I've failed

LannieDuck

Wiggy, I'm so glad your second post was more upbeat than the first. You've done waaaay more at age 21 than I did. I'm not sure I would have been able to cope with being a single parent and having to move out of my home and studying my degree all at once. I was in awe of you in your previous posts and I still am. Any employer would be lucky to have you.

I hope you follow some of the advice above and see if you can go back to the basics in maths. Would you be able to afford a tutor? Maybe you could start doing English language tutoring to raise the cash?

melly1980

What you need isnt a degree, or a Maths GCSE or anything else like that. What you need is perspective. Think of things a different way.

The single biggest improvements that you can make to your employability, life and general happiness and well being is learn all of the personal and social intelligences that really make a difference in life. Pick up a few books on related subjects...it will do you the world of good.

paulineb_2

Voyager2002 wrote: »

This was a response to my earlier post: before commenting, I should mention that at one time I was a Maths teacher and my first degree is in Mathematics.

The repeated exam failures indicate a lack of understanding: the failure in a test needed to begin a GCSE course indicates the lack of some rather basic concepts. Since what you learn in Maths builds upon what you should have learned at an earlier stage, no amount of effort, revision or suffering at GCSE level will help unless something is first done about the underlying lack of understanding.

Yes: blaming the teacher can often be a cop-out, and there are usually lots of ways to work on your own and get to grips with material that has been badly taught. In this case, however, I think the problem is that the OP does not know what she does not understand, and when preparing for a Maths test she is looking at material that is really too advanced for her and so means nothing to her. I think that she needs to revisit primary school Maths, either with a tutor or with a really good book. Once she understands what was missing beforehand, everything will make sense and then progress to and through GCSE will be both rapid and surprisingly enjoyable.

Im not sure I agree with that, I was in the second set in maths at school, so my understanding of maths in first and second year at high school was ok

It fell to bits in third year, in fact even in first year we had a succession of supply teachers who got a really hard time from some of the class, but the third year was the worst

It was probably the most important year but I left that year knowing little and if I hadnt had a tutor and I wasnt the only one in my class who had one, Id have struggled more than I did

My mum is a teacher, I know how hard teachers work but I also know what its like to be in a class with people who dont care (pupils) who just disrupt the class and your work suffers

It probably isnt the same for the OP but I bet if I had had a better grounding in years 1-3, Id have got a better grade than I did, because the people in the top set got an excellent teacher who tolerated no nonsense and I got him for my Higher Maths in 6th year and passed it.

The year before my higher maths was such a low grade it wasnt recorded, less than 40 per cent. I went from that to 70 per cent in the space of 4 months

The right teacher can make all the difference. I also did maths and stats in my first year at uni and passed it first time while a lot of other people struggled

I dont think I would have ever needed to go back and do primary school maths at any stage, what I needed was to be in a class where someone had the confidence to teach without ridiculous interruptions and where people wanted to learn, because when I was in that environment, I did well.

And as Ive said, probably not the same scenario as the OP is going through, but if someone like me can struggle at a basic level and then go on and get their Higher (scottish equivalent of A levels, just slightly easier as we sit highers in one year), probably more like an AS level

If I can pass that, seriously anyone can. Dont give up OP, I am sure you will get there.

lulu650

Voyager2002 wrote: »

This was a response to my earlier post: before commenting, I should mention that at one time I was a Maths teacher and my first degree is in Mathematics.

The repeated exam failures indicate a lack of understanding: the failure in a test needed to begin a GCSE course indicates the lack of some rather basic concepts. Since what you learn in Maths builds upon what you should have learned at an earlier stage, no amount of effort, revision or suffering at GCSE level will help unless something is first done about the underlying lack of understanding.

Yes: blaming the teacher can often be a cop-out, and there are usually lots of ways to work on your own and get to grips with material that has been badly taught. In this case, however, I think the problem is that the OP does not know what she does not understand, and when preparing for a Maths test she is looking at material that is really too advanced for her and so means nothing to her. I think that she needs to revisit primary school Maths, either with a tutor or with a really good book. Once she understands what was missing beforehand, everything will make sense and then progress to and through GCSE will be both rapid and surprisingly enjoyable.

I have to agree with this post wholeheartedly. We have to remember the OP got a grade D in GCSE Maths which rather indicates that she doesn't have Dyscalculia and I say that as a one time Dyslexia tutor.

