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flyboy_foxHoly crap this mix is fast O.o ... awesome! XDDD
Ahem.
So, I'm gonna rant a little now. Feel free to ignore anything from this point on. Ranty-rantness beneath the cut.
I'm supposed to be getting a little help at college to get my act together. Y'know, 'cause I'm sort of... behind with work and stuff >.> Not due to any problem with the work itself, but because I've been out of school since I was 14, and I'm only in college one morning per week now and I'm suddenly supposed to organise my work in my free time and stuff and whaaaa'? ;_; My academic skills are good. My organisational skills are... non-existent ^^; So, fair enough, I need some help with structuring myself.
The problem is this.
Ms. Barbara Titmuss.
The lady who's supposed to be helping me. She has a severe case of Specialist Syndrome. That's to say, she specialises in a certain area and thus applies it at every possible interval, whether or not it fits. What's her specialism? Why, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, of course x.x Oh lord, help me...
Those of you who know me well already know that I had 'Asperger's Syndrome' slapped on me when I dropped out of school at 14. Why? Apparently I was a 'classic case'. That's to say, I was supposedly particularly bright for my age group but entirely lacking in social cognition, as well as being a typical introverted geek with weird obsessions and entirely unable to connect with my peer group. Thank you, Captain Obvious. I'm a nerd. I never said I wasn't. But with Asperger's Syndrome being the buzzword on everyone's lips, I became their nice little case study, despite my objections, and I have never been able to shake the label since.
Until now. Or so I thought. See, I accept that I have problems. I am entirely displaced and often rather confused, and yeah, I do have some sensory integration issues with lights and sounds etc, which I'm hyper-sensitive to a somewhat inhibiting degree. I'm also a little clumsy perhaps to the point of a very mild dyspraxia. Maybe I'm not wired up quite right or something, but I cannot be summed up by a syndrome! Especially one that's supposedly a Socio-Communicative Disorder. I have no problems with communicating. I may not LIKE social situations, but I can handle them. I mean no offence to those on my friends list who DO have Asperger's. But I don't. It doesn't fit me and I don't fit it. I'm not autistic.
So, back to Ms. Titmuss. She took ONE look at my notes, and it was decided. I have Asperger's Syndrome, and her entire evaluation of me and my needs was going to be based on her perception of what 'people with Asperger's Syndrome' need help with. From that moment on, pretty much every sentence that passed from her lips began with "People with Asperger's Syndrome..." or "As you have Asperger's..." or "University disability services are wonderful help for people with--"
"I don't have Asperger's Syndrome."
That was me. I tried three or for times to tell her that not only do I not consider myself to be an Aspie or autistic in any way, I didn't like being given that label by her. The look she gave me was... well, patronising is putting it lightly. From that moment on it seemed to be her life goal to prove that I have AS.
For example, me saying I hope to go to University because I hoped it would be a more mature learning environment than high-school had been. You could almost SEE the lights go 'ping' before she said, "People with Asperger's syndrome often get on better with those of a more mature age". Uggghhh...
But y'know? That's not the worst part. The worst part is when she said she was going to try to get me extra support for my exams and for my essay writing. What. The. Feck?! ._.;; Oh boy. Now, you know I'm not a braggart... but I have pride in my writing ability. It's one of the few things I can feel honestly assured that I am VERY good at. I have a verbal IQ of near 150. That's not a bragging point, it's just a fact.
Okay, I know she's just doing her job, but here's what got me irate. I told her, very very politely, that I won't need extra time for exams and I especially won't need help with essay-writing or proof reading my work. She laughed at me. SHE EFFIN' LAUGHED AT ME. At that point I wished SO damn hard that I had one of my essays with me, or my GCSE exam results or ANY proof of my academic ability. Of course I had nothing. So I could prove nothing. So I sat there whilst she handed me about 20 different 'basic literary skills' hand-outs while I silently seethed. I came SO close to simply walking out, or giving her a few choice words. But I'm polite, if nothing else. So I sat it out. And then I tried to tell her yet again that I do NOT require that sort of help. I was there because I needed help with arranging my schedule so that it's less of a chaotic mess. I wasn't there to be patronised, labelled, and given little sheets of paper about basic academic skills that I could most likely OWN her in.
End of the day, she wouldn't listen. In her mind, I am what she wants me to be, because that's what she's programmed to dispense advice and handouts on. Oh, and she wants me to have a 'mentor' to 'read my essays and make sure I'm on the right track'. Oh holy hell. Is it wrong to want to slap her? I don't think I have ever been to such a frustrating meeting in my life. Would it have hurt her to actually LISTEN to me for FIVE SECONDS?
