[CaliRockfish]

Halfway through the semester and for the midterm I only knew 3 answers. I'm pretty convinced it has something to do with my TBI. I have A's in all my other classes.

As i'm looking at the test I recall doing most of it, and having done the problems tons of times. I just can't remember any of the steps. I just can't remember anything.

The instructor signed my disability paperwork at the beginning of the semester. Today he kind of snapped after I handed him the paper obviously failed stating some of you just don't seem to give a crap. I seriously seem to be the only one struggling. There is a damned 16 year old in high school taking the class....half the people are not even paying attention because it's so easy to them... Already feeling stupid because I do care, and it's killing me to fail, especially so hard. It seems like he was directing that statement at me.

I don't know what to do. It's way too far to pass, but the VA requires me to sit there and continue to fail rather than withdraw. 2 days a week after that class my whole day is F'd and I spiral down. I know it's only a math class but it's making me feel broken with no hope and furthering my depression.

Wtf do I do? More in the wrong direction. Rather than better, things are constantly going downhill... I feel like a broken idiot.

I have a friend who's an Iraq veteran and has TBI and he has intermittent memory problems. Some types of knowledge seem to be more difficult for him to learn/memorize now than they used to be. He says it's so confusing because it's not consistent. I think he may get test anxiety, too, although he hasn't told me that. (Who wouldn't, if you didn't know whether or not your brain was going to cooperate that day?)

Maybe you can ask your instructor or someone at the VA for tutoring for people with TBI?

[Yoda]

Have you considered hiring a tutor?

[RisuNeko]

I'm in a low level math class right now and am at risk of failing. It all comes down to the final on Wednesday. I don't have a TBI but I think I'm dyslexic, and have dyscalculia and maybe ADD but have never been properly tested/diagnosed due to money issues. I also have a lot of test anxiety. When people start getting up after finishing their tests 45 minutes before I'm half way through the test I start to panic.

[IceCreamKid]

First let me say thanks for your service.

Second, Algebra is doable. It doesn't seem so right now, but it is. The thing is to learn the steps in the appropriate order.

With your TBI that may be difficult. But don't give up hope yet.

I had difficulty learning math because I had so much anxiety over it. That affected my learning the steps and recalling them.

Please talk to the instructor. Tell him you do care but that you are finding it difficult. If he is any good as an instructor he will want you to succeed.

Not all math instructors are any good. Just because someone can do math doesn't mean they can teach it.

This person may not be good for you. So you will need to find someone to tutor you. In the meantime you can do math problems just below where you are having trouble and build your skills that way. There are many math books out there to teach yourself.

Good luck, keep trying. It's worth it.

[RisuNeko]

Youtube has a lot of good math tutorials that have cleared up a lot of concepts for me too.

I think you're right about the anxiety thing. When I get anxious on test day, and even in class, and even at home doing math (I have major math anxiety) I start skipping steps and flipping positives to negatives and taking shortcuts that don't make sense and taking steps that don't make logical sense just out of sheer panic that i need to get it done NOW, and then I end up screwing myself over.