Are you an autistic teacher?

I can parrot what many other have said here for sure. I have been teaching for over 10 years (secondary science, most recently chemistry) in the US. I have recently completed my masters in education from a local top university. This past year (pandemic hybrid teaching) resulted in my first major meltdown (breakdown) since I’ve been teaching and my first in probably upwards of 15 years. I had managed coping mechanisms that helped me balance successfully including copious amounts of running and an extremely supportive family. That wasn’t enough this year and after an extreme breakdown it became apparent after I was forced to solicit professional help that I am on the spectrum. All my (lifelong) challenges immediately fell into place. 
Regarding how this manifests in my classroom: I require a lot of structure and organization. When I move into a new classroom (which hasn’t been that often in my career) my mom helps me label and organize. As a science teacher I have a lot of materials that I need to be able to lay hands on sometimes at a moment’s notice. I have a paper planner (with daily to-do lists) that I live and die by. I also have a website that I use to organize my digital content and which children around the world use to learn and review. It helps me stay organized but it’s also useful for the children. I work really well typically with high fliers than those with reading and maths deficits which is why I switched recently from middle to high school. Another reason for that switch is that the middle schoolers are very scream-y and with my sensory issues it was just awful. They also are more prone to “surprise hug attacks.” As many folks have mentioned, I am great when my door is shut and it’s just me putting on the day’s science show. Interactions with parents and admin are very difficult for me and I can’t do the “interoffice politics” as I do not make unspoken connections and I don’t pick up unspoken communication. This year being on zoom all the time, I had many meetings where I arranged to meet with a student and when it came time for the meeting it was in fact a parent that showed up. So…I was unprepared and it showed. They used that to complain to admin that I was a crap teacher. Where admin never found any issue with my teaching (that they told me of) and my observations have ALWAYS been top rate. Hence the autistic breakdown. I am grateful for it though because it forced me to learn about myself and I think that this can only be beneficial. The other thing to note is that I do not process emotions well at all. This has been beneficial in crisis situations that sometimes arise in the classroom. I have diffused and broken up fights easily because I don’t become emotionally involved. I have dealt with insects (some poisonous), bats, snakes, etc because I remain calm. I am the person that everyone comes to when they need a level head. I think it’s partly just because I’m the science teacher but also partly because I am like a robot and they know I will keep my whits. 
All that being said, I am terrible with paperwork. The school secretaries HATE me. I have horrible executive function and consequently taking a day of for me is not really favorable because I can’t follow their list of hoops to jump through. 

I can parrot what many other have said here for sure. I have been teaching for over 10 years (secondary science, most recently chemistry) in the US. I have recently completed my masters in education from a local top university. This past year (pandemic hybrid teaching) resulted in my first major meltdown (breakdown) since I’ve been teaching and my first in probably upwards of 15 years. I had managed coping mechanisms that helped me balance successfully including copious amounts of running and an extremely supportive family. That wasn’t enough this year and after an extreme breakdown it became apparent after I was forced to solicit professional help that I am on the spectrum. All my (lifelong) challenges immediately fell into place. 
Regarding how this manifests in my classroom: I require a lot of structure and organization. When I move into a new classroom (which hasn’t been that often in my career) my mom helps me label and organize. As a science teacher I have a lot of materials that I need to be able to lay hands on sometimes at a moment’s notice. I have a paper planner (with daily to-do lists) that I live and die by. I also have a website that I use to organize my digital content and which children around the world use to learn and review. It helps me stay organized but it’s also useful for the children. I work really well typically with high fliers than those with reading and maths deficits which is why I switched recently from middle to high school. Another reason for that switch is that the middle schoolers are very scream-y and with my sensory issues it was just awful. They also are more prone to “surprise hug attacks.” As many folks have mentioned, I am great when my door is shut and it’s just me putting on the day’s science show. Interactions with parents and admin are very difficult for me and I can’t do the “interoffice politics” as I do not make unspoken connections and I don’t pick up unspoken communication. This year being on zoom all the time, I had many meetings where I arranged to meet with a student and when it came time for the meeting it was in fact a parent that showed up. So…I was unprepared and it showed. They used that to complain to admin that I was a crap teacher. Where admin never found any issue with my teaching (that they told me of) and my observations have ALWAYS been top rate. Hence the autistic breakdown. I am grateful for it though because it forced me to learn about myself and I think that this can only be beneficial. The other thing to note is that I do not process emotions well at all. This has been beneficial in crisis situations that sometimes arise in the classroom. I have diffused and broken up fights easily because I don’t become emotionally involved. I have dealt with insects (some poisonous), bats, snakes, etc because I remain calm. I am the person that everyone comes to when they need a level head. I think it’s partly just because I’m the science teacher but also partly because I am like a robot and they know I will keep my whits. 
All that being said, I am terrible with paperwork. The school secretaries HATE me. I have horrible executive function and consequently taking a day of for me is not really favorable because I can’t follow their list of hoops to jump through. 

What's your favourite experiment to do in class that the students love? How do you feel now you have got a diagnosis?

Your experience of lockdown bringing difficulties to the surface seems to be a common one which I've read about on this forum before. not just for teachers.

One of the things I like about my job and where I work is pretty much the absence of office politics especially for the tutors. We don't have a common staff room or office that we share - while this means having to do it all from home, it offers flexibility and means we don't get caught up in any of that.

People do tend to come to me with their problems too....I feel that things don't really phase me. But on the other hand, some things can really get to me.

I have difficulties with my executive function too but because I have masked all my life no-one knows. Not even me till a few months ago. Things take just that bit more of an effort but for the same results. This coupled with perfectionist tendencies has caused a lot of stress in the past. But I'm working on this and know what I can get away with now.