Aspergic Teachers

[Myself]

Has anyone noticed that a teacher at their local school is Aspergic?

Edited July 16, 2011 by Myself

[baddad]

Hi Myself -

 

Certainly an attention grabbing first post!

 

Did the teacher tell you of their diagnosis? Did you diagnose them (i.e. are you a trained diagnostician they've consulted for a diagnosis)?

 

As far as your 'poll' goes, the only criteria I would consider regarding a teacher was how good they were at teaching and how well they engaged (with) the kids.

 

If they were good at those things, then I'd be happy for a teacher with six legs, two heads and a bright blue baboon's bum to teach my kid, and whether they had AS as well as the six legs, two heads and bright blue baboon's bum or not would be completely irrelevent!

 

 

L&P

 

BD

 

NB: your poll really needs an adjustment, because at the moment it implies a positive / negative with the word 'want'. You really need to change it to something that negates any value judgement.

Edited July 16, 2011 by baddad

[Myself]

The teacher sought diagnosis during their time in the teaching profession, and it was confirmed recently.

[matzoball]

Sorry, but I find this offensive. This is like asking whether people would care about having a gay, black, or female teacher interacting with their kids.

 

As long as they are a good teacher then what is the problem?

[baddad]

Hi again myself -

 

Your poll question (now reading: 'Would it benefit your child to be taught by a teacher with Aspergers')is still a leading question that can't be answered 'yes/no'. It would not benefit any child to be taught by a 'bad' teacher and would benefit any child to be taught by a 'good' teacher - AS is an irrelevency.

 

I can see why matzoball is offended by your question and post taken at face value and totally agree with the comparisons regarding race and sexuality she makes (the gender one is a bit of a curve ball cos I think most teachers are female these days, but in a hasty post, or pasty host, in principle it makes sense!). I'm starting off from a 'benefit of the doubt' position, though, and assuming you're asking more wheter someone with Aspergers would make a good teacher, and if yes whether that would be helpful for teaching kids on the spectrum because they could identify their needs from a personal perspective(?)

 

The answer to both is, surprise surprise - it's irrelevent! A good teacher is a good teacher and part of teaching is connecting and engaging with the kids. A teacher with AS could be just as good (or bad) at those things as an NT teacher, and either would be just as capable of making good and bad assumptions about kids by identiftying appropriately or inappropriately with them.

 

L&P

 

BD

[Kathryn]

Can't add anything to Matzoball and Baddad's posts - agree absolutely. A no brainer really.

 

Myself, welcome to the forum.

 

Is there an underlying reason for asking this? And are you the teacher in question, by any chance?

 

K x

[Myself]

Just wanted to know what people thought.

 

Thanks.

[indiscreet]

The OP didn't ask whether people would care about having their child taught by an Aspergic teacher but

 

(a) "whether it would benefit your child to be taught by an Aspergic teacher" and

 

( "Has anyone noticed that a teacher at their local school is Aspergic."

 

Those seem to me to be fair questions. If, as I've heard it suggested many times, boys would benefit from having male teachers then it could be that aspergic teachers would have a better understanding of the problems of aspergic children.

[AspieMe]

Sorry, but I find this offensive. This is like asking whether people would care about having a gay, black, or female teacher interacting with their kids.

 

As long as they are a good teacher then what is the problem?

I can tell you that parents in my school have had problems with non-white teachers in the past (including myself, being half-Chinese). If I were to tell them I had Aspergers as well as being a foreigner (I was born in the UK btw) I would think many might just explode trying to comprehend it.

 

There are many bigots out there, many of whom have children upon which they impress their bigoted views and opinions. No amount of education is going to get rid of this since we only see the kids for a few hours a week, whereas their parents have them two-thirds of their lives to feed them their hatred and intolerance.

 

(I'll put my soap box away now)

[Mumble]

No amount of education is going to get rid of this

If that's your view, why do you continue to teach?

[matzoball]

I can tell you that parents in my school have had problems with non-white teachers in the past (including myself, being half-Chinese). If I were to tell them I had Aspergers as well as being a foreigner (I was born in the UK btw) I would think many might just explode trying to comprehend it.

 

There are many bigots out there, many of whom have children upon which they impress their bigoted views and opinions. No amount of education is going to get rid of this since we only see the kids for a few hours a week, whereas their parents have them two-thirds of their lives to feed them their hatred and intolerance.

 

(I'll put my soap box away now)

 

I think you just have to keep trying to make that difference. It will get through to someone!