Aspie Teacher - impossible!

[Tuffsy60]

I've just joined this forum thanks to MH week and ABC Moral Compass shown on Sunday night, Oct 5.

In a really, really quick nutshell: After 35 years as a computer techie with no social skills and getting into lots of trouble by saying and doing the wrong things, causing anxiety, depression IBS etc. I then retrained as a high school teacher and while studying 'students with special needs', I was tested for and diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome DSM IV.

After teaching for 2 years, with the aid of anti-depressants, and feeling that I had succeeded in this new field, I moved to a new location and started doing casual teaching. After about 6 weeks of teaching about 2-3 days a week, one student took a dislike to me and accused me of physical and verbal abuse. Getting friends to corroborate on a story, I was dismissed and the school reported me the the child welfare ombudsman.

I am now suffering from PTSD, and taking lots of medication to sleep and help with flashbacks and panic attacks.

I feel let down, no crucified, by the independent school system. I cannot walk past school students in the street without getting panic attacks and am afraid to go into town for fear of seeing someone connected with the school.

In hindsight, I probably should not have retrained as a teacher as you need a lot of emotional intelligence and the ability to cope in stressful situations. Although my immediate boss knew about my Aspergers, I received no contact from the school after I was sent home.

Life sucks on the spectrum!

[tam63]

I taught for a couple of years, was fine for the first year, was sick with undiagnosed schizophrenia the second. It was a terrible experience, and I have had little experience of teaching since.
I have several friends with Aspergers, and find them to be quiet and kind. I hate to think of you being exposed to such an unkind system as this has proven to be.

You know, I scored well at university, and could have - on my mature age second attempt - have studied education, but I simply do not have the emotional strength to face a class. There was some talk once upon a time of getting me a teachers aide position, but nothing came of it.

[Tuffsy60]

Thanks for your support Tam63 🙂

[chemonro]

Ugh, sounds distressingly familiar. I taught high school for a year in the late nineties and it did not end well. I ended up having my first major breakdown. 

Um, that job made me afraid? 

First year teaching is practically a breakdown factory... Maybe like being a medical intern? Maybe for the same reason?