Autism Things

Name: You can call me Duck, but that's not actually my name. (I wish.)

Age: 22

Location: Wouldn’t YOU like to know, weather boy

Gender Identity: Genderfluid

Pronouns: he/she/they (always use they/them if unsure)

Sexuality: Just assume that I am in a constant state of confusion.

I've been diagnosed as a level 1 autistic since November 2021 when I was 18 years old.

In general, I post about autism, but I don't want to be forced to only post one type of content, so keep that in mind when I make posts about my latest special interests or reblog random posts about social justice. I cannot be contained.

My existence is mildly problematic because every human is mildly problematic. We can't escape the systems we created or grew up in, but we can learn to push back and try better. (Basically, I'm trying my best but I'll definitely make mistakes because that is what humans do.)

I’m a creative writer, and I hope to publish short stories one day, but due to a lack of willpower, the writing process is slow. My main focus has been and likely will continue to be learning how to become a better person and teacher for my future students.

I hope whoever comes across this post has a lovely day!

1. gossip from the custodians

2. screaming and sprinting children in the hallways (a possibility at all hours of the school day)

3. the moment when you realize one of your students is a COMPLETELY different person outside of your class (sometimes for better, sometimes for worse and you can NEVER guess which it’ll be)

4. the objects students find a way to sneak to their desks including but NOT limited to:

a pocket bible

a plushie monkey

that marker from your class that went missing months ago

the world’s largest bag of takis

a fucking CRAWFISH IN A PLASTIC BOTTLE

a REAL beta fish still in its sad plastic container from the Unethical Pet Store

a remote-controlled toy drone

5. that tiny piece of a plastic water bottle wrapper that students blow on to make a loud FWEEEEET when it is completely silent that you then have to take up (it’s literally a tiny strip of plastic what do you MEAN its important to you???)

6. the creative insults students come up with for each other that you have to try REALLY hard to not laugh at because it was NOT OKAY to say but jesus CHRIST was it hilarious

7. the moment when your students turn your classroom into a pseudo-cult just for the bit

8. the solidarity between teachers who have seen hell and lived to tell the tale (we just laugh it off but there’s an emptiness behind our eyes that can never be explained)

9. the students who, when they find out your age, ask what the hell you’re doing working as a middle school teacher

(but then again I’m probably just approaching them for doing the “wrong” thing too often. I need to get better about just chatting with them about random things whenever i get the chance instead of having a first interaction of the day be something like “put your backpack up”)

it’s just incredibly hard to get out of that default “this is how teachers should act” mindset and this SUCKS because I GENUINELY think most teachers would do 10000X better if they just… acted human???

i’m still in my early 20s and, as a young adult with little life experience still, I constantly feel like I’m just stumbling around cluelessly in life. but my students LIKE when I show that silly, flawed side of my personality because they see that even adults (and ESPECIALLY authority figures) are humans that make mistakes and are continuously changing and learning

it’s also so sad that whenever I actively apologize for not setting clear expectations, or for forgetting to tell them something, etc, the room goes SILENT and I can see and feel their shock

why is it so fucking hard for adults to apologize to children and admit that we make mistakes? it shouldn’t be shocking to see me apologize to my students but it IS because us adults constantly act like we know better

in reality, we’re all kids inside who are still learning and growing through the people around us

i’m not perfect, but that’s the beauty of being a teacher; I can show them that making mistakes is OK and NORMAL, and I can teach them how to treat other people with kindness and patience when they make mistakes