I hope I haven't come off as extremely arrogant here. I'm not. I just cannot stand 'professionals' like her who think they know a person from a few case notes and their own 'extensive' background in their specified area. And I swear that EVERYONE has Asperger's these days. It's the new ADD/ADHD. I wouldn't be surprised if the rising numbers are due to people like her who are so trained to look for it that they can't see anything else.
Again, those of my friends who truly do have AS, none of this rant is aimed at you. And apologies for my venting, although at least it was clearly labelled so no one HAD to read it :P
There, all done ^^; Boy do I feel better.
Oh! And I have an interview at Hertfordshire in 2 weeks. Hertfordshire is where Jei hopes to go, so I'm really hoping to get a place. It's all highly exciting! ^_^
Ahem.
So, I'm gonna rant a little now. Feel free to ignore anything from this point on. Ranty-rantness beneath the cut.
I'm supposed to be getting a little help at college to get my act together. Y'know, 'cause I'm sort of... behind with work and stuff >.> Not due to any problem with the work itself, but because I've been out of school since I was 14, and I'm only in college one morning per week now and I'm suddenly supposed to organise my work in my free time and stuff and whaaaa'? ;_; My academic skills are good. My organisational skills are... non-existent ^^; So, fair enough, I need some help with structuring myself.
The problem is this.
Ms. Barbara Titmuss.
The lady who's supposed to be helping me. She has a severe case of Specialist Syndrome. That's to say, she specialises in a certain area and thus applies it at every possible interval, whether or not it fits. What's her specialism? Why, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, of course x.x Oh lord, help me...
Those of you who know me well already know that I had 'Asperger's Syndrome' slapped on me when I dropped out of school at 14. Why? Apparently I was a 'classic case'. That's to say, I was supposedly particularly bright for my age group but entirely lacking in social cognition, as well as being a typical introverted geek with weird obsessions and entirely unable to connect with my peer group. Thank you, Captain Obvious. I'm a nerd. I never said I wasn't. But with Asperger's Syndrome being the buzzword on everyone's lips, I became their nice little case study, despite my objections, and I have never been able to shake the label since.
Until now. Or so I thought. See, I accept that I have problems. I am entirely displaced and often rather confused, and yeah, I do have some sensory integration issues with lights and sounds etc, which I'm hyper-sensitive to a somewhat inhibiting degree. I'm also a little clumsy perhaps to the point of a very mild dyspraxia. Maybe I'm not wired up quite right or something, but I cannot be summed up by a syndrome! Especially one that's supposedly a Socio-Communicative Disorder. I have no problems with communicating. I may not LIKE social situations, but I can handle them. I mean no offence to those on my friends list who DO have Asperger's. But I don't. It doesn't fit me and I don't fit it. I'm not autistic.
So, back to Ms. Titmuss. She took ONE look at my notes, and it was decided. I have Asperger's Syndrome, and her entire evaluation of me and my needs was going to be based on her perception of what 'people with Asperger's Syndrome' need help with. From that moment on, pretty much every sentence that passed from her lips began with "People with Asperger's Syndrome..." or "As you have Asperger's..." or "University disability services are wonderful help for people with--"
"I don't have Asperger's Syndrome."
That was me. I tried three or for times to tell her that not only do I not consider myself to be an Aspie or autistic in any way, I didn't like being given that label by her. The look she gave me was... well, patronising is putting it lightly. From that moment on it seemed to be her life goal to prove that I have AS.
For example, me saying I hope to go to University because I hoped it would be a more mature learning environment than high-school had been. You could almost SEE the lights go 'ping' before she said, "People with Asperger's syndrome often get on better with those of a more mature age". Uggghhh...
But y'know? That's not the worst part. The worst part is when she said she was going to try to get me extra support for my exams and for my essay writing. What. The. Feck?! ._.;; Oh boy. Now, you know I'm not a braggart... but I have pride in my writing ability. It's one of the few things I can feel honestly assured that I am VERY good at. I have a verbal IQ of near 150. That's not a bragging point, it's just a fact.
Okay, I know she's just doing her job, but here's what got me irate. I told her, very very politely, that I won't need extra time for exams and I especially won't need help with essay-writing or proof reading my work. She laughed at me. SHE EFFIN' LAUGHED AT ME. At that point I wished SO damn hard that I had one of my essays with me, or my GCSE exam results or ANY proof of my academic ability. Of course I had nothing. So I could prove nothing. So I sat there whilst she handed me about 20 different 'basic literary skills' hand-outs while I silently seethed. I came SO close to simply walking out, or giving her a few choice words. But I'm polite, if nothing else. So I sat it out. And then I tried to tell her yet again that I do NOT require that sort of help. I was there because I needed help with arranging my schedule so that it's less of a chaotic mess. I wasn't there to be patronised, labelled, and given little sheets of paper about basic academic skills that I could most likely OWN her in.
