Page 1 of 1 [ 10 posts ] 

brandonb1312
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

Joined: 23 Jul 2015
Age: 34
Posts: 215
Location: Texas

24 Sep 2015, 8:50 pm

So in math class I never understand anything until the teacher explains it to me 1 on 1. Like literally, she will go through a whole 30 min lesson or whatever, and I won't absorb any of it, it is not a attention thing, I just can't comprehend the concepts without the math teacher coming up to me and teaching me it again 1 on 1. It is kinda like this in other classes (especially music theory) but it is at it's worst in math.
Have any of you experienced this? Does this happen often with people with ASD?

(btw I am a fast reader, and I have not been officially diagnosed with anything other than OCD but I am currently getting evaluated for ASD)


_________________
Diagnosed with ASD and Depression.
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 127 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 82 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)


NowhereWoman
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jul 2009
Age: 56
Gender: Female
Posts: 499
Location: Los Angeles, CA

24 Sep 2015, 9:02 pm

Yes. I hear this sterotype "ASD people are all math geniuses!" and I think, "Ummm..." LOL...

I started falling behind in math in the 3rd grade. I simply could no longer understand any of it. It was the concepts I couldn't get. Because I didn't know why I was attempting the equation, I had no idea how to do it...if that makes sense. In those days, teachers didn't do 1-on-1 and supports weren't standard in all schools. Since each year's program expanded on what I should have learned the previous year but didn't, I just fell farther behind and each year it got worse.

My suggestion to you would be to keep requesting that 1-on-1! If it's helping you, stick with it! As long as it takes, as many times as it takes. It will be worth it! So what if you require this? With this support you *are* getting it, it's just an extra step you and the teacher need to take...but it's working, so it's the right thing for you.

Don't feel bad. Even NTs have things they feel they are totally hopeless at. Whether or not this is specifically an ASD thing, you have thankfully found the solution, so keep at it and you will do so much better than you would simply sitting in the class not getting it and falling farther and farther behind.

Funny-ish story: when my oldest son was in the 5th grade - this would have been 1996 - he brought home math word problems. You know....if a train is going east at 70mph starting at 2:00 pm and another train is going west toward the first train at 65mph blah blah blah. My sister happens to be amazing at math (she's not on the spectrum, BTW). It was always her absolute best subject. Well, my son and I sat over this homework for three hours!! ! We were both so frustrated, looking at one another...going..."But okay...if the train started 3 hours earlier than the other one...then, um...uh..." You won't believe this...we BOTH ended up crying. I am not kidding you. Literally crying...this 10-year-old child...and me, a grown-up! It was THAT frustrating.

So, I called my sister. And I sobbed jerkily over the phone, "J is having...sob...trouble...sob...gasp...with his word problems homework. (sucking back snot) Can you help us?" And without missing a single beat, LOL, she totally cheerily said, "Let me go get a pen and paper!"

We still laugh about this episode! And by the way, she got 100% on my son's homework. ;)

Me? I'm still wondering whyTF it's important to know what time a train going 75mph will reach Memphis. Well, unless you promised to pick him up at the station.



brandonb1312
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

Joined: 23 Jul 2015
Age: 34
Posts: 215
Location: Texas

24 Sep 2015, 9:08 pm

NowhereWoman wrote:
Yes. I hear this sterotype "ASD people are all math geniuses!" and I think, "Ummm..." LOL...

I started falling behind in math in the 3rd grade. I simply could no longer understand any of it. It was the concepts I couldn't get. Because I didn't know why I was attempting the equation, I had no idea how to do it...if that makes sense. In those days, teachers didn't do 1-on-1 and supports weren't standard in all schools. I just fell farther behind and each year it got worse.

My suggestion to you would be to keep requesting that 1-on-1! If it's helping you, stick with it! As long as it takes, as many times as it takes. It will be worth it! So what if you require this? With this support you *are* getting it, it's just an extra step you and the teacher need to take...but it's working, so it's the right thing for you.

Don't feel bad. Even NTs have things they feel they are totally hopeless at. Whether or not this is specifically an ASD thing, you have thankfully found the solution, so keep at it and you will do so much better than you would simply sitting in the class not getting it and falling farther and farther behind.

