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@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk cover
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Jobob

@[email protected]

Jobob_80 on twitter. I'm a data scientist and physicist with an interest in art.
This is all about my personal views not those of my employer.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

NightlyBye , to actuallyautistic
@NightlyBye@gaypirates.club avatar

@actuallyautistic

folks in the UK - have you ever used a "guaranteed interview/assessment" scheme for a job application, and ended up getting the job?

I'm weighing up "don't disclose anything until you have a job because it might put them off even if they HAVE to give you an interview" with "do everything you can to get to the interview stage then hopefully you can really impress them".

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@filmfreak75 @NightlyBye @actuallyautistic some employers have signed up to a scheme where people with disabilities who meet the job criteria are guaranteed an interview.
It is supposed to increase opportunities for disabled (and neurodivergent) people, and I suppose it might. I haven't seen any stats about its effect though, and there are reasons disabled people might not trust it.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@filmfreak75 @NightlyBye @actuallyautistic apparently the current way it's implemented here in the UK is this: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

AnAutieAtUni , to actuallyautistic
@AnAutieAtUni@beige.party avatar

Autistic confessions:

Hi, I’m 41 and I still don’t know what “congratulations” actually means.

Is there one congratulation?

Is there an ideal number of congratulations?

Where on earth did the phrase come from?

Is there a progratulation?

And… why are people congratulating me on my degree before I know if I’ve passed my degree and actually got it?! (They don’t refer to congratulating me only on completing my assessments, it seems to be related to the degree as a whole.)

Even though all these things confuse me, you wouldn’t know because I have trained myself to say “congratulations” at appropriate times, socially. It almost, maybe, probably looks like I know what I’m saying! 🥷

@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@AnAutieAtUni @actuallyautistic well /now/ I'm going to be thinking about that..! 😂
Scottish Gaelic for "congratulations" translates back, more or less, to "enjoy your news". You could try saying that instead?

18+ filmfreak75 , to actuallyautistic
@filmfreak75@mastodon.social avatar

@actuallyautistic is it me or are some of these options to these questions offensive?

apologies for the pics, was hard to get all the text in one post

image/png
image/png

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@filmfreak75 @UnCoveredMyths @actuallyautistic They're only potentially difficult if they're read entirely literally (yes, I know, that's a Thing). This reads like part of a work evaluation; if I saw it at work I would take the bullet points as /examples/ intended to indicate the steps between grades, not as guidance as to required behaviours.
If you could demonstrate you were a team player using examples where your solo work helped the team, for instance, I would consider that valid.

dave , to actuallyautistic
@dave@autisticnomad.social avatar

@actuallyautistic

How granular is your taste?

I never really considered 'taste' to be a part of interoception, but... why wouldn't it be? It's a signal from your body.

Like many other of my bodily sensations, I discovered today that I have trouble differentiating and identifying tastes.

What's the difference between sour and bitter? I'm not sure I could tell you - they're both just "not good".

This makes my new espresso hobby so much more difficult 😂

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@dave @actuallyautistic I have no idea what the difference is between bitter and sour. I agree with you that neither are good though 😂

Uair , to actuallyautistic
@Uair@autistics.life avatar

@actuallyautistic

Somebody broke into my home today.

They changed a light bulb I couldn't get at.

My life is bizarre.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Uair @actuallyautistic that is odd!

masukomi , to actuallyautistic
@masukomi@connectified.com avatar

Reason 42,343,648 why allistic people shouldn't be allowed to create forms.

"Name of person whose certificate you're requesting"

So um, if the person is filling out a name change form, do they put the current LEGAL name of the person OR the old name that's being changed?

I assume old name, but that's ALSO a false statement on something I'm about to sign, & have notarized as being a TRUE statement, because it's NOT that person's name.

@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@vees @masukomi @actuallyautistic I mean I see what you're getting at, but that's literally the first time I've ever seen anyone suggest that ambiguity would be /beneficial/ in a legal process of any kind...

secretmousealias , to actuallyautistic
@secretmousealias@mastodon.social avatar

@actuallyautistic

A situation I run into frequently when trying to make small talk is this:

Me: So what are your interests?
Them: Gaming
Me: Cool, me too. What games?
Them: Call of Duty, what about you?
Me: Dwarf Fortress
Them: Never heard of it. What's type of game is it?

At this point I'm basically deadlocked because explaining the game would take longer than their attention span. I feel I probably made a mistake earlier which led to this situation. How to do better?

