To my teachers: Asperger's Overview

This is a repost of a series I started over at another blog I share with Doug Hering. We are focusing more on operational and financial aspects of charter school management, but I also want to create and share information about Asperger's in education. That's the genesis of this blog.

I welcome comments, especially those that tell your stories of learning with and about AS.

Here's entry #1 in the series:

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Mr. K. probably didn’t know how piercing his jokes were.  After one of my clumsy moments he pronounced,  “Peter’s the only one here who needs a seatbelt on the toilet.”  Mrs. L. told me almost daily “you’re smart enough to know better.”  Mr. H. was so offended by my intellectual arrogance he described my success as “unfortunate.”  When I won recognition from a statewide group, he read the announcement and added his postscript, “They don’t know you like we do.”   All these teachers, and dozens others, were good people, effective educators, and profoundly frustrated by the challenges of teaching a child with Asperger’s Syndrome.  On most days they were appropriate and supportive teachers, but unrelenting frustration can push any of to be sarcastic and petty.  I can’t dial back the calendar and help those teachers see past appearances, but perhaps I can give a voice to the “different” child that arrived in your classroom this year.  The smart girl who just does not fit in–the boy who masks his insecurities with showy intelligence, they are me and I was them.  Somehow, I made it through and returned to schools as a teacher and principal.  What I now know professionally is that no teacher can develop the expertise necessary to fully support every student’s needs.  Instead, teachers need guidelines, principles and links to further resources.  That is what I offer.