<p>For quite a long time I've felt plain stupid when it comes to math: In second grade I cried over math homework, and in forth I wept over times tables (My parents had a teacher tutor me, and even then I struggled.) and each sucessive year of math has gotten worse and worse. When I entered High School, I had trouble but I wondered if it was the fact that my teachers switched suddenly rather than my learning. </p>
<p>But my mother has always commented that my math skills are generally over looked because I'm a gifted student. I do exceptionally well in my other classes, and did wonderfully in sciences without a lot of heavy calculating or figuring. (Biology and Environmental Science versus Honors Chemistry.) </p>
<p>I started to wonder more and more about this as I've found in Pre-calc all the equations I see on the board never <em>quite</em> come out the way they should when I write them down, or when I (in dismay) lose the 'x' or am subjected to giggles when I can't answer what x^3 * x equals, because I can't recall any of the rules of exponents (that have been reviewed in every math class <em>in</em> HS). I recently took a test, and one of the problems I did was right...save for the fact that two numbers had switched themselves. (Despite the fact that I had written down on my test that the odd numbers went in one place, and the evens went in another.) </p>
<p>I quickly pleaded with my math teacher that it was "obviously a moment of math dyslexia! I explained it over here, so those numbers just got mixed up!" </p>
<p>But that was neither the first, nor the last time numbers have done things I did not want them to. I did a little research and came up with the term Dyscalculia.</p>
<p>Quite simply, I have trouble with math. A lot of trouble, and even if I study, or ask for help, or peer review, nothing seems to help.</p>
<p>In fact, I looked up the common symptoms and found this: </p>
<p>Symptoms:</a> Dyscalculia.org ~ Math Learning Disability Resource</p>
<p>Which covered things I had no idea would be included. (Severely poor at athletics, or dancing, trouble conceptualizing streets, maps, etc. I actually don't drive for this reason, and once got lost along the more major streets close to my neighborhood...I have difficulty with sequences of events, mental math, obssesively count cash before I use it, and am otherwise very creative and verbally/linguistically gifted. Everything but: Can't keep scores in games and unable to read music.)</p>
<p>I've logged countless hours of fruitless math learning, only to forget most everything on the test, or the formulas needed, or switch/lose/drop numbers. I've asked my current teacher nicely to allow for formula sheets on tests, make up work, re-doing of tests, or extra credit of some sort, but to no avail. My own Grandmother is a Math college teacher, and while known for being patient and kind, is often stumped when I suddenly 'lose' some of the equation she's helping me on, or multiply when I mean to add. </p>
<p>The only question I have then is, how do I approach my guidance counselor about what I believe is an actual problem somewhat beyond my control? I attend a public school...is it reasonable to ask if they can do diagnostic tests on me? If I do have a problem, can I explain my diagnosis to colleges via my counselor (and to a lesser extent the fact that my grades are barely passing in math?)</p>
<p>Is there a way to get help for this problem, or do I just have to grit my teeth and pray I don't fail math?</p>