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @secretmousealias @actuallyautistic I think there are two options from here that would work. There's the short summary ("oh it's an RPG on mobile, it's got really smooth gameplay that makes it really addictive" - note I made this up, I don't actually know the game!), or there's the changing the topic back to the other person ("Actually I was thinking of trying that, what's it like?")
Best tactic depends on whether you feel like talking or listening.

lifewithtrees , to actuallyadhd
@lifewithtrees@mstdn.social avatar

“What do you want to do 5 years from now?”

🤔

😬

🤯

I am having a difficult time visioning 5 years from now, what I want to do and then how to get there.

Some of this is due to the chaos of the last few years, but I also think it could be a challenge due to

Also I am 42 so midlife stuff?

That all said, how do you vision 5 years from now?

@actuallyadhd @actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@lifewithtrees @actuallyadhd @actuallyautistic yeah, I just kinda rephrase it in my head to "what do you want to achieve in the near to mid term". It doesn't make it easier, exactly, but at least I'm not distracted by the suggestion that there should be some sort of plan complete with timeline...

Claydisarray , to actuallyautistic
@Claydisarray@socel.net avatar

My recent diagnosis is explaining a lot for me.

For instance, I've always been super confused why a waiter appears to crack a tiny amount of black pepper from an enormous pepper mill.

It's hardly a precious spice and why can't I just do it myself?? :blobawkward:

@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Claydisarray @actuallyautistic well /now/ I'm wondering... 😂

BZBrainz , to actuallyautistic
@BZBrainz@mastodonbooks.net avatar

@actuallyautistic

Tweet shared to the FB group Feral Neurodivergent Raging Meme Posting and now here with you. I’ve been down and this was the first thing that made me laugh today. I hope it makes you laugh too.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@BZBrainz @actuallyautistic actual lol.

stevesilberman , to random
@stevesilberman@newsie.social avatar

Well, this totally made my day. Thank you Neil, and best wishes to everyone who reads "NeuroTribes" seeking to understand certain family members, friends, and co-workers better.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @stevesilberman @actuallyautistic Neil Gaiman can do comedy (he did Good Omens), but it's not his usual approach. He is more about where the fantastic impinges on the everyday, and often fairly dark. But he knows how to tell a compelling story...

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @stevesilberman @actuallyautistic I guess it depends what you like. Sandman is the comic series (he's done others but that's the one he's known for, although I do also recommend 1602) and it's excellent and very accessible. In terms of novels for adults, maybe American Gods or Ocean at the End of the Lane. Stardust might be better if you prefer high fantasy to dark fantasy.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @stevesilberman @actuallyautistic Stardust might work, it's not satire like Discworld but it does have its ridiculous moments. There's a film version too.
Unlike Pratchett there isn't really a seminal Neil Gaiman corpus, except maybe Sandman.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@ginsterbusch @Dr_Obvious @stevesilberman @actuallyautistic he did. And would that he still had...

hosford42 , to actuallyautistic
@hosford42@techhub.social avatar

Requirements to put in a job description to discourage or filter out autistic people:

  • Comfortable with ambiguity
  • Strong people skills
  • Good culture fit
  • Multitasking
  • A fast-paced dynamic environment
  • Bachelor's degree or better

I see these things and think you don't want my >30 years of programming and machine learning experience, or my problem-solving skills and comprehensive knowledge that had people mistaking me for one of the team's PhDs, or my solutions that have proven patent-worthy. Your loss.


@actuallyautistic
@neurodivergence

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@russellmcormond @nddev @actuallyautistic @neurodivergence yes, I had to think about it and I live in the UK. I believe the reference is to Irish Republicans and their terrorism campaign.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@russellmcormond @nddev @actuallyautistic @neurodivergence well yes, but we're not claiming Irish Republicanism is /idealogically/ terrorism. It was the way they actually bombed the UK that did it. Car bombings, bomb threats and targeting of hotels and so on were actually fairly common here during the campaign.
The Scottish independence movement has rather carefully stayed away from those tactics and is fairly mainstream in Scottish politics at present.

autism101 , to actuallyautistic
@autism101@mstdn.social avatar

Let’s talk tags on clothing. I hate them and they annoy me to no end. And even if I cut them off, the tiny bit remaining always manages to touch me and I hate it. 😩

Do tags bother you?

@actuallyautistic

image: unknown

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@nddev @alexisbushnell @autism101 @actuallyautistic it's not my field, I'm a physicist. But it's really horrible jargon-packed language and I'm not convinced that if you actually unpick it all that it's actually saying anything new. It's just a lot of statistics about ASD and skin conditions. It also makes some claims about the causes of Autism that I'm sure we'd have noticed if they were actually well accepted, right?
I don't think it's worth your time tbh.