Funny-ish story: when my oldest son was in the 5th grade - this would have been 1996 - he brought home math word problems. You know....if a train is going east at 70mph starting at 2:00 pm and another train is going west toward the first train at 65mph blah blah blah. My sister happens to be amazing at math (she's not on the spectrum, BTW). It was always her absolute best subject. Well, my son and I sat over this homework for three hours!! ! We were both so frustrated, looking at one another...going..."But okay...if the train started 3 hours earlier than the other one...then, um...uh..." You won't believe this...we BOTH ended up crying. I am not kidding you. Literally crying...this 10-year-old child...and me, a grown-up! It was THAT frustrating.

So, I called my sister. And I sobbed jerkily over the phone, "J is having...sob...trouble...sob...gasp...with his homework. (sucking back snot) Can you help us?" And without missing a single beat, LOL, she totally cheerily said, "Let me go get a pen and paper!"

We still laugh about this episode! And by the way, she got 100% on my son's homework. ;)

Me? I'm still wondering whyTF it's important to know what time a train going 75mph will reach Memphis. Well, unless you promised to pick him up at the station.

lol that is funny.
I mean yeah the one on one thing works but it's like the math teacher can't reteach me the whole lesson every single day. I mean I guess I will just go to tutoring on the available days after school but having to do that every week kinda sucks. Maybe after my testing is done for ASD the school could put me in some special math class or something? (assuming of course it comes up positive I have ASD)


_________________
Diagnosed with ASD and Depression.
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 127 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 82 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)


NowhereWoman
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jul 2009
Age: 56
Gender: Female
Posts: 499
Location: Los Angeles, CA

24 Sep 2015, 9:12 pm

brandonb1312 wrote:
NowhereWoman wrote:
Yes. I hear this sterotype "ASD people are all math geniuses!" and I think, "Ummm..." LOL...

I started falling behind in math in the 3rd grade. I simply could no longer understand any of it. It was the concepts I couldn't get. Because I didn't know why I was attempting the equation, I had no idea how to do it...if that makes sense. In those days, teachers didn't do 1-on-1 and supports weren't standard in all schools. I just fell farther behind and each year it got worse.

My suggestion to you would be to keep requesting that 1-on-1! If it's helping you, stick with it! As long as it takes, as many times as it takes. It will be worth it! So what if you require this? With this support you *are* getting it, it's just an extra step you and the teacher need to take...but it's working, so it's the right thing for you.

Don't feel bad. Even NTs have things they feel they are totally hopeless at. Whether or not this is specifically an ASD thing, you have thankfully found the solution, so keep at it and you will do so much better than you would simply sitting in the class not getting it and falling farther and farther behind.

Funny-ish story: when my oldest son was in the 5th grade - this would have been 1996 - he brought home math word problems. You know....if a train is going east at 70mph starting at 2:00 pm and another train is going west toward the first train at 65mph blah blah blah. My sister happens to be amazing at math (she's not on the spectrum, BTW). It was always her absolute best subject. Well, my son and I sat over this homework for three hours!! ! We were both so frustrated, looking at one another...going..."But okay...if the train started 3 hours earlier than the other one...then, um...uh..." You won't believe this...we BOTH ended up crying. I am not kidding you. Literally crying...this 10-year-old child...and me, a grown-up! It was THAT frustrating.

So, I called my sister. And I sobbed jerkily over the phone, "J is having...sob...trouble...sob...gasp...with his homework. (sucking back snot) Can you help us?" And without missing a single beat, LOL, she totally cheerily said, "Let me go get a pen and paper!"

We still laugh about this episode! And by the way, she got 100% on my son's homework. ;)

Me? I'm still wondering whyTF it's important to know what time a train going 75mph will reach Memphis. Well, unless you promised to pick him up at the station.

lol that is funny.
I mean yeah the one on one thing works but it's like the math teacher can't reteach me the whole lesson every single day. I mean I guess I will just go to tutoring on the available days after school but having to do that every week kinda sucks. Maybe after my testing is done for ASD the school could put me in some special math class or something? (assuming of course it comes up positive I have ASD)


Yes, that could be a REALLY good thing for you, or perhaps they could arrange tutoring? Sometimes students volunteer to tutor other students so it's free (generally). But the school could possibly help you in arranging some sort of tutoring.



brandonb1312
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

Joined: 23 Jul 2015
Age: 34
Posts: 215
Location: Texas

24 Sep 2015, 9:15 pm

NowhereWoman wrote:
brandonb1312 wrote:
NowhereWoman wrote:
Yes. I hear this sterotype "ASD people are all math geniuses!" and I think, "Ummm..." LOL...

