I am a 26 year old nursing student with a diagnosed learning disabililty. I attend a local junior college part time. I have been working toward my goal to receive my associate’s degree in nursing for the past 2 1/2 years while working full time. I struggled through elementary school until I was diagnosed with a learning disability in the sixth grade. From fourth grade on I was on an Individualized Education Plan which allowed me to have extra assistance in my classes. However, I am having a difficult time getting extra assistance in my college classes. I am currently failing Chemistry and Algebra. This is my second time taking Chemistry and have taken six remedial math classes before taking College Algebra this sememster. Based on previous test scores, I have low-average mental ability. I know I can do this, I just need a little extra assistance. Has anyone had a similiar situation or can offer any advice? My main problem is testing. Does anyone have any advice on testing skills?
Testing
I have “documentation” of the LD and get extra-time on quizzes and tests. That’s not the problem, remembering all the information for the test is the problem. I study and study but by the time I take the test I forget everything. I’ve tired the relaxation techniques before the test, didn’t help. I don’t really stess out, I just forget it. I read the question on the test and I know the answer and remember studying it, I just can’t remember the answer at that time. As for math, it is better for me to do more than the assigned homework. The more I repeat the steps, I seem to remember how to work the problem. Any other advice??
jaime
Keep on practising your University level math. Keep on keeping on…Do it all, dear…every last problem you can, you sit down and try your best to do. It is not all too very right to only do half of your math homework, for repetition is the mother of skill with math. I would be lying to say that I know a darned thing about chemistry. But, for math, it sounds to me that you are having a hard time conceptualising your work well enough so that you can recall it on a test. I have a math l.d. and I have learned that working through your assignments is a great thing to do, I cannot say it is the most fun and exciting part of my week, but working through all that is assigned is very fundamental to learning your math because math is incremental…there are all these little steps that lead to more little steps and so on and so forth. If you work with your professor and not against him, you can find out rough dates for tests and work one unit ahead. An working ahead, as well as getting to know your professor and working with him… use those office hours, go to that tutoring lab, ask questions in the classroom (and stand up straight and tall and look the professor in the eye when you do it that will defy your fellow students to giggle at you, if you ask something that might appear dumb, no such thing as a dumb question)
I think that all of us gals at University who have l.d’s that make the math and sciences harder for us than most have it hard because some folks might want to write you off on the basis of your gender, do not let this happen to you! Especially if you are in the south (I am in Memphis).
For tests, this is all I know and it might help you…
#1 You do what all your professor tells you to do.
#2 Go back through your homework and read over every last equation and make doubly sure you understand what they mean and the processes behind them
#3 Fold a piece of paper in half and write (on one side) the equation written out fully and (on the other side) the equation by itself. Give yourself more than enough space to do this and try to keep it nice and neat
#4 Read the equations over one last time, and fold the paper so that you only have the equation written out by itself on one side
#5 Sit yourself down and try to do your equations by heart, and really think them through, and give yourself all the time you feel you would need.
When you know how to do your equations in longhand without looking at anything, then you should be able to do your test. Doing the “old school” flashcard method works well too, but you have to discipline yourself to really sitting down and trying your best to be able to conceptualise your equations by heart using that method and writing things out. The more you see your equations written out, and the more time you spend reading them over where you understand the processes behind them, the better off you will be.
Sometimes, we need to just train our brains and spend a lot more time studying than most folks. I have been working since August on Remedial Elementary Algebra and am doing all I can to take Intermediate Algebra during the summer, and it is quite a struggle because I have a grade six level of the abstract thought needed for math. Grade. Six.
One thing I have learned is that you really need to work your math and just do your schedule of church, family, work, and study where you have to give yourself ample enough time to study your math. From your post, it sounds (or rather, reads) as though you really want to learn, so just stay true to yourself and do not let anything stop you.
Those Texas Instruments Calculators are great too, I already have the quadradic equation downloaded into mine, and do not give a gosh darn. At my University, we use the t.i 83…I know nothing of chemistry at all (Literature major here, took Oceanography and “Earth Science”), but University level Algebra might make using a t.i. 83 something to look into using, if you do not have one already.
It is a very nice line of work you want to get into, also…nursing and teaching are two of the most noble professions there are imho.
Good luck to you, and keep us all posted.
Re: LD Nursing Student
Has your LD interfered with your filed work experience? It has mine. My name is Roger Abbott I’m an (OTA) Occupational Therapy Assistant student. I turned out I have barley passed my [b] level I [/b] field work and there is great concerns about my [b]Level II[/b] field work experience. This is do to my problems with [i][b]Transitioning[/b][/i] (form one activity to another) and my [u][i][b]Time Orientation [/b][/i][/u](ability to judge time lapses and awareness of the concept of time).
Re: LD Nursing Student
Has your LD interfered with your filed work experience? It has mine. My name is Roger Abbott I’m an (OTA) Occupational Therapy Assistant student. I turned out I have barley passed my [b] level I [/b] field work and there is great concerns about my [b]Level II[/b] field work experience. This is do to my problems with [i][b]Transitioning[/b][/i] (form one activity to another) and my [u][i][b]Time Orientation [/b][/i][/u](ability to judge time lapses and awareness of the concept of time).
Challanges of Dyslexia
Hello. I just read your posting, and I am very interested in hearing more. I am a PhD student in California, who is passionate about educating the public about the nature of dyslexia. I am currently conducting research on adults with dyslexia, specifically their feelings and experiences of living and coping with dyslexia. It looks like you have some interesting experiences to share. Would you be willing to participate in a telephone interview, lasting about 40 minutes, to share your story for my paper, “The Heart of Dyslexia.” The paper is in partial fulfillment of my PhD requirements, and I will gladly share a copy with you when it is completed. If you would be interested in speaking with me, please email me. I will send you the questions through email, so you can think about them before we talk.
Thank you,
R. LaBarbera
[email protected]
Jamie –
I wish you the very best. If you have “documentation” of the LD,
you should get extra-time on quizzes and tests ( no matter the course ).
But for success in Math, find out what the math homework is, and see
if you can’t get 1/2 of the assignments (per-chapter / section ) elimanted
( do every other one ); talk to your professor. As for Chemistry, find a
good and patient Lab Partner; and also find a knowledgeble and patient
tutor. Good luck.
Sincerely, Joe Tag http://www.ucc.edu <br>
http://www.kean.edu/~cnsnm .