#tw school

[inkshine]

Here's to all the students with disabilities unhappy about going back to school.

Here's to all the students with disabilities unsure of how their disability might impact them this coming school year, and are wary.

Here's to all the student with disabilities who know the school environment will make their mental and/or physical issues worse.

Here's to all the students with disabilities bracing themselves for being bullied, ignored, or harassed when they're back at school.

Here's to all the students with disabilities already dreading feeling embarrassed at school because of their disability.

I know it sucks, and I wholeheartedly believe in you all <3

[soclonely]

The Clones as Things Your Teachers Should Have Told You As A Child To Encourage You

We are all up in the feels of supporting your inner child this week. I'm noticing a pattern of being let down by some of the adults in our life so I am here to be your teacher/coach/parent/stranger/society encouragement right now. Plus I really, really just miss doing these.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rex- "Seeing you guys is the best part of my day!"

Echo-"Your success in the classroom does not define who you really are"

Fives- "I see you."

Jesse- "You don't need college to be successful. A GED is just as good as a high school diploma. Vocational school is just as important and as good as going to a university. Whatever you choose to do with your future, you have my support and guidance."

Kix- "Of course I remember you!" (when you come back to visit, whether it be the next year or 10 years down the line)

Tup- "Even teachers have bad days. I'm sorry I was openly angry and snappy today. I will try to remember to leave my own personal problems at the door next time."

Dogma- "Honestly you aren't going to use this in life, but the state standards require I teach you it. So we are going to get through this as soon as possible" (look honesty is the best policy!)

Hardcase- "You have my full attention."

Coric- "I'm worried about you. Is everything ok?"

Bly- "Sometimes, the only thing holding you back is the attitude you have toward the proble. Its okay to circle back to it when you are feeling better about it"

99- "If you like the things and hobbies you have, other people’s opinion does not matter at all. All you know is that you are happy, and you live for who? Them or you?" (shoutout to my 5th grade teacher who made fun of me for liking star wars)

Cody- "I am sorry you don't trust me. What can I do as your teacher to make you more safe when in my classroom?"

Waxer/Boil- *Put a sticker on your graded paper just because*

Wolffe- "I apologize for grading you on this material and not realizing you were struggling. Would going over it together and redoing the test once you fully understand help? Would a different assignment in its place be okay if you aren't confident

Boost/Sinker- "I believe in you."

Hunter- "If any of you need a quiet place to just take a moment by yourself, my office door is always open and my classroom is empty during these periods"

Wrecker-"Always be yourself because everyone else is taken."

Tech- "I am listening."

Crosshair- "No matter how good you are at something, there's always someone else who can do it better." (some of us needed a little humbling lets be honestl)

Omega- "They’re missing out, because you’re a kid worth knowing." (in response to any exclusionary classmates or just isolation feelings)

Howzer- "Thank you for explaining your situation with me. I will try my best to accomodate you in the meantime"

Fox- "How are you today?"

Gregor- "You know what? I think we've had enough. No homework for the week."

[aspd-culture]

do you think making "to do list" things and breaking items into smaller pieces step-by-step would help with my ASPD and irresponsibility (at least for work/school)? what helps for u?

I think it definitely could? For me my issues with ASPD weren't actually my biggest problem in school, it was my comorbid ADHD. I would check into tips for pwADHD to find help with that because I didn't get those coping mechanisms until I had already been out of school for a couple years, with the exception of allowing yourself to doodle and fidget while trying to focus, which doesn't seem super applicable for this case.

The thing is, you have to kind of pick out if you have ADHD symptoms tangled in with ASPD, because I thought I was irresponsible because I was called irresponsible, but it turned out the reasons for that had everything to do with things I couldn't control about my ADHD, and I "became responsible" once no longer in an environment where I struggled (such as when we moved from most essays being written by hand to being turned in on google classroom in my school, allowing me to be unable to "forget my homework at home". When that happened, suddenly my "irresponsibility" went down, like a lot).

One thing I can say worked for me that I'm not sure if was about my ADHD or ASPD or both was splitting it into chunks. I did some of it on the bus home, some of it in study hall, some of it at home, etc. so I could keep telling myself "I can stop whenever I want and do the rest later" as long as I kept myself accountable as to when "later" would be. Be as flexible as you have time to be.

