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Autistic teacher

NAS73926

I lost my job on tuesday, for the 2nd time in the same school ,for timing and organisation. Ive been teaching for 10 years. Ive interviewed 3 times at this school. Done maternity covers, cleaned toilets during lockdown, worked as hlta, class teacher twice, general supply cover, ran after school clubs and worked on special event days. Ive had my most successful time as a class teacher with children ive taught before and know well. Yhey are finally making progress and starting to develop better attitudes for learning but none of that matters as i go to pot in observations and ive been observed 3 times by the deputy within a short period of time. After the first time, i made a mistake with subject knowledge, my classroom routine needed changing, which i did. I got feedback at all morning by the deputy which was all negative. I asked for some help with planning as it was a new type of class, i was given it in november 2021, it was a 5/6 where the whole class was eal/sen and i was given no help with planning from the year 5 teacher or slt. Ive planned all year my own lesson from overviews. Im gutted i lost my class. I thought i was doing a great job with them as they were finally making progress. But then ofsted became a reality so i suddenly was observed without warning. I'm self employed so they can and things went to pot. I spent the next month trying to save my job and prove to them i can do it. Only to be told on tuesday there was nothjng for me at the school after 6 years of working there jn any job they gave me and that they were hiring a new teacher till xmas to cover my class who is a friend of the deputy's. 

Im writing this because although i am a good teacher, at 46 i have been told timing and orgsnization are my issue. I miss social cues in the children i guess as i only just realised this was possible and ive had difficulties hearing my tone when communicating. 

I love teaching, hate applications with a passion, cant sell mysrlf or secure a job and im wondering how i can stay in teaching. Once you have a class, supply is not the jewel it once was.

Thanks pandamoneum

  • This makes me so sad as a teacher!

    However I do love all the suggestions and other countries would love our direct communication style .

    Look into online teaching and working abroad I’ve heard great things.

    wishing you luck and not to let one poor performing middle manager get you down. It’s a wonderful vocation x

  • to me that is petty  and a person should not be fired for small operational issues ---- it is an example of teaching gone wrong. The person who fired you should be reprimanded.

  • in reply to NAS73926

    You could get a job anywhere in the world with that. Other cultures might communicate differently so your difficulties in interview might not get joticed as much and they prize native speakers so thats an added advantage. There are loads of private language schools in the UK too.  Bit late now but they're always looking for summer staff. 

  • in reply to JuniperFromGallifrey

    Thank you for your reply. Its good to know its not just me. Ive signed up to a language tesol course and im considering how i can keep teaching as i will not get anymore teaching opportunities in this school and i dont interview well elsewhere.  

  • in reply to Martin

    The deputy knows but i did not declare my official diagnosis to the head or hr.   I didnt know there was organisational software to help. Do you know the name of any of them please.

  • I've been let go from numerous positions for the same - "timing" or not doing things at a particular speed, organisation (administration of any kind is incredibly difficult for me and thus, I'm much slower at these tasks), add social skills. I now work for myself, but writing emails and handling my own admin takes a great deal of extra time, so I work long hours but the Creative and Technical aspect of my job is the better and more enjoyable role. I'll put emails away and come back to them to double check spelling, double check I'm writing out a sentence in a form which makes sense, double check I'm getting to the point & edit forever.

    I believe it is incredibly under-rated just how difficult these things are for ASD individuals. 

    What is it specifically you teach? Would this knowledge have another application which you could use in a business to business scenario like consulting? Could you create and sell lesson plans (I've heard this is a thing)? Could you do online or one-on-one mentoring for Autistic children? 

    I wonder if there aren't others in this forum who could maybe help trouble shoot ideas. For me, working behind the scenes or with one individual at a time in a highly concentrated situation is a form of engagement I find I'm much better suited to and much more enjoy.  It was devastating years ago when I kept being 'let-go' (fired) from jobs - I had no reference or comprehension of autism, I had little understanding of myself and most people expected me to just 'work harder'. I felt purposeless and useless. But eventually I discovered the phrase "Work Smarter not Harder". And tried to stay focused on my strengths after a good deal of discovery. I'm relieved now that I was let go from those positions, but sad I couldn't have found the help I desperately needed back then. Finding limits can be a bit like a fish discovering the banks of a river. Not the 'stay in your lane' sort of discovery, but more like following the current. There is something soothing in understanding limits. I want to believe that they can lead to something more rewarding for all of us. 

    I'm the same age. I do feel your frustration!

  • NAS73926 said:
    friend of the deputy's

    this is it im afraid..... its not what you know, its who you know.

    i was going for fitness instructor scheme job apprentice thing and we was doing lots of courses together with group of other people up for it, i was miles better than any of them by far and i even aced the interview because i felt passionate about the subject, in the end they told me i would have got it if this other guy wasnt going for it.... this other guy was useless, during the entire courses he never turned up and when he did it was in the afternoon later on, no punctuality and couldnt do a single press up and got offended when the instructor told him to drop and give him 10 press ups and refused to do them. they was sucking his wang all through the course for some reason though and then gave him the position, i learned his mother was close friends with the manager there as the manager ended up asking how his mother was and talking to him and so on as if they were close friends lol the guy wasnt suitable for that job and they even said i should have got it, his mum knew the manager though so its all about who you know and social connections..... yet again social connections ruining life... its about time we abolished social connections and got a meritocracy.

    anyway i saw this guy later on in a follow up course thing, he laughed and said that he didnt even turn up to his contract signing as he couldnt be arsed.... fucking pisses me off that society is like this.

  • Are you a member of a trades union? If you are they should be able to give you some support. Did your school know of your autism, and has it been clinically diagnosed? If yes to both questions, then they, by law, should have made reasonable accommodations for your disability. I would say that if, like me, your main problem is time-management and planning, then the provision of a computer tablet/smart phone or similar with one of the organisational software packages designed for use by people with ASD/ADHD would have been a minimum requirement. As a self-employed person your rights will probably be less than if you were an employee.