FAO teens/adults here with ASD ..

What type of school did you attend ie; mainstream, support unit or special school? AND looking back, did you feel it was the correct setting for you? Im having to make a massive decision regarding 12yr old daughters education after the summer and Im eager to hear how it has affected you all. Thanx in advance :)  x

  • I go to a mainstreem collage now. They have Learning Support which help me but that is rubbish in my oppionion. I hate collage and will leave at the first chance I get. I do not feel this is right for me at all and I am desprately looking for another place to go in September (I have to stay where I am till the end of the year) but I am constantly unhappy where I am now. If I knew what I know now I would deffinatly have never gone to this collage. 

    I did technacly go to a resourced seccondary school. (This meaning it is basically a mainstreem school but it is resourced which means their is a unit for children with complext needs. These children go to some 'normal' lessons and have some lessons in their smaller groups. The unit can also support people with less sever needs as needed and is in charge of all learning support e.g. in exams too) But, I was not involved in this unit. They always said 'I have no diagnosis so they can not help me' Which to me suggests that they thought I needed their help. Even when I was diagnosed (ASD in the January I was in year 11) they did nothing, so I went through GCSE's with no help whatsoever - other than to type work which I had in lessons and exams. Apparently their is no test needed for that. Teachers complained they were unable to read my writing so I could type everything.

    Despite all this I did enjoy school. I had people around me (yes the wrong support knowing what I know now) but I always loved school and never wanted to leave when I had to. Now I really miss it and would happily start again in year 7.  
    It is hard to say if it was the right place for me. When I started I was 'normal' (I hate that word, what I mean is I was not diagnosed with Autism in any way, I was 16 when I was diagnosed) so it was the natural progretion from primary school.

    I was bullied a lot in Secconadry school. But I did not mind. I never wanted friends and I was happy to be there. I like learning and I learnt a lot at school. To me I was never botherd by the bullying because I am not botherd about what people thought of me - I never have been, and never will be. I am me and whatever you think is fine. Do what you want you will not change me. So I just accepted they bullied me and got on with life. I ignored them as much as I could. They never stopped but I think the only impact it had on me was a positive one (I can write more about this if you want, but it is not relevent to the question you asked) overall. But of course their were times when I felt upset by it and it did affect me. 

    But, I think I did quite well in school, and I was happy-most of the time. So I think that school was good for me. But I now realize it could have been better but I do not regret going there. I was happy there and that is important to me. Thinking of school now I remember happy times and it makes me sad that I am not there anymore.

  • State school misery for me, full of psycho brats. Spend my childhood, running and hiding. Strange thing is college and university were a filter and more specialist course, building and surveying, so it was like a breathe of fresh air. I don't do "ill"ogical or irrational people,,aka THE NORMAL PEOPLE in society. People are just screwballs.

    My suggestion is a group small, focused, safe, positive environment, were you find that I don't know >? but, I know it will not be found in the state prision psycho schooling system, were the next breed of corrupt scum and brutus are taught there dark arts of the herd joining cult they call society. I call sickiety.

  • She also has learning disabilities. But because she "looks normal" people expect waaay to much of her x

     

  • Academicaly she isn't good, but her mental health is more important to me than academics. She presents herself as a bright girl but everything she does/says is copied and thats very deceiving. She will talk constantly about her drama, things that are happening in her life at the time and thats all. Question her about anything else and she doesnt have the understanding. She is very comfortable around other special children, I think its because she doesnt feel the peer pressure and can relate to them more ? x

     

  • I went to about 10 schools, wasnt happy in any of them but I got good exam results and eventually an MSc.

    Dont think any school would have been right for me, things might be better now but I doubt it.

    I think I would have done badly in a special school, retarded people annoy me and I guess the acedemic standards arent great.

    At least in a good mainstream school there should be good quality teaching and opportunities for learning, a support unit would help.

    Dont know your needs and abilities but I would give academic excellence and facilities a priority.