If it is ASPD causing the problem, I would say your biggest issue is going to be working through the "why should I have to do this" portion of it - so logically working out for yourself how you could apply the things you're learning irl at some point, which is usually very possible and likely even if at surface level it seems like it isn't. Never underestimate the power of telling your ASPD brain "if we do this, we'll be better than the people who didn't" or "if we do this, we can get away with not turning in something we don't want to do later easier because we'll have this grade in the books and it won't look like a habit". Find a way to make it about how it can benefit you (even if that's a superficial reason/doesn't truly matter bc if it works it works), basically.

That's just a lighter version of harm reduction honestly. It's best to not skip any work, but if your brain is going to make you, then prioritize the big stuff and give yourself trade offs for lesser issues until you get used to getting stuff done/turning it in.

Plain text below the cut:

I think it definitely could? For me my issues with ASPD weren't actually my biggest problem in school, it was my comorbid ADHD. I would check into tips for pwADHD to find help with that because I didn't get those coping mechanisms until I had already been out of school for a couple years, with the exception of allowing yourself to doodle and fidget while trying to focus, which doesn't seem super applicable for this case.

The thing is, you have to kind of pick out if you have ADHD symptoms tangled in with ASPD, because I thought I was irresponsible because I was called irresponsible, but it turned out the reasons for that had everything to do with things I couldn't control about my ADHD, and I "became responsible" once no longer in an environment where I struggled (such as when we moved from most essays being written by hand to being turned in on google classroom in my school, allowing me to be unable to "forget my homework at home". When that happened, suddenly my "irresponsibility" went down, like a lot).

One thing I can say worked for me that I'm not sure if was about my ADHD or ASPD or both was splitting it into chunks. I did some of it on the bus home, some of it in study hall, some of it at home, etc. so I could keep telling myself "I can stop whenever I want and do the rest later" as long as I kept myself accountable as to when "later" would be. Be as flexible as you have time to be.

If it is ASPD causing the problem, I would say your biggest issue is going to be working through the "why should I have to do this" portion of it - so logically working out for yourself how you could apply the things you're learning irl at some point, which is usually very possible and likely even if at surface level it seems like it isn't. Never underestimate the power of telling your ASPD brain "if we do this, we'll be better than the people who didn't" or "if we do this, we can get away with not turning in something we don't want to do later easier because we'll have this grade in the books and it won't look like a habit". Find a way to make it about how it can benefit you (even if that's a superficial reason/doesn't truly matter bc if it works it works), basically.

That's just a lighter version of harm reduction honestly. It's best to not skip any work, but if your brain is going to make you, then prioritize the big stuff and give yourself trade offs for lesser issues until you get used to getting stuff done/turning it in.

[randomgifsxx]

“You ready for your firstday of kindergarten, kiddo?” 🖍️🔹

[selectivechaos]

tw: sanism, school, negative emotions

in school, bc of the selective mutism, i was a ‘pleasure to teach’ up until the point where i became a ‘creepily silent kid who was brilliant academically but falling behind their peers socially and we think he’s not trying to engage.’ and that just tells you a story about how the school system ignored my mental illness because it was useful for them that i was silent, until that meant it deteriorated and was treated like a personal flaw.

the double-edged sword of how they treated me has shaped how i perceive work, productivity, my abilities, self worth, everything, all in relation to how much of a gift and/or an obstacle they deemed my mental illness to be. the question to them was never how much it hurt me; only whether it helped or hindered my grades, attendance, social conformity and so on.

yeah i fucking hate the school system. literally everywhere, in general, the way they approach mentally ill students needs to change 🌹🌹

[traumasurvivors]

hi april! I just wanted to pop in and let you know that what you’re doing is something special: running all these resources and just communicating and offering help to other trauma survivors is just incredible really and I just hope you’re having a lovely day wherever you are. I reached out to your blog last year and have made sure to stay up to date on any posts or advice you share and it led me to realize I actually would like to pursue a career in psychology. I just started classes and while I’m excited to be here, I realize I’m having difficulty focusing and paying attention despite wanting to do the work. would you have any tips or other sources that might be helpful for me right now? I plan to remove most social media since it seems to be a big contributing factor in my lack of focus, but what else could work? thank you!

Hi anon!

I really struggled with staying focused in school as a result of my ADHD.

Some things that helped me were:

Finding study buddies. Finding people to do work with and study with was super motivating and helpful! Even if it was an online friend and we did our work at the same time so we felt together.

Making my study space welcoming and nice. I put pretty decor on it and made it feel mine. I put little treats in the top drawer so that I could have them as I studied. I put scented candles in I could light and just overall made it a nice aesthetic. Some people find gentle music helps them focus. (Not me personally, but I’ve heard from some people it really does!)

I’d also buy myself some stickers I loved and as I finished things, I’d get to “place” my sticker either on my notebook, binder or even laptop.

