Need some ASD Teacher Hacks

[rachel_ruien]

Hey everyone,

I'm a high school Chinese language teacher (started this year) and I'm looking for some helpful tips from fellow Aspie teachers. Here are the main issues I'm dealing with:

1) Executive function problems: I'm good at explaining information and creating assignments, but I struggle tremendously with organization. I try to plan everything ahead of time and fix systems that aren't working, but I keep ending up with piles of papers to grade and spur of the moment lessons. I need something simple, sustainable, and as stress-free as possible. I'm very concerned about burnout.

2) Communication problems: I've developed a reputation as a nice and fairly chill teacher, so students don't usually act up in class. I have a hard time being assertive because I'm always so concerned that I'm misreading the atmosphere in the classroom. I'm one of the youngest teachers on the staff, so it's hard to maintain authority sometimes. I don't want to be too dictatorial, but I'd appreciate any tips on classroom management for teachers with ASD.

I don't know if teaching is my true calling, but I love the relationships I have with some of my students. The big benefits with this job are that it's 3/4 time with benefits and offers a degree of autonomy.

I'd appreciate any tips or advice! <3

 

[Major Tom]

I teach ESL in a foreign country and I end up doing a lot of extra work from home, preparing my own lessons etc, as my school does not provide a syllabus. (Other than for children). I teach mostly adults and I try to cater to their skill levels and also frequently ask the students for advice as to how I can teach them better. I definitely feel the burnout, and I don't even work full-time. Most teachers who teach classes like I do just go in and wing it and talk, but I'm simply incapable of that

 

[Thinx]

I taught young people and adults in further ed then adults in higher education, and I didn't know about the autism element of what I was up against then. I have good perseverance, sounds like you do too, that's what got me through!

I agree with @Major Tom in that I spent a lot of time on preparing for classes, and like you I found aspects of classroom interaction difficult, but only latterly I understood better why. I made lists of tasks in a paper diary, it helped to plan ahead and break things down, and as an addition I used post its to make updated lists for each day when things got full on. Then I often annotated these with time allocations to help me focus and to estimate how to get it all done in the time available.

I tended to have people work in small groups and move from group to group as this was easier to manage, and my lack of ability to project was less of a problem plus I could establish good communication with the group that way.

When I worked with groups of 16 to 19 year old students, that was challenging at first, and by at first I mean for a couple of years while I learned strategies by trial and error. Stressful! Using resources that really grabbed their attention and lay within their current areas of intense interest worked well, then I had to make that work with whatever I was supposed to be teaching them!

With adults and to some degree with younger students, I often found less is more. Get them to think, pose questions, give them some ideas and resources, set group tasks, get them to report back on their findings. This of course also hones their skills in communication and learning, and helps them be independent learners.

I would move between groups, with help advice and comments, then the groups could feed back, they were pretty good at listening to each other, and comments about interruptions or disruptive behaviours could be framed as, your colleague is feeding back, let's all listen while he talks like we listen to you, etc. Rather than getting into tussles about them talking over me, or inattention to me, etc.

Humour always worked well for me, as did knowing in depth my material, and being an able practitioner in the area I taught. Group work on practical skills development puts the emphasis back on them, and encourages them to interact respectfully, again, monitoring groups and going where it looks a bit turbulent to settle them down and get them back on track is a good technique. They were usually keen on this active way of working in sessions.

Beware lengthy blah of any kind, I always had good handouts if I needed to guide them through some important material, and I would try to have them sit in an inwards facing circle, but keep the time to a minimum for younger or fairly basic level groups, they generally don't enjoy that way of working. Is there a short film you can show to break down the material, and interestingly illustrate it?

Funny clips, quizzes, slides with questions and information you can send round as resources also worked well keep it varied. It takes time to develop resources, then they change the syllabus! I was always tired and worked early late and at weekends. But hey, I m autistic, what else did I have to do, it was an absorbing interest and gave me social contact with colleagues and students. Plus a paycheck of course.

 

[Progster]

Another EFL/language teacher here. I used to teach groups, and had similar to the ones you describe - with children, classroom management was always an issue and I really struggled with it - I was unable to guage the mood of the class, couldn't pick up on stuff going on and I didn't know how to react or be assertive to problems that arose. I didn't really connect with the kids. I was kind of flat, monotone, robotic, unassertive with a slow pace - all the things that a teacher needs NOT to be, though by the end I became good at explaining the concepts and much better at devising fun and interesting activities and keeping the students engaged. I also had difficulties in my relationship with other members of staff, and with the school environment. I lost one job, burned out of the next, and now only teach online one-to-one. This works much better for me: I can make use of my teaching experience gained without the difficulties of managing a class or being in a school environment.

1) Executive function problems: I'm good at explaining information and creating assignments, but I struggle tremendously with organization. I try to plan everything ahead of time and fix systems that aren't working, but I keep ending up with piles of papers to grade and spur of the moment lessons. I need something simple, sustainable, and as stress-free as possible. I'm very concerned about burnout.

If your school/institution doesn't provide you with a course or syllabus, buy a coursebook for the level and age of your students. Coursebooks are basically a syllabus of pre-planned lessons, and a coursebook is usually accompanied by a workbook/practice/activity book, and possibly also a grammar book. Stick to the plan and layout of the book, and use additional materials if you see that your students need more practic on a particular topic. I was in a similar situation to @Major Tom in that the school did not provide any course materials - I can't just 'wing it' either - and buying a coursebook saved me.

I don't really have any more tips for classroom management... as I said, I really struggled with this and ultimately it was my downfall plus the problems I had in my relationship with other members of staff. @Thinx has some really good advice, one thing that I would like to add is that there are YouTube videos on effective classroom management, also some reality TV shows showing teacher dealing with various situations with the kids can be helpful... see how they deal with it, how they speak, what the outcome was, and take inspiration from there.

 

[rachel_ruien]

Thanks for all your input everyone; this is all really helpful!

 

[D'Andre]

I work with a heavy intersection with passing customers so I take my glasses off. Luckily I don't have to pester them