Jobob , to actuallyautistic
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Hey @actuallyautistic. I'm having a stressful time at work. It's currently unresolved and likely to be hanging over me for a bit. It's also mightily unfair, which means I'm low-level furious all the time.
Generally I'm good at the usual coping mechanisms - taking breaks, drinking and eating regularly, making time for hobbies and exercise, spending time with family. But this is hard and I'm finding none of that is making much of a dent.
Any suggestions? What helps you when you need to cope?

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@olistan @actuallyautistic good call, and would definitely work. Just wish we had an economy that would allow that!

Jobob , to actuallyautistic
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

So, a question for undiagnosed late realised @actuallyautistic folks.
Your work makes a change and it saves them money but plays actual havoc with all of your traits that you're still learning to recognise as autistic. You tell them about the impact it has on you and they completely dismiss your complaint, saying its fine for most people.
If there was a diagnosis it'd basically be indirect discrimination. But there isn't, and no prospect of one any time soon.
What do you do?

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@stina_marie @actuallyautistic there are many reasons I don't think corporate America would suit me, fortunately we have a bit more protection here in Europe.

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@DziadekMick @actuallyautistic that's interesting. To be clear, needing a diagnosis was my assumption rather than any assertion by my employer. Still finding it hard to see myself as autistic or disabled... Maybe at least in part because if people are reasonable it's almost manageable.

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@masukomi @actuallyautistic heh, the analogy that came to my mind was food allergies, same idea.

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@DziadekMick @actuallyautistic if they were being reasonable there wouldn't be a problem. It's a very small org with no HR, minimal line manager training and no internal legal team, and they're trying to save themselves money. I am not sure leadership have had any reason to be aware of the equality act up to now.

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@nddev @actuallyautistic ahh, that's another good suggestion.
I wish we did have an HR department, but we don't, so whatever happens it's me vs management...

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@nddev @actuallyautistic yes, but they do at least tend to take the view that a) turnover is bad, and b) we don't want to get sued. Which I could leverage, if that was an option, I think.
It is a very, um, unusual organisation.

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@nddev @actuallyautistic aye, well. As soon as I can find someone to carry this mortgage for me...

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@masukomi @actuallyautistic I know 😊 I'm currently adjusting to my new varifocals and it's no fun. Which is maybe why pushing that particular analogy doesn't appeal to me - I'd be seriously lost without my glasses.

Jobob OP ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@irenes @masukomi @actuallyautistic I think there are very few spaces in the world where accommodations are needed but there's no intentional discrimination. Sadly.

Uair , to actuallyautistic
@Uair@autistics.life avatar

@actuallyautistic

On how little sleep can you function?

I was sick and caught up on my rest friday, still ill but walking around saturday, and yesterday was freaking awesome. I didn't have to struggle to focus, surging rage and despair didn't fuck with me. Time flew.

I got my usual 4 or 5 hours saturday night and last night, and i noticed by this morning that i was back to the man who needs to stifle himself. I bit somebody's head off unjustly because they triggered my shit.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Uair @actuallyautistic when I had my youngest I made it a hard line that I got a nap if I got less than 6 hours, so that seems to be my limit. I can muddle through as long as it's more than that but I suspect I would actually thrive with slightly more than 8 hours. It's hard to tell as I'm a bit of a night owl but with kids at school and a 9-5.

Dr_Obvious , to actuallyautistic German
@Dr_Obvious@chaos.social avatar

My probably @actuallyautistic son has a thing that is frustrating and heartbreaking.

Whenever something exciting is upcoming he is really happy and looking forward to it. But if it's really near, he refuses to do it and a barrier arrises that stresses him.

Like he really likes firefighters and today the kindergarten had plans to go for a visit for the local station. He was so excited talking about this, but today he didn't want to go to kindergarten at all with tears in his eyes.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @actuallyautistic oh what a shame. It sounds like he's built up the visit into such an enormous thing he can no longer handle it. Have you tried something like "it only has to be fun" or talking about it as something he can be interested in or curious about rather than excited by?
Another tactic that might work at that age is giving him something small to focus on - "can you find out what colour the firefighters' hats are for me?"
Feel free to ignore any advice that won't suit, ofc.

18+ vger , to actuallyautistic
@vger@social.daemonlair.org avatar

@actuallyautistic To all the readers: I am starting to dive into the symptoms of being autistic and find myself in many of them (not all, but probably a majority).

My major concern, that I might acutally not be autistic, is that I've found out that I was probably traumatized in a 4-week-long so called "child-rehab" where I was away from my family. I was 6 years old at that time

1/2

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@vger @Tooden @petelittle1970 @actuallyautistic so I'm no expert but from the research I've done it looks to me like it's common for a diagnosis of autism to be rejected by some professionals if they think there's another potential reason for the "symptoms".
It doesn't change the truth that you can absolutely have both, but it's worth knowing or looking into it you take this towards a formal diagnosis.

