TB
Phoenix
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Age: 23
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Location: netherlands
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 Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 2:40 pm Post subject: Teacher says student with aspergers is like a robot |
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So this is pulled out of context a bit. Anyway we were talking about thought processes and the importance of how people deal with frustration on school projects. So he mentioned that the only student he knew of that was not frustrated with a particular project is an aspie. He said this guy never makes mistakes, he is like a robot. I did not know what to say, i was tempted to tell him i make mistakes all the time. He does not know im on the spectrum. I just let it be at the time.
I am tempted of coming out to him and say something about promoting stereotypes like that but i am not sure about it.
What do you do when something like this happens ?. |
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questor
Hermit
Joined: Apr 24, 2011
Posts: 1983
Location: Twilight Zone
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:02 pm Post subject: Coming out. |
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| Revealing medical and financial info should be on a need to know basis. |
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TB
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
Age: 23
Posts: 531
Location: netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes it would seem that way in most schools, our school is a bit different. People are more open about stuff like autism because its more prevalent. Which is why i was a bit shocked that this particular teacher seemed ignorant about it. |
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Robotic
Butterfly
Joined: Mar 31, 2012
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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Nim
Depersonalized Aspie
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Age: 28
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Aspie is the new emo. |
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Callista
Phoenix
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Age: 30
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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There is something a bit "robotic" about the way I engage the world--computer-like is probably a better word for it. I tend to do things the same way every time, as though running on a program; and my mistakes come from misapplying a program, persisting in using a program that should have been changed, or misunderstanding a program and using it incorrectly. Without a program, I'm simply frozen and unable to act at all.
I don't see why that style would make anyone infallible, incapable of making mistakes. It might make their actions quite predictable, to people who knew them anyway. But in the case of this kid who "never makes mistakes"--why can't his teacher just conclude that he is talented in the subjects where he's producing near-perfect work? That's what it would be if an NT child did that sort of work and I don't see why an Aspie is any different.
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OliveOilMom
Queen of cans and jars
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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If the particular guy is like a robot, then it's not promoting stereotypes to say that he is. Saying "Aspies are like robots" is promoting a stereotype.
Saying that someone is promoting a stereotype when they are describing one person; on the spectrum/of a certain ethnicity/of a certain religion/with a certain physical or mental disorder/from a certain country/with certain coloring/of a certain subculture etc, would no more be perpetuating or promoting a stereotype than saying "My son is really great at math" is promoting the stereotype that boys are good at math. Or if he's an aspie, that aspies are. Having that outlook on statements can eventually cause people to not describe someone accurately because they don't want to be offensive, when the comment isn't offensive in and of itself.
If it's singular, it's a description of the subect of the conversation that seems true to the speaker. If it's plural it could be a stereotype or it could be a description of a particular group of subjects or it could be a description of an entire subgroup of people that the speaker has not observed. The former is an observation, the latter a stereotype.
I personally would fit the stereotype of "girls can't do math". I cannot without a calculator for anything harder than multiplication. I personally would not fit the stereotype of "aspies are good at math" because of the above reason. I think I'm good to go though, because I cancel my stereotypes out. 
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Frances
I can be a little much sometimes. |
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Atomsk
Bass Fiend
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Age: 24
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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| The teacher may have meant it in a positive way, and may have meant that that one student was like a robot, unless he said something like "people with Asperger's are like robots." |
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MrXxx
Moderator/Enigmatus Paradoxius
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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| OliveOilMom wrote: | | I personally would fit the stereotype of "girls can't do math". |
I'm really confused now. The only "stereotype" I've ever heard up until the past couple of days here on WP now twice, is that girls are usually better at math than boys, and that from a college algebra instructor almost twenty years ago.
According to him, that was his observation based on grades he'd seen during his career, and his explanation for it was that boys/men are more often very sloppy with their work, while girls/women tended to be much neater, resulting in fewer errors. Funny how I've never heard the opposite before.
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TB
Phoenix
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Age: 23
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Location: netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| OliveOilMom wrote: | If the particular guy is like a robot, then it's not promoting stereotypes to say that he is. Saying "Aspies are like robots" is promoting a stereotype.
Saying that someone is promoting a stereotype when they are describing one person; on the spectrum/of a certain ethnicity/of a certain religion/with a certain physical or mental disorder/from a certain country/with certain coloring/of a certain subculture etc, would no more be perpetuating or promoting a stereotype than saying "My son is really great at math" is promoting the stereotype that boys are good at math. Or if he's an aspie, that aspies are. Having that outlook on statements can eventually cause people to not describe someone accurately because they don't want to be offensive, when the comment isn't offensive in and of itself.
If it's singular, it's a description of the subect of the conversation that seems true to the speaker. If it's plural it could be a stereotype or it could be a description of a particular group of subjects or it could be a description of an entire subgroup of people that the speaker has not observed. The former is an observation, the latter a stereotype.
I personally would fit the stereotype of "girls can't do math". I cannot without a calculator for anything harder than multiplication. I personally would not fit the stereotype of "aspies are good at math" because of the above reason. I think I'm good to go though, because I cancel my stereotypes out. |
yes you have a good point here. But like calista said if he is describing one person why is there a need to attach the label of aspergers syndrome ?. If he just said this guy never makes mistakes he is like a robot that would be enough aswell. |
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Barefoot_Boy
Snowy Owl
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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I make mistakes at school. I get good grades though. I get frustrated with alot of the assignments like the ones I'm not interested in, and the group stuff.
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slave
Always stuck between 13-38Hz and tired of it.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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I'd let it ride.
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OliveOilMom
Queen of cans and jars
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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| MrXxx wrote: | | OliveOilMom wrote: | | I personally would fit the stereotype of "girls can't do math". |
I'm really confused now. The only "stereotype" I've ever heard up until the past couple of days here on WP now twice, is that girls are usually better at math than boys, and that from a college algebra instructor almost twenty years ago.
According to him, that was his observation based on grades he'd seen during his career, and his explanation for it was that boys/men are more often very sloppy with their work, while girls/women tended to be much neater, resulting in fewer errors. Funny how I've never heard the opposite before. |
I've always heard that girls were bad at math and boys were good at it. Remember the big stink with the talking Barbie who told the truth? She said "Math is hard" and it is! Not just for girls, it is! But people were complaining because it's a stereotype that girls can't do math.
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Frances
I can be a little much sometimes. |
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Tuttle
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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| TB wrote: |
yes you have a good point here. But like calista said if he is describing one person why is there a need to attach the label of aspergers syndrome ?. If he just said this guy never makes mistakes he is like a robot that would be enough aswell. |
It would be descriptive to discuss things about me at time to talk about how I have Asperger's Syndrome and act robotic. There are absolutely ways and times that me being autistic makes me act robotic. This does not mean that I don't have emotions, and does not mean that everyone on the spectrum is robotic, but it is far more descriptive to include that I'm autistic in that description than leave it out and just call me robotic. |
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scubasteve
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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You could say something about it without necessarily telling him you're an aspie. For instance, you can honestly say you know people (ie. many of us on this site) who are not like that at all, and might view his comment as offensive.
While it sounds like he meant this in a positive way, a "positive stereotype" is still a stereotype. The example that is often used is the stereotype "Asians are good at math" can be hurtful to Asians who are not good at math. Similarly, suggesting that aspies never make mistakes puts unnecessary pressure on you, and you shouldn't be made to feel that way. I would probably very politely say something about it because I suspect he honestly does not realize this. |
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