General Discussion

catchnrelease

(2,151 posts)

67. You just described me!

Sun Feb 23, 2014, 01:14 AM

Feb 2014

I graduated from college with a BS and was in the top 10% of my class. I got through 4 different chemistry classes to graduate. So I think I must be at least of average intelligence. But to this day, beyond the simplest math I am lost. My brain just does not understand abstract concepts. I look at algebraic formulas and they might as well be in Chinese.

I also hate playing most card games. To me it's another abstract thing that you have to figure out in your head--how to figure out a strategy, keep track of what cards have been played, what others are holding..... It always made me feel stupid and embarrassed. I finally figured out that my brain is just not wired that way. I can create a cool piece of art, or work out a design problem with no sweat--just keep the numbers away from me, lol!

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Really sad after buying Girl Scout cookies. [View all] COLGATE4 Feb 2014 OP

I asked my third grader and knew how much change you would recieve. nt ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #1

Maybe she was hoping you'd give up and buy 5 boxes. winter is coming Feb 2014 #2

Yeah. Chiseler. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #3

And if she'd been really really good at her job, she would have offered him petronius Feb 2014 #28

This teacher would have foisted a math lesson on her. roody Feb 2014 #4

Thin mints could probably contain 10% razor blades... Lost_Count Feb 2014 #89

I made a huge mistake. That's usually what I get, blades last weeks! LOL! But, I should RKP5637 Feb 2014 #107

Is the palm oil hydrogenated? MrScorpio Feb 2014 #95

Don't think so. But it is still roody Feb 2014 #126

I give a donation - enlightenment Feb 2014 #177

People need to know how destructive roody Feb 2014 #181

Then stand on the other side enlightenment Feb 2014 #182

They were terribly offended by roody Feb 2014 #183

I'm sure the donation enlightenment Feb 2014 #187

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #5

my first grader could have figured that out... ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #6

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #7

$20-8=? is too advanced for high schoolers? Uh huh uppityperson Feb 2014 #8

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #11

If she was a special ed student, narnian60 Feb 2014 #142

good fucking grief... ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #145

Could you please explain your vulgar response to me? narnian60 Feb 2014 #146

yes; you received that response because ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #147

Neither one, narnian60 Feb 2014 #148

see #151 n/t ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #152

Your response was extremely polite, and I noticed you senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #149

Thank you. I did get a response if you'll go back and look at it. narnian60 Feb 2014 #150

I saw that. It was posted while I was responding to you, I think. senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #153

i am quite sure that the person posting the OP ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #151

I've been a teacher for thirty years, and happen to have a lot of experience senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #154

Thank you sense, I was writing while you posted. narnian60 Feb 2014 #157

did you even read my post? ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #160

Ok, I think I get it now. narnian60 Feb 2014 #156

i was rude... because you didn't read the OP ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #161

Same thing I thought, goldent Feb 2014 #172

I hear ya! narnian60 Feb 2014 #179

That thought occurred to me also. She may have been doing the best that she could. meti57b Feb 2014 #171

Perhaps you missed a teaching moment, I know Grandpa did Brother Buzz Feb 2014 #9

Maybe he explained it to her after the customer had walked away. SMC22307 Feb 2014 #10

As opposed to a teabagger: Spirochete Feb 2014 #39

Heh heh. I'm guessing they're boycotting Girl Scout cookies... SMC22307 Feb 2014 #42

It's the new merit badges in satan worshipping, MADem Feb 2014 #51

Damn, these new scouts sound a lot more fun... SMC22307 Feb 2014 #59

Thank you. onyourleft Feb 2014 #15

Possibly, but the schools missed years of teaching moments. joeglow3 Feb 2014 #62

I will never sell my local schools short Brother Buzz Feb 2014 #65

They have heard the teachers explain roody Feb 2014 #129

The why did teacher graduate them to the next grade? joeglow3 Feb 2014 #138

It is not up to the teacher narnian60 Feb 2014 #143

Yes, he should have said it's $15 Renew Deal Feb 2014 #85

I can do you one better. llmart Feb 2014 #12

I'll be honest, when our daughter was in fifth grade she would come down and madinmaryland Feb 2014 #13

3 x 8 Jesus Malverde Feb 2014 #14

Math skills went down after letting them use calculators. hobbit709 Feb 2014 #16

We were not allowed to even use a calculator till we got to Algebra II LostOne4Ever Feb 2014 #19

I see first graders using them here. hobbit709 Feb 2014 #20

We got to use slide rules in 8th grade. BarbaRosa Feb 2014 #55

Reminds me of this laundry_queen Feb 2014 #114

In 4th grade our school principal visited our math class & called out questions, CrispyQ Feb 2014 #120