I started falling behind in math in the 3rd grade. I simply could no longer understand any of it. It was the concepts I couldn't get. Because I didn't know why I was attempting the equation, I had no idea how to do it...if that makes sense. In those days, teachers didn't do 1-on-1 and supports weren't standard in all schools. I just fell farther behind and each year it got worse.

My suggestion to you would be to keep requesting that 1-on-1! If it's helping you, stick with it! As long as it takes, as many times as it takes. It will be worth it! So what if you require this? With this support you *are* getting it, it's just an extra step you and the teacher need to take...but it's working, so it's the right thing for you.

Don't feel bad. Even NTs have things they feel they are totally hopeless at. Whether or not this is specifically an ASD thing, you have thankfully found the solution, so keep at it and you will do so much better than you would simply sitting in the class not getting it and falling farther and farther behind.

Funny-ish story: when my oldest son was in the 5th grade - this would have been 1996 - he brought home math word problems. You know....if a train is going east at 70mph starting at 2:00 pm and another train is going west toward the first train at 65mph blah blah blah. My sister happens to be amazing at math (she's not on the spectrum, BTW). It was always her absolute best subject. Well, my son and I sat over this homework for three hours!! ! We were both so frustrated, looking at one another...going..."But okay...if the train started 3 hours earlier than the other one...then, um...uh..." You won't believe this...we BOTH ended up crying. I am not kidding you. Literally crying...this 10-year-old child...and me, a grown-up! It was THAT frustrating.

So, I called my sister. And I sobbed jerkily over the phone, "J is having...sob...trouble...sob...gasp...with his homework. (sucking back snot) Can you help us?" And without missing a single beat, LOL, she totally cheerily said, "Let me go get a pen and paper!"

We still laugh about this episode! And by the way, she got 100% on my son's homework. ;)

Me? I'm still wondering whyTF it's important to know what time a train going 75mph will reach Memphis. Well, unless you promised to pick him up at the station.

lol that is funny.
I mean yeah the one on one thing works but it's like the math teacher can't reteach me the whole lesson every single day. I mean I guess I will just go to tutoring on the available days after school but having to do that every week kinda sucks. Maybe after my testing is done for ASD the school could put me in some special math class or something? (assuming of course it comes up positive I have ASD)


Yes, that could be a REALLY good thing for you, or perhaps they could arrange tutoring? Sometimes students volunteer to tutor other students so it's free (generally). But the school could possibly help you in arranging some sort of tutoring.

Well getting the tutoring is not really my problem, it's just I would rather not have to stay after school 3 times a week lol. Which is why if I switched math classes I wouldn't have too


_________________
Diagnosed with ASD and Depression.
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 127 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 82 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)


whatamess
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 27 Aug 2007
Age: 56
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,284

24 Sep 2015, 9:42 pm

Go check out Khan Academy either here or YouTube...it's been a lifesaver for my son who HATES math :-)



Quill
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Aug 2013
Gender: Female
Posts: 764

24 Sep 2015, 9:52 pm

It's possible you could be switched to a smaller special class, or maybe even get one-on-one instruction from a teaching assistant during class time instead of having to do after school tutoring. I don't know how the process works, but if you have or can get an IEP (program/plan for students with disabilities) or a similar program if they don't have IEPs where you live, there are a lot of accommodations you can get.

And I hate the ASD = brilliant at math stereotype, too. In fact, this has been brought up in my support group several times, and most of us are bad or average at math. Personally, I can't hold numbers or formulas in my head for very long. I would typically get low Bs or Cs on my math classwork and tests if I could have a few examples of each type of problem to follow, but if I had to rely on my memory alone, I failed everything.



slw1990
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 9 Jan 2014
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,406

24 Sep 2015, 10:23 pm

I'm like that too. When I took classes I really struggled in the labs because we learned most of the information during class and not from the book. I was failing labs for most of the semester and when I practiced one on one with the teacher I could process the information so much better. I think part of it might have been sensory issues from the classroom for me because I couldn't really process most of what the instructors were saying and I would get overwhelmed.



