Being a teacher with AS

Post Reply New Topic

I am a teacher and I find that I can use my traits to my advantage and get a lot out of my job.

There are some things I find very difficult though, for example, I find it incredibly hard to write reports and letters to parents etc. as I never seem to know what is appropriate to say. Whenever I give something to my head teacher to check she always sends it back covered in red pen and says I am too blunt. I find it very embarrassing. Do you think this could be to do with AS? I've been told it is a very bad idea to tell my employer about thinking I have AS, but at times like that it would make me feel a lot better if people knew why I had trouble doing some things.

Is anyone here a teacher, and if so what things do you find hard?

From Kerry

Being blunt is part of Asperger's. And as to your question of disclosing_ I think honesty is the best policy, That is of course if your boss is supportive.

i am a TA for college bio courses...

i find the hardest thing is when they are doing group work or something and i am floating around answering their questions...

it's ahrdest for me to jump "instantly in" on their questions and graps exactly what they're asking me. It takes me a second to sit and look over their work they've done... but it's hard cause half the time they've already asked their entire question before i've ahd a chance to even look and see where they are... and their question has one in one ear and out the other for me.

but i've learned to be slyer about this... yay inquiring learning.

Telling your supervisor is a tricky thing; are you in GB? or USA?

I think it would depend on how your supervisor reacts to other people with learning disabilities...is there any other teachers that have had problems come about? How did your supervisor react to those people?

My tendancy is just to blow it off - by laughing and saying how blunt you are and that your either right/left brain stronger (I can't remember which side of the brain is more logical) in your communication. I would also add a joke...to say your strenght...like "it's a good thing I'm good at teaching, my writing wouldn't support me financially"

My husband says for many years he just thought I was like a guy in my traits. That I didn't care what people thought....and said things straightforward. We all have things wrong with us; I work with many people that can't write or communicate but can program computers/software like no one else.

ask Calande, ¿calandale?, he is a teacher

I think your doing nothing wrong and the reason the heads moaning is that parents always stick up fro their little lovelies

Going off topic here but how do you manage/what support did you get whilst doing teacher training at uni as I have considered teaching as a career in the past and dropped out of uni after a year and it is something i may consider doing in the future esp as I currently work in a rubbishy supermarket job

Being blunt IS a symptom of AS. I used to be too blunt. NOW, it KILLS me sometimes! Even sometimes on this board I have held back.

Steve

At which level are you teaching? Personally I feel too many people dance around issues in reports etc and bluntness is needed. Not everyone reads between the lines of a report, and whilst some may get emotional if they read stuff, it most likely for the best that the facts are layed out firmly.
Since you don't have a dx I'm not sure about telling the head. If you are friendly with any colleagues, maybe discuss it with them and see what they think.
In the end, as long as you are teaching to a good standard, you would not get sacked or anything for talking to the head (i think...)

I dropped out of the teacher training course (PGCE) halfway through the final term.
Admittedly, i was a terrible teacher with many faults and did not enjoy it, but you have to start somewhere.
It wasn't so much dealing with the kids which was the problem, but dealing with some of the other staff (one in particular.)
I was teaching one lesson, being observed by the usual teacher of the class. It was the beginning of the lesson and she helped me out by explaining something to the class ( i can't remember the detail, but something of not great importance). So i said, "thanks for that." And she interpreted my bluntness and monotone delivery ( which is another 'handicap' for teaching) as sarcasm. Anyway, after this she said to the headteacher that she did not want to be in the same classroom as me again. Of course, she never said a word to me ( all behind my back).
Her displeasure of me was quite apparent; i did have the sympathy of other staff members but it was rather an unpleasant experience.
Looking back i think she did me a favour, who knows?
It's a hard job at the best of times, with little financial reward; so i have much respect for you.

As for your situation i would be reluctant to mention AS ( not many in the UK would understand such things.)
All teachers, especially when starting out in the profession, have things which they can improve on.
Whether NT or otherwise, people have their strengths and weaknesses.
At least you are aware of how you can improve, and so can maybe ask a colleague for advice when you are unsure in these areas.
Good luck.

I teach college nursing students in their hospital rotations - no lecturing, but I'm by their side as they care for patients. I LOVE it! And my students love me (they tell me all the time )

But I detest the politics that go on with the other professors and faculty. I avoid them like the plague. Like everything else in my life, it seems, there is great joy but it comes with strings attached.

im not a teacher, the best part of being a teacher is grading papers and using a red pen. i would hate, hate to figure out everyones grades and go to meetings and stuff

I taught English at the junior college level for a year. I did well with the preparation, but I don't think I was a great teacher. I did stress hard work, though, and the better students appreciated me for it. I was not cut out for teaching and listening to excuses as to why students didn't do their homework.

My brother, who I suspect has AS, was a high school teacher for some years now. He's now an assistant principal in the same school he taught in.

And we never have talked about how AS affects his job skills. He has a lot of trouble with orginization and his job demands that he maintains and orginizational approach to his job. I'm sure it constantly grinds away at him.

I am studying to be a teacher and I have worked as a volunteer in schools. I think my flat affect is the biggest handicap, but otherwise I do fine. It helps that I work with very young children - you can act a bit silly with them and it's just seen as being part of the job.

I'm not sure of the laws in GB, but I think you could end up losing your job if you disclose you have AS. You would definitely want the backing of an official diagnosis if you disclose it to your superiors. If you are self diagnosing you have no protection whatsoever if they fire you if you tell them. Even with an official diagnosis here in the States we have little protection if we are higher functioning. The disabilities act really only protects the low functioning people. So I say keep your mouth shut as far as disclosing. Maybe read some books on how to be less blunt and more sympathetic. Yes bluntness is very much a normal Aspie trait. Has gotten me in loads of trouble.

I think some Aspies could make great teachers especially in kindergarten and early grade levels because we tend to be more childlike in our outlook on life. You could have a great positive role in growing the minds of the youngsters. I know several university professors that I suspect are on the spectrum.

I teach third grade, and I find AS to be both to my advantage and disadvantage. I was lucky enough to have an awesome mentor while I was student teaching, so I basically mimic everything she did. My voice is normally pretty flat or it ends up sounding pretty weird to me, but I fake everything so much when I'm teaching that I think it ends up sounding pleasant and soothing. My students have learned that I can't tolerate odors, loud or sudden sounds, or sudden touches, and I really try to keep everything as gentle and gradual as possible. (Out of a class of 18, I have at least 2 kids with AS.) I think because they've had to accommodate my needs, they've gone from being a very rough class to a quiet, easy-going group!

I'm grateful that they don't make fun of me for stopping in the middle of my sentences while I search for the perfect word. I can't stand not having grammatically perfect sentences with beautiful words--using the same structure and occasional unusual word I'd use in writing. I know I roll my eyes when I do this, and I don't look at them very much.

What I find most difficult as a female teacher with AS is not understanding the politics that go on in a school's administration. My closest cohorts tell me constantly to be careful when certain women talk to me, but I can never figure out when I'm being played or how! They complain about the principal and her manipulation too, but I can't figure out what's going on so I always end up giving her a straight answer. My mother used to complain about how my dad never got promoted because he didn't play these games (he has AS worse than me), and now I see that I'm the same.