Dr_Obvious , to actuallyautistic German
@Dr_Obvious@chaos.social avatar

@actuallyautistic
Do you have any activities that distract you from everyday life and that don't cause new stress?

My wife told me yesterday she thinks I should do more stuff to relax, get a free mind etc. In fact I do have many interests, but it turns out that they become stressful too.

Eg. going fishing is quite relaxing. But it needs paperwork, preparation, and can become target of optimization.

Or gaming is relaxing, but some games with many options and hidden things can become work too.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @actuallyautistic All my passtimes are like that 😂

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @actuallyautistic I tend to have serious and non-serious hobbies on the go at any given time. Just now art is a serious hobby and guitar is not serious. If I have the headspace I do art, if not, I play familiar songs on the guitar. I also play video games or read etc.
This changes over time, of course, and it's not completely foolproof.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @actuallyautistic if it helps any, your hobbies are supposed to serve you. You don't need to finish games, or read books against the clock. If dipping in and out over years or stopping after a point are what works for you that's totally fine.
I rarely complete games either, although before my current one (Diablo 4) I was playing Animal Crossing, which doesn't really have an end.

Uair , to actuallyautistic
@Uair@autistics.life avatar

@actuallyautistic

Question: How do I simply let people prioritize their denial mechanism over their survival?

I'm too warmhearted and have a problem with that, but I am a strong believer in freedom. It's too late to save the biosphere so I might as well stop tilting at windmills and simply encourage everyone to stick their head in the sand whatever way works for them.

This is not a troll. I do need help with this stuff.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Uair @actuallyautistic it's not too late to save the biosphere as long as we have a biosphere, and while we need to make more progress that doesn't mean we haven't made any progress. There's hope yet.
But to answer your question, I find the phrase "pick your battles" helpful. It's not your job to fix everyone and you couldn't if you wanted to. Most of the time people argue to be right, not to learn, and you aren't required to play that game.

theautisticcoach , to actuallyautistic
@theautisticcoach@neurodifferent.me avatar

What does the term “unmasking” mean to my comrades?

@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@theautisticcoach @actuallyautistic I am really finding it difficult to know, but for me I think doing less, doing it more slowly, and not forcing myself on to the next task before I'm ready because 'that's what is expected', and learning to really just like what I like are two key ways I haven't been serving myself.

Dr_Obvious , to actuallyautistic German
@Dr_Obvious@chaos.social avatar

@actuallyautistic @audhd
With respect to and and there is often the question, whether one is oriented on small details or the broader picture.

Generally I am on the small details side. But I saw a post about systems thinking today. When it comes to technical problems like software, data flow or a scientific hypothesis, I have the feeling I have everything simultaneously in my mind. All the small details, but all at once.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Dr_Obvious @marytzu @actuallyautistic @audhd nods I used to think I was just "disloyal" at hobbies until I realised that what I was doing, and enjoying, was gaining a level of understanding about how something, or some system, worked. Once I knew that to a sufficient level I didn't feel as much of a need to continue.
It's also why I come back to hobbies later, when I realise there's some other part of the system I haven't seen yet.

poloniousmonk , to actuallyautistic
@poloniousmonk@mastodon.social avatar

@actuallyautistic
(1/2)
Can anyone help me with two linked probs? I'm catch-22'd.

  1. I'm stuck in a dissociative trauma response, and can't function in hated isolation. I can come down out of my head for intelligent conversation, sex, and life-threatening emergencies. Otherwise, I just loop unexpressed words. I've been mostly-to-totally isolated my whole life, and fully isolated for about the last ten years. Isolation is painful and makes the disassociation worse.
Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@poloniousmonk @actuallyautistic I'm sorry to hear that, it sounds really tough. I'm not sure if I have anything that can help, although I can probably talk about the job interview process at least here in the UK.
But it doesn't sound like you want a job exactly, more like you want connection. I wonder if something like an adult short course at a college or maybe events at a local library might help? At least they'd offer a shared intellectual experience with no initial social pressure?

dave , to actuallyautistic
@dave@autisticnomad.social avatar

@actuallyautistic What are your thoughts on physical activity?

More specifically, do you find that it drains your energy more than most people? That you can't push yourself as hard as others? Or, put another way, that you need more rest and recovery time than most people?

Almost two years ago, I tried Couch to 5K. I made it to week five, then burned out and stopped because it so thoroughly drained every bit of energy I had.