Kiriae
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 30 Mar 2014
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,349
Location: Kraków, Poland

25 Sep 2015, 8:47 am

Were you always like this with math? Do you clearly understand it after you are taught 1 on 1?

This might be a problem with this specific teacher.

I have a teacher like this too.

He teaches a few different subjects and I have the same trouble on all of them. I just can't get what he is talking about and when everyone else gets to work I have to ask the teacher to show me what he means because I am totally lost. So he does(usually one tip is enough) and suddenly... I get it, think: "So it was THAT easy?! It sounded really complicated..." and get it done 50% faster than any other classmate because it is actually TOO easy for me.
Its like a switch.
First I don't understand anything and am totally lost and then I find it really easy and can't believe how I couldn't understand it.

It's a matter of learning style.

I am literal, visual thinker, "hands-on" learner - I need to see to learn and I learn the best on practical examples.

The teacher uses a lot words, exaggerates stuff and leaves out important, "obvious" details while focusing too much on abstract contexts and details that are irrelevant to the task on hand. I struggle imagining the abstract informations and figuring out how to use the bunch of details he gives out while feeling I am missing something important. It's like trying to fix a broken vase without a glue. No matter what I do everything falls apart.

I am good with the subjects but the lecture doesn't make any sense. He makes it sound really difficult and I feel like I am stupid for not understanding.

During his lectures I feel kinda like a foreigner. I hear the words and understand meaning of each one, separately but have trouble getting the overall meaning. Sentences are too long and contain too many complex, unimaginable words.

Sometimes I get it with other teachers too but only on rare occasions so I don't worry about it.

With this teacher it is a standard situation. I get depressed after his every lesson despite doing my examples correctly in the end. I feel like I was simply lucky to get it in the end and don't actually understand the lesson because if I did I would understand it from the start... :?
I know it is a BS because if I didn't understand the lesson I wouldn't get the example done correctly much faster than anyone else in my class after only a bit of explanation. But it still makes me feel like a trash. It's so frustrating!



Last edited by Kiriae on 25 Sep 2015, 9:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

brandonb1312
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

Joined: 23 Jul 2015
Age: 34
Posts: 215
Location: Texas

25 Sep 2015, 9:03 am

Kiriae wrote:
Were you always like this with math? Do you clearly understand it after you are taught 1 on 1?

This might be a problem with this specific teacher.

I have a teacher like this too.

He teaches a few different subjects and I have the same trouble on all of them. I just can't get what he is talking about and when everyone else gets to work I have to ask the teacher to show me what he means because I am totally lost. So he does(usually one tip is enough) and suddenly... I get it, think: "So it was THAT easy?! It sounded really complicated..." and get it done 50% faster than any other classmate because it is actually TOO easy for me.

It's a matter of learning style.

I am literal, visual thinker, "hands-on" learner - I need to see to learn and I learn the best on practical examples.

The teacher uses a lot words, exaggerates stuff and leaves out important, "obvious" details while focusing too much on abstract contexts and details that are irrelevant to the task on hand. I struggle imagining the abstract informations and figuring out how to use the bunch of details he gives out while feeling I am missing something important. It's like trying to fix a broken vase without a glue. No matter what I do everything falls apart.

I am good with the subjects but the lecture doesn't make any sense. He makes it sound really difficult and I feel like I am stupid for not understanding.

During his lectures I feel kinda like a foreigner. I hear the words and understand meaning of each one, separately but have trouble getting the meaning of all of them. Sentences are too long and contain too many complex, unimaginable words.

Sometimes I get it with other teachers too but only on rare occasions so I don't worry about it.

With this teacher it is a standard situation. I get depressed after his every lesson despite doing my examples correctly in the end. I feel like I was simply lucky to get it in the end and don't actually understand the lesson because if I did I would understand it from the start... :?
I know it is a BS because if I didn't understand the lesson I wouldn't get the example done correctly much faster than anyone else in my class after only a bit of explanation. But it still makes me feel like a trash. It's so frustrating!

It is not the specific teacher, it has as long as I can remember been like this


_________________
Diagnosed with ASD and Depression.
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 127 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 82 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)