a red herring?

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I recently made a post about a job advert that fell into my inbox and piqued my interest.

It has made me think further about my current career choice.

I am employed as a teaching assistant, studying my final year for a degree, after which I am hoping to do a course which will qualify me to teach, hopefully those with special needs.

More and more, and especially since this email, I am wondering if I am in the right sector. Which is pretty upsetting, seeing as I've been pursuing this degree for 9 years now. At work, and even out of work to some extent, I have to repress my autistic traits and work hard to appear 'normal'. I have to behave according to policies and current practices in my school, even when I don't believe in them.

Don't get me wrong, I like working with children and I love my job most of the time. I just want to be able to do it the way I want to. In my current school, I am not really able to do that, but I am committed to this job until July next year (this is a personal committment), unless there are changes. Also some particular aspects of my autism make doing this job difficult at times (though I am hoping once I become a teacher and even a training teacher I will have more autonomy).

Then there are the warnings that I read on twitter and have heard from others that teaching is not a respected profession here and a very difficult job indeed in my country at the moment.

So I wonder, do I pursue this career, that I have dedicated myself to for the last 9 years, or do I maybe look for something that could be more autism friendly? Will I ever feel comfortable being myself in a school? Am I foolish hoping that working in a special school will be different?

You may just need the right teaching situation. Jobs often have the exact same title, description, and responsibilities but differ greatly in the stress they create to people on the spectrum. Civil service jobs rarely have the stresses of startup companies.

Where I went to school the private sector was able to pay much less than the public government because the teachers had more power and less stress. If students got out of line they could easily be expelled from private schools.

What was the job advert about?

You’re right. I should read the post in question, of course.

What is it that you teach? And which age group?

The job advert said that they were seeking neurodiverse applicants to work in their cyber security company. They said you didn't need a degree, that all training would be provided, just that you'd need an interest in cyber security (which I don't really have, but I can quite easily immerse myself in a subject and develop an interest in it).

I teach in a primary school. I work in a year 6 class (age 10-11) with an autistic child who also has learning difficulties. I mostly help her in maths and English, PE and do activities that develop her social skills. Sometimes I help the other kids as well, as we are trying to develop her independence a little bit for high school (though she will likely go to a special school next year).

Thank you, it is good to be reminded that not all schools are like this one. Not to say that there is anything wrong with the school, but perhaps I might find one whose ethos aligns more closely with mine.

I would stick with teaching.

The advert sounds like something you shouldn’t risk losing a definite employment situation on. It sounds like it could be a ripoff.