Teacher told to watch 'The Big Bang Theory' for preperation

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Scottish teacher told to watch 'The Big Bang Theory' as prep for pupils with Asperger's

Not entirely sure how to feel about this one. Not necessarily the worst starting point, but at the same time, it's not the best starting point either. I would've recommended some reading instead of a TV show that gives a frankly one-sided representation of AS.

The sad thing is that most teachers, and healthcare workers, and so forth, are mentally impaired themselves.

So reading Tony Attwood would be over their heads.

But watching a sitcom centered on a character with an over-the-top exaggerated cartoon version of aspergers is exactly on their level!

Okay. I exaggerate.

If watching the BBT is the teacher's ONLY training then that's pretty bad.

But watching the BBT is actually not a bad primer (to get the mental sponge wet) for real training because Sheldon Leonard displays some of the real traits of aspergers in such stark relief that even folks as dumb as healthcare workers, and teachers, can get the basic idea of what aspergers is. Most folks think that aspies are either "like folks with Down's syndrome", or that they are "like sociopaths", both of which are way off base. So equating aspergers with "that funny guy on the BBT" is actually a vast improvement in accuracy (and in sensitivity) over how most folks conceptualize aspergers.

You really want something that is multimedia, not a book. Multimedia is much better at showing the awkwardness of social interaction.

BBT is good because the main points are short and concise, designed to fit between commercial breaks.
I don't have any confidence that Autism Speaks could produce better videos.

It is way cheaper to find BBT scenes to illustrate particular issues than to produce a videos on those same issues.

I really, really don't think that it's adequate as a complete education.

But it does depict some traits pretty well (even if it doesn't supply a whole lot of solutions). I've used BBT to explain (and humanize) myself a few times. Considering that it does treat the subject (however indirectly) with some humor and compassion (and tending as I do to believe that maintaining a sense of humor is critical in living with this crap without losing my mind as well as in achieving any success in helping someone else deal with it), I can think of worse places to start.

Like with training videos that emphasize the "tragedy" and "disability" of it all. I'd rather be seen as Sheldon Cooper than as a tragic charity case to be 'fixed'. Particularly by a teacher or other educator or professional trying to help me learn academic material or life navigation.

From the linked article:

A 'positive' representation? More like a nasty one. As anyone who has ever watched the show will know, the character of Sheldon Cooper is entertaining precisely because he is an exaggerated, comical representation of how someone with A.S. thinks and behaves. He is also rude, demanding, and often irrational, and I would be willing to bet that most of us are actually NOT like this caricature of a person with Asperger's Syndrome.



What is so 'eccentric' about this? I have a favourite spot too, and as I type this I am sitting in it. This, for me, is normal. It's only 'eccentric' to those who choose not to understand us.



In other words, they don't want to admit their show is what has come to be known as 'nerd blackface', and thus risk coming under attack by disability rights activists. "The writers said no". The writers were lying to you Shel... I mean, Jim. "He has Asperger traits". In other words, he has Asperger's Syndrome (although presented in an exaggerated and not always accurate way). "But their saying that took away a social responsibility". In other words, they think that in denying the character has the condition, they are 'off the hook', and can therefore make fun of, perpetuate myths about, and generally make fun of people who really do have the condition.

This is a good article, which explains well why the show is not funny, is disturbing, and should just be avoided.

http://butmyopinionisright.tumblr.com/p ... ang-theory

Have you seen some other television representations??

Sheldon has a job, and a relationship, and friends. He's much more relatable than some other TV Aspies I can think of over the years. Downright cuddly by comparison.

Newsflash-- yes, people roll their eyes at us. You don't die of it. Hey-- I roll my eyes at some of the stuff NTs do, too.

Yes, Sheldon is a cartoon. Almost everything on TV is cartooned in some way-- even the documentaries are edited and exaggerated for effect. He's a cartoon that people can laugh with and empathize with and sometimes even see a little bit of themselves in. No matter how many times I shake my head, look at my husband, and say, "PLEASE tell me I'm socially higher functioning than Sheldon," I'm pretty grateful for that.

I'd prefer to be laughed with than laughed at. But I'd rather be laughed at than pitied. Or feared. Laughing at myself won't kill me. Pitying myself might. Being feared-- and fearing myself-- very realistically could.

well I took one of those personality tests online that said I was like Sheldon so I don't know how to feel about it o_O

The popular perception of Autism in general at least here in the US was/is Rainman so I guess Sheldon is an improvement from that, the awareness people have is a really bad when it doesn't personally effect them.

Where I live, people used to think Rainman or the adult with two handlers and a head helmet biting himself as autism, so I *guess* Sheldon should be considered an upgrade.

I hate that show, so it pains me to write anything positive about it.

The real problem with people (in general) is that they don't understand much of anything; let alone Hans Asperger. They think is Autistic because he is so much brighter than they are. In a very loose sense of the word each of the characters appear Autistic. With Rajish's selective mutism to Howard's obsession with time zones and trains and Sheldon's restricted routine an uninformed school teacher may think Autism. The one who appeared Autistic in Season 4 and 5 is Amy Farrah Fowler.

If the teacher really wants to get her education from prime time then Randy Hickey from My Name is Earl is the one to learn from.

Or the teacher could just read _Neurotribes_ and learn something.

In what ways are most teachers and health-care workers mentally impaired? I mean I recall having some good teachers growing up and I have to say a majority of health care workers I've dealt with seem pretty competent in what they do...and like they'd certainly be able to comprehend a books about aspergers.

Maybe not for people with autism that are more like rainman than sheldon, not sure why people hate the character rain-man there are autistic savants and they're people to. But seems people aways look at that character as a downgrade from something better or something. It wouldn't have been the same movie with the same story if the autistic character was a higher functioning aspie...why should only higher functioning autistics be portrayed in shows or movies?

Certainly not one of my favorite movies as I am not really into dramas, but I certainly never got the impression the idea of the movie was to mock autistic people or portray them as empty shells like some descriptions of autism I've seen.

Forget teachers. Most of my teachers were actually pretty good. Even though I left school long before anyone ever heard of aspergers in the USA.

Healthcare workers can be very obtuse. A lady shrink never even heard of aspergers when our family brought it up in the early 2000's a decade after it was made an official diagnosis. Have heard stories about healthcare workers saying "you cant be autistic. Autism is a childhood condition.".

Well that seems to be more ignorance on the topic of autism than mental impairment, which tells me more education about autism is needed in the health-care field.

Some of the good teachers I had noticed some things that were different about me but the aspergers never dawned on any of them.

Someone without aspergers might have a certain spot they like, but they probably wouldn't go into so much detail describing why they like that spot.