End of the day, she wouldn't listen. In her mind, I am what she wants me to be, because that's what she's programmed to dispense advice and handouts on. Oh, and she wants me to have a 'mentor' to 'read my essays and make sure I'm on the right track'. Oh holy hell. Is it wrong to want to slap her? I don't think I have ever been to such a frustrating meeting in my life. Would it have hurt her to actually LISTEN to me for FIVE SECONDS?
I hope I haven't come off as extremely arrogant here. I'm not. I just cannot stand 'professionals' like her who think they know a person from a few case notes and their own 'extensive' background in their specified area. And I swear that EVERYONE has Asperger's these days. It's the new ADD/ADHD. I wouldn't be surprised if the rising numbers are due to people like her who are so trained to look for it that they can't see anything else.
Again, those of my friends who truly do have AS, none of this rant is aimed at you. And apologies for my venting, although at least it was clearly labelled so no one HAD to read it :P
There, all done ^^; Boy do I feel better.
Oh! And I have an interview at Hertfordshire in 2 weeks. Hertfordshire is where Jei hopes to go, so I'm really hoping to get a place. It's all highly exciting! ^_^
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no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 04:06 pm (UTC)I can't even imagine how angry and/or upset you must be about this dude.
Though on another subject to your rant, you've seen me IRL before so I was wondering, since you do most DEFINATLEY have a point on the whole labbeling issue. So I was wondering, do you think maybe I've been falsy labelled? I know what you're thinking, why the hell are you asking me this? It's just you definatley seem to be able to tell (Being older AND smater than I am) and being a supposed "Auspie" (I can't really comment further here since I don't know you IRL properly like say, your mom does) well...yeah,, just wondering what you thought
Sorry for the essay BTW ^^
no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 01:54 pm (UTC)I hope that made sense ^^;
no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 03:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 04:53 pm (UTC)I admit to needing extra exam time, but it's a necessity. The times they give me to do my exams is stupid, like having to write three questions, one of which should be an essay well over a page long, in half an hour... WTF?
And I hate being labelled too... but you're certainly much stronger than me in the sense that you try to even forget you have this 'label'. Me? Well... I tend to blame my 'label' on anything and everything I do wrong. I hate having this 'label', I really do, because it's a friggin' smokescreen, blurring up who I really am, and just making this thing I have stand out more.
And sorry about the so-called "specialist", your college should really get someone who won't apply an Autistic Spectrum Disorder on you straight away without properly analyzing your so-called "problems".
Ms. Barbara Titmuss... you are officially crap. XP
no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 02:03 pm (UTC)Sucks most of all when people see the disability before the person. That's one reason why I'm adamantly against labels. They assume so much about a person, without bothering to look at the person underneath. Afterall, nobody is just a collection of 'symptoms'. Everyone is their own unique blend of strengths and weaknesses.
I don't want my weaknesses clumped together and labelled as a 'syndrome'. They're just my weaknesses. In the same way that my strengths don't make me one stalewort 'type' of person. I am myself, nothing more, nothing less. I am a complete person. You are a complete person. That's all there is to it.
Perhaps labels help at a very superficial level if they allow us access to things that make our lives a little easier. But there's something very wrong with a school system that is almost entirely geared towards one single 'type' of student (the "neuro-typical aka normal" type), where the only way a person outside of the 'normal' label can get what they require is to be labelled as being 'disabled' rather than just 'functioning differently'.
After all, why should it matter how long it takes us to write an exam? If person A can do it in 30 minutes with a pen, fine. If person B needs 15 minutes more, or person C needs a laptop because they can't write for long periods of time, so what? I'm willing to bet that in other areas those weaknesses will be balanced by strengths. We can't all fit the perfect mold of what schools would like us to be.
Ahem, sorry, maybe I got a little carried away there ^^;;
no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 10:04 pm (UTC)Anyway, you already know I agree with you 100%. You rock. And she's an idiot. Poopface. Squidge. XD;
no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 10:07 pm (UTC)But Titmuss... what a surname to have. Someone should laugh in HER face for having such a silly surname. XP
no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 02:04 pm (UTC)llamamom >.> Can't she tell the difference between a tufted titmouse and a fox? Hmph.)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 02:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-15 10:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 02:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 03:50 pm (UTC)Just a suggestion
Re: Mrs. Titmouse.
Date: 2007-03-19 07:04 am (UTC)See how far up the chain of command you can get, Koji. Try and document what occurs at your meetings and (if it sadly comes to it) attempt to get legal help in this instance.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 12:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 02:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 07:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 12:57 am (UTC)That's the most annoying thing ever... I think SHE'S sort of being the arrogant one, here. Ironic ^^' Geez. Can't they get you a different.. person or something? 'cause that's really stupid. D:
no subject
Date: 2007-03-16 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-17 04:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-17 04:20 pm (UTC)ADD vs.ADHD
Date: 2007-03-21 12:05 pm (UTC)