My Math teachers always angry at how bad i am at algebra.
She expects me to be some kind of Mathematical Genius or something, but I'm the farthest thing from it. It's not like I can't do your typical addition/subtraction/multiplication/division but anything that involves algebra....I'd be lucky to solve one problem right. My brain just doesn't work that way. My mom's the same way too but she's not an Aspie, she has ADHD.
My sympathy-- was there, and didn't know about AS! SOunds like teacher needs to hear about the 'brands' of AS and how visual thinkers like Temple Grandin have trouble with algebra and its abstraction as opposed to geometry, etc. note item "1" below in this excerpt:
(quote/paste from TG's Thinking in Pictures)
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"When I wrote Thinking in Pictures I thought most people on the autism spectrum were visual thinkers like me. After talking to hundreds of families and individuals with autism or Asperger's, I have observed that there are actually different types of specialized brains. All people on the spectrum think in details, but there are three basic categories of specialized brains. Some individuals may be combinations of these categories.
Visual thinkers, like me, think in photographically specific images. There are degrees of specificity of visual thinking. I can test run a machine in my head with full motion. Interviews with nonautistic visual thinkers indicated that they can only visualize still images. These images may range in specificity from images of specific places to more vague conceptual images. Learning algebra was impossible and a foreign language was difficult. Highly specific visual thinkers should skip algebra and study more visual forms of math such as trigonometry or geometry. Children who are visual thinkers will often be good at drawing, other arts, and building things with building toys such as Lego's. Many children who are visual thinkers like maps, flags, and photographs. Visual thinkers are well suited to jobs in drafting, graphic design, training animals, auto mechanics, jewelry making, construction, and factory automation.
Music and math thinkers think in patterns. These people often excel at math, chess, and computer programming. Some of these individuals have explained to me that they see patterns and relationships between patterns and numbers instead of photographic images. As children they may play music by ear and be interested in music. Music and math minds often have careers in computer programming, chemistry, statistics, engineering, music, and physics. Written language is not required for pattern thinking. The pre-literate Incas used complex bundles of knotted cords to keep track of taxes, labor, and trading among a thousand people.
Verbal logic thinkers think in word details. They often love history, foreign languages, weather statistics, and stock market reports. As children they often have a vast knowledge of sports scores. They are not visual thinkers and they are often poor at drawing. Children with speech delays are more likely to become visual or music and math thinkers. Many of these individuals had no speech delays, and they became word specialists. These individuals have found successful careers in language translation, journalism, accounting, speech therapy, special education, library work, or financial analysis."
AS + Difficulty with algebra does not mean that the former causes the latter.
There are very, very few people in history (viz. Euler, Von Neumann) who are naturally able to learn mathematics and logic with ease. For the rest of us mortals, it's just sheer brute force of practice. You'll have the same flabbergasted feeling every time you engage in a whole new field of mathematics that isn't an extension of what you've learnt before. This feeling is common to almost every human being on the planet and not specific to aspies.
Temple Grandin is an accomplished professor and professional, but she isn't an authority in pedagogy or the neural mechanics of learning. Don't be too ready to pigeonhole yourself as a "visual thinker" or "abstract thinker" and declare any and all methods of thinking not within your category to be unlearnable.
I couldn't agree more with Sunshine7. Most people have trouble with algebra.
It sounds like this teacher sees you're very gifted in other areas, and assumes you'll be very gifted in algebra. But that's not always the case.
(I was always pretty good at math, but I had a lot of trouble with geometry.)
I'd suggest talking to your teacher and asking for help. Explain to her that you're having a harder time with this. You may want to ask your teacher or your parents about getting some extra help, like a tutor.
There's no shame in asking for help. But don't give up. You can learn it. You just may need more time.
I had problems in algebra as well, and my teacher made my life living hell for the entirety of the class. I did not know how to do algebra, and it seemed an impossible task. I could spit out the correct answer, however. I just could not explain how I got it. My teacher insisted that I was cheating, copying, despite demonstating repeatedly that I just had the answes when I looked at simple equations. And because I had the answer, learning to go through the proper steps individually and sequentially to properly solve equations was a nightmare.
But it is imperative to learn the basics before moving on, and if there is something you are having difficulty with you must find the resources to aid you in conquering it. Ask teachers, friends, family, whoever it takes to guide you further until you master it. And no matter your personal aptitude, you can learn quite a lotoutside your comfort zone...so long as you care enough to put your complete effort into it.
_________________
I am Ignostic.
Go ahead and define god, with universal acceptance of said definition.
I'll wait.
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