Today at work, while running routine paperwork and doing routine data entry, I called out to my co-worker, "hey that guy's credit score was 551 right?", she replied, "no its 511". Now normally I would attribute a minor misstep like that to lack of detail, focus, etc... but this wasn't the first time this had happened. In the past few years I've noticed something about myself, I have a problem with numbers. Half jokingly I told my co-worker, "dude I think I have math dyslexia". We both chuckled and moved on, but I think I'm right. I have a tendency to mix up numbers, invert, omit, and transpose them. This is especially true when it comes to phone numbers. Whenever there is something math related that comes up it usually takes me a little longer to solve the problem, like I really have to concentrate. Its like my mind is a blank slate. I took a quick questionnaire online to determine if I did in fact have "math dyslexia" (the proper term is dyscalculia), and I could answer yes to many of the questions!
-My Long Term memory is shot
-I have terrible sense of direction
-When backing up in a car I can't really tell how close or far away I am
-At least 3 times a week I have to "find" my phone or keys on the dresser before I leave for work
-Many math concepts escape me (mainly algebra and trig)
-Great with faces, bad with names
-I can count out $200, but if you ask me how much do 10 $20 dollar bills equal, it takes me a good few seconds to calculate
The more I thought about it though, the more it made sense.
I've gone my entire life thus far with a type of learning disorder...ME! The kid who got straight A's in elementary school, near perfect scores on State tests; might have a slight learning disorder. How am I to understand and deal when I am preparing for a test that is nearly 50% math concepts?! Well, as my linesister put it "You've gone 25 years having this problem and you haven't let it stop you. So don't get all sad about it now!" I guess this means I gotta pay closer attention and work twice as hard. Then again, a little hard work never hurt!
Article on Dyscalulia from LD Online
Video on Dyscalculia:
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