Maybe she was nervous Matariki Feb 2014 #17

Nope. Not in the least nervous. COLGATE4 Feb 2014 #18

The rescue is a clue to her lack of math skill. roody Feb 2014 #133

My nine-year-old is wicked-smart Codeine Feb 2014 #21

I once went to a baby shower filled with female grad student engineers, and when someone pnwmom Feb 2014 #33

I'm ok with using your fingers. Robert Gallager, the famous and brilliant goldent Feb 2014 #173

You might be interested in this article, about how different cultures have different pnwmom Feb 2014 #175

The counting on fingers thing makes me crazy dflprincess Feb 2014 #48

Maybe that's why it drives you crazy -- because you were strictly forbidden not to do it. pnwmom Feb 2014 #174

The girl may have a learning disability penultimate Feb 2014 #22

That's what I see as the danger here too. CBHagman Feb 2014 #23

That was my first thought. Either that or an "invisible special need" like autism. Butterbean Feb 2014 #25

Thanks. n/t lumberjack_jeff Feb 2014 #109

Almost the same thing here, but... Maeve Feb 2014 #24

The problem isn't basic education pintobean Feb 2014 #26

Sure, but does it have the recommended daily allowance? n/t Beartracks Feb 2014 #74

Oh shit! Incitatus Feb 2014 #167

Yes pintobean Feb 2014 #168

Bought them twice so far (two different locations,) girls had no trouble making change. Gormy Cuss Feb 2014 #27

Maybe she has a learning disability. JaneyVee Feb 2014 #29

Exactly. Or she was very anxious. HuckleB Feb 2014 #132

Easiest way to make change supernova Feb 2014 #30

When I was a young girl in retail, that was the *standard* way clerks etc were taught to make change El_Johns Feb 2014 #43

Remember before electronic cash registers indie9197 Feb 2014 #110

Maybe she's bashful about dealing with adults and just had brain freeze. pnwmom Feb 2014 #31

Exactly treestar Feb 2014 #101

Yes, that can happen to anyone at anytime. stevenleser Feb 2014 #106

Exactly peabody Feb 2014 #115

I had a sister who did just fine except when she felt she was put on the spot. pnwmom Feb 2014 #116

Your GS cookies are only $4? Newsjock Feb 2014 #32

Weird. All four bucks here in California. Codeine Feb 2014 #35

Only? Curmudgeoness Feb 2014 #36

I have been paying $3.50 per box. nt avebury Feb 2014 #41

$4 in PA. WinkyDink Feb 2014 #57

Mine are $2 JVS Feb 2014 #81

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #191

Sucker Renew Deal Feb 2014 #87

Did you buy them outside your dispensary? CrispyQ Feb 2014 #121

A teacher from a local high school who is a friend of mine was complaining the other day... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #34

Unbelievable. avebury Feb 2014 #44

Parents nowadays never side with teachers. Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #47

They seem to not realize that learning begins at home. avebury Feb 2014 #56

There's little parenting going on nowadays. Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #58

And too many schools wuss out and won't fail kids joeglow3 Feb 2014 #63

They would have to fail all kids that aren't doing their homework, reading the books, etc... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #66

What does moving them on gain? joeglow3 Feb 2014 #71

Here's the thing - the parents think the kids are not learning because of "bad teachers..." Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #135

So, what is the answer? joeglow3 Feb 2014 #137

I don't really know. Maybe exposing the fact that parents expect their little darlings... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #140

I remember a story quite a while back where a teacher caught avebury Feb 2014 #141

Exactly. avebury Feb 2014 #82

True, and there's a second problem... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #134

It's like that in University too!! laundry_queen Feb 2014 #117

Absolutely! Students nowadays complain about any schoolwork at all, but even worse... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #127

Yeah, I'll never understand that laundry_queen Feb 2014 #163

It's hard to instill the desire to make any effort on a child, when he/she is surrounded... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #166

I joined a fiction writers group recently. CrispyQ Feb 2014 #122

That sounds great! nt Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #128

I agree with what you said Captain Stern Feb 2014 #37

Why not? seattledo Feb 2014 #72

The plural of anecdote is not anecdata. nt Democracyinkind Feb 2014 #79

Sample size. Captain Stern Feb 2014 #84

My guess is that the youngster got panicked at the moment and went blank. nt ladjf Feb 2014 #38

it is not unheard of Skittles Feb 2014 #53

Does the price of Girl Scout cookie vary by location? avebury Feb 2014 #40

Or maybe pipi_k Feb 2014 #45

You just described me! catchnrelease Feb 2014 #67

I'm just plain terrible at math, too. I have LibDemAlways Feb 2014 #78

"Sometimes people's brains are just not wired for certain subjects/skills" deutsey Feb 2014 #86

