Published on 12, July, 2020
I would like to know if there are any autistic teachers here.
I would like to know...
How has autism had an impact on your teaching (in and out of the classroom ....positive and negative)
How has the job affected your autistic life? Im thinking here specifically in terms of the non-classroom elements of the job. For example how does the paperwork and planning affect you at home and your routines? How do you cope with the stresses of the job and a changing environment? How does it impact on your worklife balance as an autistic person? Do you have many meltdowns shutdowns or burnout episodes? Do you have any sensory problems at work such as information or social overload? How do you cope with these?
Why did you decide to take up the profession and did you know you were autistic before you started teaching?
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I am self-diagnosed and can relate to many aspects of autism throughout my life. Since self realisation i am able to use coping strategies Im an adult tutor and currently this is the only teaching job ive had so i cant compare with other teaching roles. I would be interested to know how much of my job is general stress and how much could be down to being potentially autistic which compounds any stress. But i also would like to know your positive stories and experience!
I have high-functioning autism as well. I am not diagnosed, but I put it together when I was going through it with my daughter. I'm a second career and I will be graduating this year and (hopefully) teaching next year. Prior to that I was in IT and then a school librarian which was what led me to teaching.
This summer I am teaching summer school for 4 hours a day - 1st graders. Although I am majoring in Elementary Ed, I think I should teach upper elementary or middle school now that I've had little ones non-stop for several hours a day. Little kids are very emotionally needy and I am not an emotional person. I don't smile enough and I'm just not "warm" enough for small kids. I do a good job, and my kids are kicking butt as far as making progress because I really am good at picking up what they are struggling with and presenting it in a way that works better for them. This is something I've always been good at. I used to tutor college algebra and could take a math illiterate and help them get a grade they were happy with in college algebra (many of them taking it for the second or even third time).
As far as "coming out" I won't. I'm already the odd duck out at the school where I work. I'm never included in things all of the rest of the staff are invited to, baby showers or potlucks or things like that. I just don't make friends easily. I'm very socially awkward, have a hard time making eye contact, and again, don't smile enough. Social interactions aren't natural. (In my head I tell myself, smile, make eye contact, etc) I may "come out" to students with autism in the future if I feel it may be helpful to the student to see a functional adult in their life with the same issues, but here is a stigma that comes with autism that I'm not comfortable having attached to me in a general way.