Resource Room Patronization?

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Idk about all of you, but when I was in middle school, i did not like the resource room I sometimes went to.

I just felt crushed about going there sometimes, Feeling segregated and "not normal" at times.

I also thought sometimes the people in there would speak baby to me sometimes, and I did not like it. It was as if some of them only saw me as a diagnostic label, and not as an individual person.

Sometimes I even felt being in there was like being in " one flew over the cuckoos nest" though sometimes It did help when I was discussing bullies/ or confusing social interactions. So I guess it wasnt all that bad

Can anyone Identify with me?

I find that many professionals patronize us. I don't think it is intentional most of the time; yes, they have been taught to see us in terms of labels and to focus our deficits. I don't think they realize how much we really have in common. From their positions of power, they look at us as being "lower". It's up to us to show them how much we really are capable of. Although, if you begin to seem too capable, your label may begin to be questioned. It is a difficult position to be in.

I don't anyone could question your label if you have legal and medical identification of it.

I guess it is important not to take some patronization too much to heart. Just to be ok with it and try your best. For goodness sake do not be resistant or foot dragging with the aides. Just accept their help and try to work as hard as you can.

In high school I found the resource room more helpful than a one on one aide who actually made things worse.

I know some people who question others' position on the spectrum. Misdiagnoses do happen, though, especially with some assessments that are very short. I think most of us have done this at some point or other (eg. is this person really on the spectrum? she is waaay too social!). I've met a couple of people who are very socially adept and have been diagnosed on the spectrum, and they fascinate me. I also know some people who were diagnosed but question their own diagnosis, including some of these hyper-social aspies.

As for the rest, I completely agree. I just can't help but feel that some people become ashamed of who they are and consequently become more disabled (i.e. more inhibited) as a result of this kind of treatment. And people do, because it's an implicit way to say that the NT way is better than the autistic way.

But the resource room itself was nice. I think my school was pretty good in terms of special ed support; I didn't find anyone there to be particularly patronizing, compared to some other professionals I have met outside of school.

My brother used to go to the resource room for depression (he'd get too stressed out and need a break from class). He says they were really nice, though he witnessed them misreading overload in other students occasionally. (Having an autistic sister has taught him a lot.)