I remember being so puzzled and confused about it. I remember thinking, what's wrong with me? I'm eating well. I'm eating enough. I'm getting enough sleep. I'm resting on my off days. I'm not extraordinarily out of shape and I was keeping up with the program well enough until the fifth week.

In retrospect, I'm wondering if it was an Autistic energy management problem, and I'm curious about others' experiences with C25K and other physical activity programs.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@dave @actuallyautistic I did couch to 5k last year, and I was able to complete it. I think that exercise is a bit of a neutral activity for me: takes work to get going but I do feel better when it's done, even if I don't get a "buzz" from it. I have noticed that it's hard for me to fit in because I don't really compromise - it's not just the run, it's getting changed and warming up and cooling down and stretching. So it takes a fair amount of my day. NTs don't seem to stress about that; I do.

theautisticcoach , to actuallyautistic
@theautisticcoach@neurodifferent.me avatar

Are "professional standards of behavior" a universal thing (amongst the discussed culture & society) or are they just arbitrary Neurotypical rules used to project power?

@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@theautisticcoach @actuallyautistic honestly think that actually codifying expectations is a massive help. I've been leaning on this as a coping strategy much of my professional life.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Georgy @theautisticcoach @actuallyautistic yes, there are a few aspects to it
Firstly, there's a broad agreement within a culture of what professional dress, language and behaviour looks like, which is helpful for things like changing jobs or attending events - one set of shared expectations.
Secondly, there are policies that may be explicit or implicit but which can be used to access support (line manager, union rep, or HR, for instance). These are good for eg disagreements.

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Georgy @theautisticcoach @actuallyautistic That means that when you are out of your depth or you're not sure what the "correct" action is, you have some options for gaining clarity.
But I think the key one for me has been that I get to be quite direct at work, although I do have to moderate my tone. If I need clarification, professionalism says I can request it as long as I'm polite and respectful of the other person's time. If I need detail I can set up a conversation for that.

Susan60 , to actuallyautistic
@Susan60@aus.social avatar

Okay, challenge. I can play basic computer games like Tetris for ages, but give me an audio only pod cast, & my mind wanders off. I’m about to listen to another Newsreader podcast, which I love, but it’s a struggle. Any hints? @actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@Susan60 @actuallyautistic I only do audio books or podcasts if I'm busying myself with something else - going for a walk is favourite, but some types of housework are good too. I can't just sit and listen either.

PossiblyAutistic , to actuallyautistic

Let's try the AQ, at https://embrace-autism.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/#test

@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@roryreckons @actuallyautistic @PossiblyAutistic I have been doing this with "do you dislike change" for about four weeks now. It's like, everyone dislikes change, there are whole corporate courses for allistics about how to cope with change, so what is it the questioner thinks makes a dislike of change into an "autistic" dislike of change? Is it about the external reaction? The type of change being considered? That society has deemed this particular change trivial?
Still haven't figured it out.

JeremyMallin , to actuallyautistic
@JeremyMallin@autistics.life avatar

How many fellow Autistics have never lied on a job application, never lied on a CV, never lied on tax forms? 🙋‍♂️

Is doing that expected? Is it required? Is not doing that handicapping us? Do you too feel almost unable to do that?



@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@JeremyMallin @actuallyautistic technically I can lie, what I'm massively uncomfortable with is deception. It's the difference between saying "Actually both my ears have been replaced with tomatoes", which no one will reasonably believe, and actually saying something plausible but untrue.
I absolutely had to return and clarify that too 😂

CynAq , to actuallyautistic
@CynAq@neurodifferent.me avatar

I remember a weird polemic I got into at kindergarten. This is late eighties.

I was already reading at a... I don't know what level. I never understood what "reading levels" were anyway, I mean, if I can read, I can read, right?

Well... Turns out none of the other kids apparently were able to read, at least not openly, and reading was actively discouraged by the staff there. There was a storybook hour where everyone picked a story book with illustrations and PRETENDED to read.

I found out when the teacher lady noticed I was actually reading the thing and pulled it away from me, telling me I wasn't supposed to actually read the book with, you know, words printed on it. The justification was "if you read now and get good at it, you'll have a terrible time being bored in first grade when all the other kids are still trying to learn."

Lady, I don't think you understand how reading works. I can't UNLEARN how to read once I learned it.

This is still within my top five unfathomable school experiences.

@actuallyautistic

Jobob ,
@Jobob@mastodon.me.uk avatar

@roknrol @CynAq @actuallyautistic a dozen times seems excessive and a little unkind, to be honest. It doesn't seem reasonable to keep applying the same technique that many times when it clearly isn't working.
I would have thought twice, maximum, especially if there's a risk the person might be teased or feel inadequate.

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