can get very mathematical, much to my disappointment because I love biology and am really good at it until it becomes mathematical. So I could see that one. But Even when I flat out failed math courses, I still had a 3.0 because I was excelling everywhere else. But this could definitely be his wake up call.</p>
<p>TwistedxKiss - Thanks for your response. I wasn’t aware that there was a math skills requirement to get a teaching certificate in English, etc. For someone in your situation (ignoring the law school possibility), would doing student teaching (to get skills and to see if you like teaching) and then looking for a job in a private school be a possibility?</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about how private schools work or even how you get involved in student teaching, so I don’t know. I am actually hoping to become a civil rights attorney and work for a non-profit that serves the learning disabled. I just know that in order to do any of the teaching certification programs I have looked at I have to pass a Michigan basic skills test and a subject test in the area I want to teach. I think that is something that will vary by state and possibly by program.</p>
<p>Twisted–I just want to encourage you to do what it takes to become an attorney and advocate. I also want to encourage you to look into the program that has been started in colleges all over the country where LD students go into elementary and middle schools and mentor kids with the same LD. I don’t know if they have this where you are. I’ll ask my D about it. She’s found it incredibly uplifting to go in and work with another young woman who is a gifted dyslexic and to let her know that she can and will go to college and beyond! </p>
<p>Do not stop supporting your son.</p>
<p>The # of incredible talented and intelligent students who get run out of the system because they are so run down constantly fighting for their education is a waste and a drag on our system. I truly support you in making sure his path is open for him when he is rested and ready to go back. He should not give up unless he can find something else he wants MORE. Truly. I know it is a little bit more work when you have a kid like this, but it is worth it. THEY are worth it.</p>
<p>I think whether you get a teaching certificate as an undergrad or whether you enroll in a post-grad program to get a certificate, you will need to do student teaching. </p>
<p>In my area, private school teachers don’t have to be certified like public school teachers do. But I’d think that a private school would be happy to see an applicant with a teaching certificate.</p>
<p>Good luck with your career plans. It is obviously a subject to which you bring a lot of passion.</p>
<p>Thanks again to everyone for the encouragement and suggestions.</p>
<p>By the way, he also has diagnosed ADHD and executive function deficits, in addition to dyscalculia and immaturity, so yes, there’s a lot going on. Unfortunately, he’s one of those who’s never found an effective ADD medication.</p>
<p>As someone that has been in your son’s shoes (went through 4 years before I was asked to leave; combo of imature, LD, school too big…). My parents were disappointed and tried to push me to another college - I did not do so well there either.
The best thing that I did was go to work. I got a job and after a while went back to school. Since I was a little older I qualified for an “adult” program. A lot of colleges have them, they usually have an age limit - around 23 or so and provide guidance so the students don’t fall through the cracks. I was more mature & went back because I wanted to, I even qualified for tuition reimbursement where I worked.</p>
<p>Thanks, _me. It’s good to hear from someone who was in DS’s shoes and managed to finish college despite the hurdles. I hadn’t thought about adult programs - will be another good option to tell DS about. (He will be 22 next spring.)</p>
<p>He might have a learning disability, or he might be doing poorly in math, spanish, and biology because he doesn’t like them as well as his English/creative writing classes and therefore skips them more frequently and slacks off more. </p>
<p>Regarding Evergreen State College, it was on my short list for a while and here’s what I picked up from the various “rate your college” sites: It’s a great and innovative school. It’s also a tough school. It also takes a lot of maturity to get the most out of it because it IS so flexible–a lot of the responsibility is put on the student. </p>
<p>Honestly, I think your son should take a year off and work. I flunked out of college years ago, got a job, and the responsibilities–the little things like having to get up in the morning whether I wanted to or not, not getting the summers off, having to do things that were boring but necessary–wrung a lot of the immaturity out of me. It was a wake up call.</p>
<p>I’d also like to quote someone from another thread who said, “Winding roads are not necessarily bad–just winding.” Hang in there, no matter what happens your son is going to be all right. :)</p>
<p>Would he be accepted in the Air Force? I have a nephew who went to a year of college, wasn’t ready, & went in the service. He just got out and went back to State U. where he now has govt money to buy a condo nearby. He is totally focused, mature, & knows exactly what he wants to do…and complains about how unfocused his classmates tend to be. Just a thought.</p>
<p>Thanks so much! I think there’s some of that going on (slacking off more in less interesting classes). We won’t be rushing him back to school, although even if he takes off a year, he will still have to submit transfer applications next spring for the fall semester (assuming Evergreen, they don’t start until late Sept.), which may be too early in the immaturity-shedding process. For him, I’m guessing it may take more than a year to become more responsible.</p>
<p>Melsmom - DH and I would be really supportive of him going in the service. It sure worked to mature DH when he graduated from HS. I’m not sure whether he could get in, but the service (we also thought of Navy or Coast Guard) will be on our list of options. Also not sure how he would deal with it. He’s always liked military history, etc., but is a bit of a wimp.</p>
I just know that in order to do any of the teaching certification programs I have looked at I have to pass a Michigan basic skills test and a subject test in the area I want to teach. I think that is something that will vary by state and possibly by program.</p>