Public learning environments

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Why do I have such a hard time learning in the public learning environments (ex: middle & high schools, colleges), and yet it's far easier for me to learn on my own?

Here's how it feels like for me to "learn" in a public environment:
I get into a class, and sit down. I feel as if I'm in my own world to an extent. Then, the teacher starts giving a lecture, and I have to write all the 'essential' things down. Everybody does that, and seems to listen. It is very different for me, though. I can hear the lesson, but it's heard as just a sound without any context behind it. Then, all of a sudden, some parts get analyzed (and poorly so) as more than a sound - usually some details. When my brain starts analyzing the stuff in such a way, I write it down.

It isn't as noticeable by others during a simple lesson, but it becomes rather embarrassing during a lab work lesson. We have to take chemicals, microscopes and other stuff, then arrange it in an order which is given on a paper and by the teacher. Everybody goes ahead and does that, and I end up just sitting there starring at one point. Then, the teacher starts yelling me and asking me why on Earth I didn't do anything at all when everybody has already finished their work.

Whenever I learn in a 'public environment', it feels like there's lots and lots of information coming, so that my processing system rejects it all, without even processing it. I just end up sitting and starring at a wall. All the instructions, all the explanations and comments, and all other pieces of information are rejected straight away. Sometimes I don't even know what subject is being studied during the lesson.

Oh, and after a few intensive hours of getting bombarded by information and automatically rejecting it, I start feeling like my brain can't process even the most essential visual-spatial, auditory and other information required for orienting in space. I walk feeling like my brain stopped conceptualizing and analyzing the environment around me, and start seeing it as just a picture to a great extent. It gets worse when I walk past crowds - I almost completely black out.

On the other hand, when I learn on my own (using a computer for example), I grasp things very fast and efficiently as compared to the general population. I can learn things which take at least 5-7 classes to learn for an average person in roughly 15-30 minutes when I self-teach.

It makes perfect sense for you to feel this way. You don't have any trouble learning...you have trouble with sensory stimuli in the environment; other sounds, people, lights, etc.

All the way up until college, I had to sit in the very back of the room, because if I had anyone sitting behind me, I'd be distracted by the desire to turn around and see what the other people were doing. I still do this in restaurants...I choose the chair with the fullest view of the place, with the fewest people behind me.

Once in my editing class, my professor assigned a tutorial video for us to watch and copy, instead of her demonstrating at the front of the room, like usual. All of the computers were playing the audio, and of course, all of the videos were at different points. The sound was so overwhelming for me that I literally couldn't function; I just sat and waited for everyone else to finish, then worked on it from a similar tutorial in my book while the professor was going around the class checking the assignment. On any other occassion in the class, I'd always be finished first and helping my neighbor.

Anyway, you can see where some of our oversensivity to the environment would play a huge role in your ability to learn well in a school environment, while in a quiet, controlled environment, you can learn quite well.

Do you have synesthesia ? IF so, which type? Is your synesthesia online or offline when you're learning in a particular environment ? Do you use it as an aid in how you learn ?

Something tells me you do.

Also, I sense you want an answer to a deeper question(by your previous posts) that is puzzling you.

Autistics learn and develop differently than (everyone else) including neurotypicals. So, no, unequivocally, you are not MR.

TheSunAlsoRises

in the same when it comes to public eduction. i end up in my own little world and cant remember anything from the class. now if you give me all the materials and everything for the semister i will be done in a month or less and only go to class for atendance. any more i just take open course wear classes at MIT, YALE, HARVARD, and NOTER DAME. im lookeing into CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY in the United Kingdom and a few more.

I am definitely a self-learner.. I have been teaching myself IT since I was 8 and I'm now pretty much an expert across many disciplines, if I don't know something I can pick it up very quickly.,

I was terrible in school, even subjects with self-learning were pretty disastrous, but I think the crucial element is it has to be something you are interested in to be successful. Despite my atrocious grades and leaving school having rarely completing any homework and not even comprehending the notion of an essay - why didn't someone just explain that in school? - I really excelled in an online masters degree, no problems at all and an A on my dissertation, which was effectively a social studies / academic writing piece..

If anyone else feels like self learning, check out the university of liverpools online masters programs, these are very well structured for an aspie. I'm eyeing up the doctorate in business administration, if I could just afford it

Jason

Transhuman,

You have become accustomed to learning as you did as a young child. The Autist spends his/hers early development engaged in their inner world accentuated toward self, aware of their outward surroundings, but unable or unwilling to engage others. Like them, you block out social engagement of others( classroom i.e the outer world ) in favor of your inner world (which includes introspection of mind and physical isolation). I think it's a common occurrence among Autists in various degrees depending upon their early stages of neurological development in childhood. You have to realize primary aspects of the social mind that is natural and instinctual to neuro-typicals; Autistics are required to learn through secondary referential points.

IF you go to that 'place' automatically, don't worry; you are going to be alright. It will probably change overtime depending upon a wide range of variables. I would not advise going to that 'place' on purpose IF you have difficulty 'coming back', though.

In regards to learning in a classroom, distance learning has given Autistics a viable avenue in which to gain education as well as credentials.

Focus on the amazing things that you can do.

There is a swimming pool scene in this video between 5:30 and 5:45 i want you to take a look at.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlH5s-XPKm0&feature=fvst[/youtube]


TheSunAlsoRises