Math problems are a problem for job-seekers, employers say

[Libertas1776]

138. that makes two of us

I have always been terrible at math, from 3rd grade and the introduction of long division and onwards. Granted, I never had the best teachers either, though I doubt teacher's sensitivities to students math difficulties have changed much since I was in school. I'm sure so many students must still make that dreaded walk to the blackboard (Do they still use blackboards??) and stare blankly at a problem, while their fellow classmates also called upon zoom through the problem and sit right back down, until one by one, your the only schnook left standing there. After the long, anxiety ridden, sweat inducing, wait of embarrassment, the teacher allows you to sit down...a walk of shame back to your desk. :

Barely made it through middle school math, and passed state exams by the skin of my teeth. Flunked 9th grade math, had to repeat in 10th. Passed HS math overall, but like you only with Cs and always by the skin of my teeth. In community college, flunked math portions on entrance exams. Had to take remedial math for over a year. Had to change my major to one requiring the least stringent math requirements. In university, I flunked the math portion on the entrance exams again. With a C, and a very, very generous grading curve I was able to pass the least bearing math class to satisfy my requirements and get my degree.

In HS, I was able to pass the state mandated math exam with a B-, thanks to a genuinely good teacher. Of course, all that material is long forgotten. In fact, i'm sure I forgot most of it that very summer, which is why I had to keep taking remedial classes in college.

It's annoying how people like to say that people aren't "bad at math." Would you tell a child with Dyslexia or Disgraphia that he isn't bad at reading or writing, that is to say, would you tell him that he doesn't have a learning disability that requires special learning techniques to overcome the difficulty? I'm not saying that most people have a learning disability in math. (In fact, most of my classmates in remedial classes throughout schooling were usually just delinquents and troublemakers, who aced the tests when they actually showed up. Imagine how that felt for someone with a genuine learning problem, being surrounded by some really frightening characters, not too mention the worst textbooks, desks, and classrooms. Doesn't instill a lot of confidence in a kid). But there are plenty of us who do and telling us we're not bad at math is not helpful.

Dyscalculia or math difficulty is a learning disability recognized by the WHO (World Health Organization).