Anyone a teacher?

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Hi,

I am a mature aspergers graduate and thinking of entering into teaching. I think it would be great to talk about a subject i find interesting to post 16's. However, i am slightly worried/anxious about the other duties a teacher must perform. Anyone here been a teacher? or know a teacher with aspergers?


any advice would be grateful...

Hi
I've been an assistant teacher, and am now studying to get my license. I've worked with much younger kids though -- 3 to 5 year olds.

I'd say the job itself can be rewarding, but the interpersonal politics with other teachers was hard sometimes. Once I found other "quirky" teachers to chat with I felt much more comfortable.

About the paperwork, etc. I was thinking that a very detailed planning system would work for me. Plot out days off, meetings, conferences, and due dates as far in advance as possible. Knowing something is coming makes it easier for me to pace myself to get it done.

Hope that's helpful.

First, I have not been diagnosed with AS. I at least have some sensory issues.
I am currently a teacher at my local community college. I have also taught at the elementary level, and my husband is an elementary school teacher.
I have actually started looking for a new job. I teach part-time, but it feels like a full time job. It IS interesting to tell people about something you are interested in, but you may not end up teaching just that thing. Additionally, teaching is all about relationships with your students, which I find it difficult to create and maintain. I also find it frustrating when we have to do so much "hand holding." Am I teaching adults or not? I do teach ESL, and part of it may just be that field.
I think that working at a university and lecturing, maybe with a TA to do some of the grading and other outside work could be great, but you should really shadow a teacher and find out more specifically what all they do before you decide it is the career for you. Maybe it is. Many people really like teaching and find it a great challenge. I am just finding it frustrating currently.
Good luck!

I started by teaching EFL to adults, and now I am a preschool teacher (3-5-year-olds). How the job will affect you depends on what kind of teaching it is and in what kind of environment. I found the actual teaching with the adults much easier, but the work schedule was killing me - I'd have lessons scattered around the day from morning to evening and had to spend a lot of time traveling and preparing lessons. I was miserable. Now my work schedule is simple - get up at the crack of dawn and be with the kids until afternoon. The schedule is regular and easy to deal with, and there is time built into my weekly schedule at the school for various types of preparation. The actual work with the kids can be difficult though, and very stressful. There's a lot of responsibility involved.

I've never taught older kids or teenagers, but I imagine it would have its own set of difficulties. The suggestion of following around another teacher for a while sounds like a good one. Instead of wondering, just go and see what it would be like and decide if you're up for it.

There's one thing I can say for sure - having this type of responsibility has been hard at times, but pushing myself to keep going with it and not give up has made me stronger and more independent. There was a time not long ago when I was afraid to be alone for too long because if something went wrong I wouldn't know what to do. Now I can be completely alone with a big group of children and not be afraid of disaster. After that, being alone and responsible for myself is easy.

Thanks everyone for your input. I think i will begin by shadowing a teacher for a week, and if i enjoy i will commit to 1 to 2 days a week for a semester to gain some real teaching experience. I have E-mailed a old friend who is now a college (high school) lecturer to see if i can shadow him for a while.

Not sure if i could work in a university within the UK, with a PCE qualification? Every lecturer at my old university was a Dr or a Professor (no mr's). I think i would prefer teaching/lecturer university students, but it may mean i have to complete a PhD, which i have funding problems with. That is, i have been accepted on a neuroscience research based PhD, but have no funding for it. So i am thinking of teaching instead.

Any more input with AS and teaching? and whether you need to have a PhD to teach university students (within the UK)?

Much appreciated

I don't think a Ph.D. is a job qualification, but speaking from experience in the US, it's usually necessary to have a high level of education simply because the job market is so competitive. Teaching at a university is usually regarded as a pretty excellent job to have, and professors generally keep their jobs very long-term, often their whole lives, so new positions don't open up so often and only the most qualified candidates have a chance at getting the job.

Having the title "professor" doesn't denote any special degree, though, it's just a job title. "Dr." means Ph.D., but without this you're "professor" no matter what.

In the UK, 'professor' is a specific job title for certain senior academics. Most lecturers are Dr, Ms or Mr.