At one point, once qualified, I actually ended up teaching year 7 maths for a year to a very low ability group who were actually at primary level. They made fantastic progress but I sweated blood making sure I understood everything so as not to get caught on the hop. There are certain concepts I can now never forget having taught them to others.

Brighton_belle

melly1980 wrote: »

The single biggest improvements that you can make to your employability, life and general happiness and well being is learn all of the personal and social intelligences that really make a difference in life.

Could you explain what you mean by this sentence?

ValHaller

wiggywoo9 wrote: »

Anyway, I'm going to just try, try, try again. Made me realise quite how much I want to teach, I hate, HATE maths but was upset for a good long time just because it stopped me this time. I have had work experience and plan to get more this year.

Look at not having a job as time and space to overcome maths. Forget about hating it. Forget about not understanding maths, just focus on understanding the question.

Most brilliant teachers have struggled with something - it is out of the struggles that they discover what their students need. I would say that maths is your opportunity to discover in yourself what it really takes to be a teacher. In short, maths is not the end of the road for you, it is a gateway.

paulineb_2

lulu650 wrote: »

I have to agree with this post wholeheartedly. We have to remember the OP got a grade D in GCSE Maths which rather indicates that she doesn't have Dyscalculia and I say that as a one time Dyslexia tutor.

At one point, once qualified, I actually ended up teaching year 7 maths for a year to a very low ability group who were actually at primary level. They made fantastic progress but I sweated blood making sure I understood everything so as not to get caught on the hop. There are certain concepts I can now never forget having taught them to others.

But that says a lot for your talents

My mum is the same, shes taught all abilities in the one class and she gets the best out of every one of them, always has done, in fact Id say she has a gift for getting the best out of kids who might struggle elsewhere and she has patience as well, lots of it.

Not everyone has the skills to do that I think

Dimey

Voyager2002 wrote: »

This was a response to my earlier post: before commenting, I should mention that at one time I was a Maths teacher and my first degree is in Mathematics.

The repeated exam failures indicate a lack of understanding: the failure in a test needed to begin a GCSE course indicates the lack of some rather basic concepts. Since what you learn in Maths builds upon what you should have learned at an earlier stage, no amount of effort, revision or suffering at GCSE level will help unless something is first done about the underlying lack of understanding.

Yes: blaming the teacher can often be a cop-out, and there are usually lots of ways to work on your own and get to grips with material that has been badly taught. In this case, however, I think the problem is that the OP does not know what she does not understand, and when preparing for a Maths test she is looking at material that is really too advanced for her and so means nothing to her. I think that she needs to revisit primary school Maths, either with a tutor or with a really good book. Once she understands what was missing beforehand, everything will make sense and then progress to and through GCSE will be both rapid and surprisingly enjoyable.

I agree with Voyager.
I missed learning percentages, equations and algebra at school due to ill health. I've struggled with maths ever since.

Luckily I learned the old fashioned times tables off by heart and they've stood me in good stead. I also did Saturday jobs on cash tills before the automated ones came in, so I got used to counting change back.

But give me anything too complicated like calculating interest rates and my brain freezes. I couldn't even attempt to work the answer out as my brain is just shouting -no no no, run away!

coolcait

wiggywoo9 wrote: »

..

I just finished university. I had no gaps, I passed with everyone else my age. I'm 21. ... I did that alone. I did the 2 following years, with a baby, then as he grew to a toddler. 5am starts for 3 years, battling PND, travelling a 40-mile round trip. ...

I finally got my own place. .... Managed that.

... I got a ... 2.2

...

Fixed that for you.

Take out the self-loathing, and the disappointment that you're not quite ready - just yet - to start on your career of choice, and that's actually an impressive list of achievements.

Lots of other people have given you helpful suggestions - which I agree with.

You've also been given some tough love - which I also agree with.

Finally, I have seen so many posts from you where you are hinting at having suicidal thoughts. What help have you sought/received for this. That, to me, is vitally important.

Much, much more important than which letter of the alphabet you have on an exam certificate.

fannyadams

YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE.
and have a read of this when you get a minute
http://agirlcalledjack.com/
although with a toddler i know you'd usually spend that minute having that wee you promised yourself 3 hours ago! lolz.
take care of yourself. you are loved!