I work with adults that have that issue Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #92

For all who pipi_k Feb 2014 #105

Math requirements catchnrelease Feb 2014 #184

Me too... pipi_k Feb 2014 #189

I ran a concession stand at HS football games for four years Fumesucker Feb 2014 #46

My 4th grade teacher made me stay after until I learned multiplication tables..... L0oniX Feb 2014 #49

This will make you even sadder jmowreader Feb 2014 #50

This message was self-deleted by its author mucifer Feb 2014 #52

You don't know this child. madaboutharry Feb 2014 #54

People cannot do simple math anymore... awoke_in_2003 Feb 2014 #60

the girl could have been learning disabled or something along those lines dlwickham Feb 2014 #61

Some kids haven't mastered basic math. MissB Feb 2014 #64

I wouldn't worry to much Notafraidtoo Feb 2014 #68

^^^This. Iggo Feb 2014 #103

She might have dyscalculia jeff47 Feb 2014 #69

Maybe she was nervous. Or maybe she caught a whiff of your judgemental bullshit Beausoir Feb 2014 #70

uncalled for Liberal_in_LA Feb 2014 #73

^^^ and This. Iggo Feb 2014 #104

^^ha! indeed. nashville_brook Feb 2014 #124

Awwww do feel good about looking down on a little girl abelenkpe Feb 2014 #75

I don't think we can really let one kid be the meter of our education system. Deep13 Feb 2014 #76

Where do you live? The kids in my town are smarties... Walk away Feb 2014 #77

They don't have some kind of math merit badge? JVS Feb 2014 #80

I learned math from these guys tinymontgomery Feb 2014 #83

I learned how to run a register by doing the math in my head Renew Deal Feb 2014 #88

Why would you do that? Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #93

To get a bigger bill (a 5 instead of 4 ones) and keep my coins under $1 Renew Deal Feb 2014 #97

It's so simple to figure out. How can you not see that? valerief Feb 2014 #113

Yes, I am "ancient" too Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #159

The way we calculated change was valerief Feb 2014 #162

I did it that way too. Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #169

i always counted it back to the customer ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #170

The OP is an overreaction to the math performance of one child. nt ladjf Feb 2014 #90

Have you ever taught math to 5th graders? (I have.) Sancho Feb 2014 #91

Actually I ran three of the State Department COLGATE4 Feb 2014 #99

Politely, you're making my point... Sancho Feb 2014 #144

I have taught them also. roody Feb 2014 #180

Then you know it's not always simple... Sancho Feb 2014 #186

dyscalculia can occur in normal-IQ kids mainer Feb 2014 #94

Just another opportunity to throw down a shaming demwing Feb 2014 #96

I believe that calling attention to a patent example COLGATE4 Feb 2014 #98

But it's NOT a "patent example of our failing educational system" demwing Feb 2014 #100

If it's indeed pipi_k Feb 2014 #108

The plural of anecdote is not data. HuckleB Feb 2014 #131

Same here! I bought one box, gave the little girl a 10, and she could not figure out the RKP5637 Feb 2014 #102

Probably a home schooler or charter schooler. nt valerief Feb 2014 #111

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #123

It may have been performance anxiety. antigone382 Feb 2014 #112

Your post made me remember pipi_k Feb 2014 #118

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #119

I, on the other had, bought 2 boxes Control-Z Feb 2014 #125

Please don't generalize from an individual kid. HuckleB Feb 2014 #130

That is kind of hard for a 5th grader. Cleita Feb 2014 #136

Last night I was watching a local high school quiz show called "The Brain Game" Boomerproud Feb 2014 #139

She could have had a disability, reminds me of this scene from Rain Man. edbermac Feb 2014 #155

I see a lot of alternative explanations being offered fried eggs Feb 2014 #158

Buy something at McDonalds say for $5.50 then give them doc03 Feb 2014 #164

They should have Girl Scout cookies vending machines SummerSnow Feb 2014 #165

Florida hates it's public schools DonCoquixote Feb 2014 #176

I know. When we had our little factory, I had to teach them how WhiteTara Feb 2014 #178

To be fair, she may not have been taught on regrouping. joshcryer Feb 2014 #185

ew things get me feeling so warm, incredibly so fuzzy, so absolutely validated... LanternWaste Feb 2014 #188

Great post. senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #190

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #192