In a bad place....don't expect you can help

shandypants5

To be honest.
I think that if the OP has been offered a job that they dont feel qualified to do, then they should take it and see what happens.(nothing ventured,and all that).

In my experience over recent years, around 50% of the population are unqualified or just sheer incompetent at thir jobs. I dont think the OP would be out of place at all.

It has got to the stage now where it is a refreshing change to find someone doing a GOOD JOB or giving GOOD SERVICE..

Take the job, suck up the money, keep your head down... they will probably promote you soon enough so it wont, matter that your out of your depth...

Rant over.... getting coat....

foreign_correspondent

dmg24 wrote: »

Nicki, you are making assumptions about the OP's condition that make it sound more severe than it actually is (from the given information).



The OP has not even been formally diagnosed with Aspergers yet. As they qualified as a teacher in 1994, we can assume that they are at least in their mid thirties. There is no way that their condition can be as severe as you are implying without any kind of diagnosis before now.

If you had a further understanding of ASD and Aspergers, you would find that many with more mild symptoms go on to have excellent careers. Indeed, I know of a solicitors and one barrister who have ASD.

I agree. Also as the OP has qualified as a teacher presumably s/he had to undertake teaching practice and be observed and assessed in working with children. The OP is obviously competent to do so.

I would suggest that a lack of confidence is very normal when returning to work after a long break, it is easy to feel de-skilled, and it can be more tempting to stay in a comfortable rut than to push yourself forward into uncharted territory.

I hpe the OP takes the job, I think its normal to feel scared and out of the 'comfort zone' but s/he may find they do well and enjoy it.

Anyway, either believe you can, or believe you can't, either way you will be right.

bestpud

I'm not sure I understand the problem here.

You've applied for a job, presumably listing your qualifications / experience / disability etc?

You've been invited to an interview, you went along to it, and been offered the job based on your application and the way you came across at interview?

Don't you think they'd have turned you down if you weren't suitable for the job? Why would they take on someone they considered no good for it?

Or am I missing something obvious???

dmg24

L-Jay wrote: »

How would you all feel if your child was being taught by someone unqualified and unable (by their own admission) to teach their subject?

That is not the issue in question though. Unless you are suggesting that the OP refuses the jobs on moral grounds (would not go down well with the JCP!)?

In an ideal world, all teachers would specialise in one area, but there simply are not the resources for this to happen. Many teachers now teach in areas that they did not train for, indeed in some cases teachers are learning the subject at the same time as teaching it (and can still produce excellent results)!

If all teachers refused to teach anything except the subject/ age group that they originally trained for, the education system would be in even more of a mess than it is now! x

Horace

flowers_of_manchester wrote: »

OMG what nice people you all are!!
Is aspergers not a serious disabiity?
Some of the replies on this thread are nothing short of disgraceful and you all should be ashamed.

I have no reason to be ashamed. As for the OP referring to Aspergers that only came to light in a later posting.

It is possible to do voluntary work for a few hours per day - the jobcentres dont have a problem with that (well, mine doesnt anyway). I have taken on jobs in the past that were probably way beyond my capabilities at the time but the employers must have seen some potential otherwise they wouldn't have employed me. What makes me mad is that in this day and age employers dont appear to be bothered about experience just whether or not you have a degree (please tell me what PA needs a degree?). I recently had a bad experience with a job - I thought it was a good job its just that the company was a complete fraud but hey ho I have learnt from it and am moving on but I wont be working for anyone else but myself:D

If you dont take chances in life you'll do nothing so just get out there and do it and ditch the negative attitude because that's more offputting than anything else and that is probably what's holding you back. Maybe you need to go in a different direction within the teaching profession - rather than teaching kids about about training adults to do something?

Good luck.

Nicki

dmg24 wrote: »

Nicki, you are making assumptions about the OP's condition that make it sound more severe than it actually is (from the given information).



The OP has not even been formally diagnosed with Aspergers yet. As they qualified as a teacher in 1994, we can assume that they are at least in their mid thirties. There is no way that their condition can be as severe as you are implying without any kind of diagnosis before now.

If you had a further understanding of ASD and Aspergers, you would find that many with more mild symptoms go on to have excellent careers. Indeed, I know of a solicitors and one barrister who have ASD.

