10 Things Parents Wish Teachers Knew About Asperger's Syndrome Students

Teachers are some of the most important individuals in the lives of children. Often their importance is underestimated, and while they can never hold the same position of authority and influence as a parent, they rank as close seconds. This makes it even more obvious why there are so many parents who want to work closely with their children’s teachers. Parents, who have an Asperger’s Syndrome child at home, are even more eager to accomplish this feat.

Here are the top 10 things parents wish teachers knew about Asperger’s Syndrome students:

1. A child with Asperger’s Syndrome is inevitably picked last by peers for a variety of activities. Since there are some very obvious problems in the arena of social development, the savvy teacher will assign team mates rather than leaving it to the luck of the draw to see who picks whom. 2. Structure is the number one need a child needs when away from home, and Asperger’s Syndrome kids thrive on a structured, predictable environment. Although there are a lot of kids who enjoy the off the wall teacher with the last second field trip ideas, having an Asperger’s kid in the classroom should curtail this kind of teaching behavior. 3. Overstimulation is a very real situation for children with the Syndrome and the wise teacher avoids an overload on sensory input. If this is not possible, she or he will be wise to space stimuli as far apart as possible to give the child the chance to process what she has seen, heard, or just undertaken. 4. Asperger’s children need a quiet spot. While parents do not want teachers to separate their kids from others, they do recognize that there are times when their children need a quiet place to sit and work off some steam or frustration. 5. Meltdowns are part of life, and even though in a school setting they are hard to deal with, they cannot completely be disciplined away. Parents of children with Asperger’s Syndrome appreciate the teachers who are willing to do whatever it takes to work with them on helping kids dealing with their temper. 6. The worst part of the day for an Asperger’s Syndrome child is the chaos that ensues during lunchtime and unstructured waiting times when the class is transitioning from one activity to another. Teachers who are aware of this may take steps to minimize the impact on the child. 7. Movement is a must for Asperger’s children. Whether it is simply pacing in the back of the classroom, or being excused from the lunch table to walk around for a bit, teachers who know that the child’s need for movement is not as easily controllable as that of another child will find ways to accommodate this. 8. Asperger’s Syndrome students are very frequently visual learners, and a teacher who knows how to transfer information onto a visual level is certain to reach a child who might be otherwise disadvantaged. 9. Alternative communication methods, such as agreed upon gestures, work well. At the same time, teachers need to be aware that gestures the majority of kids will understand may not make sense to the Asperger’s child unless it is explained ahead of time. 10. Patience is a key virtue for working with a child diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.