Published on 12, July, 2020
Came across this in. face book. Thought I would share it as it is autism awareness week soon 26th march to 2nd April.
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.friendshipcircle.org%2Fblog%2F2014%2F05%2F15%2Fan-open-letter-from-a-child-with-autism-to-a-teacher%2F&h=ATPrQFIjCGNcHwNwFJ7PQ7-bQDkFdgb_Bk0ZOGxWioo1WX0IZ-_YvroJTp-MUGhI0lP9lNGaBeUe1wWuLqfCggSbTHNAgLPUz6zS_s3MMP_nu5QQooK6DoIrij6O1jk8JqU
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I just checked the link worked ok! It vanished after a few seconds so here is the letter.just in case,
Dear Teacher,
Thank you for helping me learn. I love to go to school. When I go to school, I notice that you give me a smile. You say, “Hello,” in a gentle voice. That makes me feel happy.
I need help focusing in class. My brain sometimes flops. Sometimes I feel tired and I don’t know why. Sometimes I get distracted when people move around. Lights and noises sometimes distract me. I like it when you turn off the lights. You should use a gentle voice.
I work a lot. I feel like I am working all the time. Hard work makes me feel tired. I need a break to walk around.
You should always tell the truth. One time I had a teacher who liked to say, “Good job.” I tested her. I gave her wrong answers. She kept saying, “Good job.” She was not telling the truth. When I make a mistake now, you always say, “You have to try again.” That is telling the truth. I like it when you tell the truth.
I don’t like missing class to go to Social Skills or Speech. I like my regular schedule. I want to be with the other students in my class. I want to learn with the teacher.
I like Lunch Club. Lunch Club is part of my schedule. I do not have to miss class to go to Lunch Club.
I feel confused when I have to talk to other students. I like to be around other students. But I don’t know what to say.
Words can hurt me sometimes. When I was in preschool, I asked my teacher where Mom was. The teacher said, “Your mother is gone.” I felt scared. I like it when you tell me, “I like to work with you.” I like it when you look in my eyes. I like it when you answer my questions very carefully.
I like to try new things at school. I need someone to help me learn how to try. After I learn how, I can do it on my own. That means you are a good teacher.
Your Friend,
Louie
This is beautiful, thank you for bringing it here as I don't have Facebook and would otherwise never have come across it.
There were a few of my teachers over the years who made a positive impact on me, it would be nice to have had the opportunity to tell them that. Mr Billing's my Geography teacher, he helped to nip in the bud a nasty bullying issue for me during a school trip to Aviemore but, bless him, almost ruined all of his hard work by asking (13-year-old) me to dance at the party on the last night there. He was a genuinely lovely person.
Miss Cameron, a primary school teacher who stuck up for me repeatedly against a witch of a headteacher who used to line little kids up outside her office to get the belt (she was not happy when that was banned a couple of years later). Miss Cameron took me out of the line on more than one occasion arguing that 'refusing' (being unable) to read aloud in class did not merit the belt!
For every bad teacher I can thankfully think of two others who made up for it. It's been a lovely trip down memory lane thinking of this @Lonewarrior :) Thank You ()