No - I'm just refusing to join in the general kicking!

If you actually read my posts, you will see that I have said that I think that the OP is capable of doing the job she's applied for (or other teaching jobs)

The only point I have been making is that her anxieties about doing it, and the obstacles which she perceives to doing it are almost certainly due to the Aspergers, and that she is entitled to help to overcome these, and should seek that help if she needs it.

If OP has Aspergers (as they say they do) then clearly it is sufficiently serious to cause her a problem with taking up the job, because he/she (not me) says she can't do it for the reasons they state.

Yes, some people with Aspergers can (and do) go on to have stressful and high profile careers. However (as the link from the NAS makes clear) they are very much in the minority, and the vast majority have difficulties such as the OP is experiencing.

My experience is as a parent, and someone who works with students on the Autistic spectrum at secondary school level (both high and low functioning). Why is that not sufficient to give me the empathy and understanding of the obstacles which others on this thread so clearly lack. Again, I draw attention to the fact that all of my posts have been on the basis that the OP can work, but pointing him/her in the direction of help to do so.

foreign_correspondent

btw - I have taught key skills before, and I am not qualified specifically to do this, but it was fine.

Key skills is just basic literacy and numeracy, so as long as you are literate and numerate you are quite well qualified to teach it, and as you have a teaching qualification too this will be to your advantage.

Doubtless they will also have tons of resources, games, worksheets etc for you to use, which will be useful ad take some of the strain off. Go for it, give it six months, see how you go. If you do hate it, it will be considerably easier to find a job from a job than it is from the dole.

leoetal19

hello op x
you sound to be in a bad pace indeed,which judging by your living conditions isnt a surprise
i graduated in 1985 with a hnonours degree and then had 2 children in quick succcession so in 1989 I took the only part time job i could find that fit round my babies-my first post-graduating job-which was washing pots at the local hospital on a sat/sun evening-the interveiwer was stunned by my applying as was the lady who showed me what to do the first night- i was considered a bit wierd to say the least-but i needed money and whta i did didnt matter-it got me out the house, i met people and got some money-all good really
i dont believe you can raise your self worth and confidence while you are living as you are-i would humbly suggest-because i wouldnt deign to KNOW whats best for you at all, that you apply for any job that gives you enough wage to eat and live well-supermarkets are always recruiting, as are care providers (my area of 26 years expertise is learning disabilities including autism/aspergers)
once IN employment you will get the income, meet colleagues and get out of that awful flat!! in turn this will build your confidence and its so much easier to get a job when you already have one
i dint go on to make a career as a pot-washer, it suited me then, i now have a great career, but have good memories of the pot washing and the people i met
i know people with aspergers, a lot of whom hold down jobs, with and without special adaptations. a really great inspiring person is Temple Grandin-a famous american woman with autism-check out your library for any of her books-they really are eye-opening x
stop worrying about the jobs you cant get at the moment and begin by aiming low then the only way is up-once youve improved your day to day living conditions, made some new friends, got a sense of daily purpose etc your self image and confidence will improve and then you can raise your aim x
good luck-one small step at a time is all any journey needs xxx i wish you all the luck and love in the world xxxxx

L-Jay

dmg24 wrote: »

That is not the issue in question though. Unless you are suggesting that the OP refuses the jobs on moral grounds (would not go down well with the JCP!)?

In an ideal world, all teachers would specialise in one area, but there simply are not the resources for this to happen. Many teachers now teach in areas that they did not train for, indeed in some cases teachers are learning the subject at the same time as teaching it (and can still produce excellent results)!

If all teachers refused to teach anything except the subject/ age group that they originally trained for, the education system would be in even more of a mess than it is now! x

I know - I'm a teacher!

I agree, some unqualified teachers are excellent but I doubt the OP would be - not because they can't teach but rather they know this is too big a leap for them.

There's nothing wrong with knowing your limitations.

foreign_correspondent

L-Jay wrote: »

I know - I'm a teacher!

I agree, some unqualified teachers are excellent but I doubt the OP would be - not because they can't teach but rather they know this is too big a leap for them.

There's nothing wrong with knowing your limitations.

you are right but the OP is a qualified teacher!