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any teachers on here?

Mibl

Hi, 

I am wondering if teaching is incompatible with being autistic... Has anyone on here worked as a teacher or is currently doing so?

What strategies have helped you/are helping making your work easier?

Did/does your employer know about your struggles?

Did/does your employer make any allowances for you? If so, which ones?

Did you ever manage to not script conversations with parents beforehand?

For context, I am an art teacher and I am currently struggling heavily with whether I should continue teaching or not. I love my subject and talking about my subject. When talking to students (who behave) about art is the only time I am at ease talking.

Thank you in advance for your input.

Big wave

mibl

  • I'm a retired secondary school teacher. 

    I qualified late in life before I knew I was autistic. I always have had poor mental health, but determination to teach and love of my subject enabled me to struggle through the school year. Eventually, I asked myself if I could see myself doing the job for the next 20 years and the answer was no. I couldn't bear the thought of living with constant stress and anxiety over my work, never getting away from it even on weekends. Class behaviour management was a huge issue in my school and I didn't have any strategies that fully worked for that or for myself to manage my stress. I always scripted conversations for meetings with parents. Some of them didn't seem to hear or understand what I was talking about and they had their own questions and responses which often didn't relate to the points I was making, so it was very stressful.

    I just continued to struggle until I was diagnosed with cancer and had to take time off from work. I spent several weeks at a time over two years as an in patient and knew I could never return to teaching so I didn't go back and I don't regret it. 

    Of course I missed the salary and I miss not having a sizeable teacher's pension, but better quality of life was a no brainer. I regret that I didn't know how being autistic led to my struggles and perhaps I could have coped better if I had known I was autistic and disclosed ASD because adjustments might have been put in place. Yet, there is consolation in knowing I did the best I could at the time and couldn't continue with such constant high level anxiety, worry and lack of life outside of school because of  constant worry. I love studying so I returned to university to gain higher level qualifications and now I spend my days filled with things that make me content. 

    If you are considering disclosing ASD, be very careful. Not all employers are sympathetic, even though the law is clear about reasonable adjustments. Some people have found it better not to mention ASD and just to ask for something they need, e.g., they need x or y reasonable adjustments because they find it easier to communicate in such and such a way/they need quiet space etc.

    I'm sorry that this isn't much help to you. I just wanted you to know that you aren't on your own and I hope you make the right decision for you. I don't think teaching is incompatible for all autistic people but it is for some.