The job has its good and bad points in terms of AS, but overall it's probably one of the better careers. I love it, on the whole.

For a permanent job, you generally need a PhD or at least to be a PhD student. There may be part-time opportunities as an hourly-paid lecturer without one. You should ask the department which has accepted you for a PhD about teaching opportunities while researching.

My experience is in a non-science field, and the job can also vary a lot between universities. However, you're very welcome to DM me if you'd like to ask/discuss anything.

I have a montessory training and worked for 2 years
there was lot of politics and groupism
i was thrown out of two schools
just because of internal politics

i work with a NGO part-time
there is politics here and main problem is my colleagues are smarter,
quicker then me........i sound and act like im seriously sick....
they find me weird.

yes there are problems

I have tried twice now unsuccessfully to student teach. I teach, the kids seem to learn (or at least do well on their tests which these kids can't fake it, good ole sped) but my communication skills with my co-workers has killed me :-/.

Dealing with other co-workers seems to be problem with apsies, no matter what career you go with. This concerns me whether i decide to continue with the PhD or go on and do a PGCE. The degree to which it concerns me, is that i feel to get a driving job, so that me and my dog can be on our own listening to the radio and all i have to say to other people is 'sign here please'.

Nevertheless, I have shadowed a friend of mind and teaching does seem like an interesting career. I have planned to go back and teach some classes while my friend is in the room, so that i can get a real feel for it. While the attitude of some of the teachers in this college I found disturbing, lots of sarcasm (i think) and no real concern for the students, I felt has if i could offer a different perspective, especially for the students who are finding it difficult.

It would be interesting to know what particular problems a teacher with aspergers has when dealing with co workers etc...? and if this is different to any other job/career?

For instance, If i went into research, would i come across similar problems as being a teacher when communicating with co-workers?

I think what makes coworkers in teaching so different for aspies is especially at the lower grades (where I always seem to get placed) all of the coworkers are female. I would hazard a guess that even female aspies might have a problem with this as women have far different and more complex social rules.

most of the colleagues dont do their work and they dumb their work on us
also they will try to suppress you and dominate you
eventually its total emotional torture at workplace no matter how creative, talented or gifted you are

I was a substitute teacher and only really enjoyed special education classes (particularly autism support).

I would just simply say "go for it". I have taught courses on law, command ethics, and religious terrorisim at the USAF Chaplains College with great success. I have also taught at unit commanders school. i would think teaching high school to adult may be more fun for you, but you know you better than anyone else. There is a book written by an aspie college professor and she has had a very successful career. I think the book is called "Pretending to be Normal". I can't remmber her name though. But I do wish you well should you pursue it.

Longshanks

This is mostly a US centered board, but I believe there are some Aussies and UK folks on it.

www.proteacher.com

If you aren't good at schmoozing and "being a team player", teaching isn't for you. Politics is a huge part of the job whether it is Unionized or not. If the principal is a total tool, guess who's life is a living hell until you quit, get fired or not renew?

Granted this board is geared towards the kindergarten to 6 grade crowd. But the administrative BS is the same for US middle schools and high schools.

In my area (Midwestern US) there is an absolute glut of teachers. The subs are usually either folks out of teaching college who can't get a job, and are competing with retired teachers who want extra income. Charter schools and private schools pay the absolute minimum they can get away with. My one friend by passed a full time private school job because it was only 20K/year. The school wanted experience (5 years), certification and a masters degree. I make more on disability with the side gigs I do.

Check out the vent part of the board for the teacher low down.

It's absolutely vicious to get tenure. Now you can pick up gigs at a community college, or night classes at a university, but you aren't considered true faculty. More like an independent contractor.

When I worked in the chemistry department, it was who you ass kissed, not really how much money you brought in by grants or even papers published whether you got tenured. Oh, also, good publicity for the department was a big deal too. It helps to go out drinking with the department chair and do all that other social nonsense Aspies hate.

The one Aspie professor I know just does contract work. He isn't on faculty because 1) the chair views him as a liability (on the Down Low, of course), 2) the lab politics would eat him alive. If you can swing it income wise working temporary jobs, the university isn't too bad.