Found a routine. I don’t just mean a daily routine but a study routine. I’d make myself a nice warm cup of tea as I was about to settle in and it was the sort of thing that made homework seem relaxing and nice.

Keep track of my progress. I created an excel spreadsheet where I input all my assignments, readings, etc. and I’d mark the percentage I’d completed. I set it to be colour coded so that I felt motivated to make it get to 100% and go green.

Here’s an example.

This isn’t my own, but one I made for a friend when she saw my idea and really liked it. She also found it motivating. This was the end of semester so things were mostly 0% or 100% at this point. During the semester, she’d do things like mark 1% for completing a title page even because it felt super motivating and made it feel like progress. And then also increasing the progress percentage with each step/page/etc in an assignment. (Like if she wrote 4 pages of a 5 page essay, she might label it as 75% to keep in mind that she had one more page but also a final edit to do.) Seeing it climb really helped as she updated it along the way. She also really loved the “stars” I added every time it hit 100% in progress on something. A basic one might just have the assignment, due date and progress.

I found visually seeing my progress made me want to keep making it.

Set a timer. I recommend this for cleaning stuff but telling myself I’m only going to do work for ten minutes makes it easier to start and sometimes once I’m going, I end up on a roll and don’t want to stop.

Colour code notes. I loved getting to use different coloured pens or highlighters when I took notes. It made me more excited about it.

I’m super drained today, so I don’t have much else to add but I kind of want to write a post on this soon and compile more ideas. If anyone has sources they can add to this ask, please do!

[justabirdboy]

yknow like i know school is fucked up but i never hear people talk about the demonization of mediocrity in school. it's everywhere. make a 100 on your test. be in the top 10 percent, you want to succeed in life dont you? make all As. do all your homework: join a club. join three clubs. volunteer. and we do all this just to make it to college or get a job. as if we must break ourselves trying to be the best, just to deserve a life. it is so ingrained in us and remembering all the times i cried as a child because i didn't know how to do a math problem, and therefore wasn't "trying hard enough" or "paying attention" is heartbreaking. you can tell students that it's okay to make mistakes as much as you want, let them retake as much as you want, but it wont fix the horrible, heart wrenching, panic attack inducing fear of mediocrity that society instills into children. this is a traumatic event, especially for kids who are deemed "gifted", "intelligent", or "academically talented" by teachers and/or parents. this also is especially traumatic for those with learning disabilities or people who just lagged behind in school. why is it so bad to just be mediocre at some things? maybe a 50 percent is okay. maybe failing is okay.

[happyfanofeverything]

reading umineko chapter 4

it feels like maria’s always trying to love and protect something the way she wants to have been loved and protected. her drooping rose, her sakutaro, a hypothetical fellow bullied kid in her class... 

[traumatizedjaguar]

If anybody thinks you deserve to be abused and tries to label you a bully for making human mistakes or being rude on accident, then they're automatically in the wrong, NOT you.

[dylan-the-gay]

It's weird how sometimes the teachers are so mean to kids?

I have autism but idk if this is important

A history about my life

I was younger, probably in first or third grade, i have really bad memory sorry.

I sitted in a specific spot everyday, and they choosed where the students would specifically sit when i wasn't in the day, so they put someone else in my favorite place

So the day after it, the teacher was going to bring everyone to a park, and when o got in the class i was confused, i wasn't in the day so why they can't change it? I am already used to it!

So i tried to argue and started crying, and guess what the teacher did? LEAVED ME CRYING IN THE CLASS! YEAH!

Like, i was a child, you could idk, called my mom 💀

[what-if-i-just-did]

Sometimes I really think my school is stupid. Like, do they sit there going, "Well, we know this student suffers from depressions and suicidality and is terrified of repeating the extreme depressive episode they had last year, lasting several months and making them unable to pass the year. I know, let's separate them from the one friend they actually made in class this year and sit them next to the teachers, who dislike them for being unable to do all the work due to their depression! This will definetly make their grades go up and not backfire in any way."

[fleetwood-mac-andcheese]

I'm mad because there's a version of Hamlet that just came out this year, and from what I can tell, it would back up my thesis really nicely, but it's only available in the UK and my VPN doesn't work on campus! Also, the paper is due in less than four hours.

[elipapayo]

My school does this thing where we have to make a data sheet of our assignments each weeks and mark if we're meeting expectations, just to send it to our parents -- Think of it as a self-made report card -- and I can't help but find something poetic in it. IDK it's just the idea that the only alter unto which I am judged is nothing more than a platform of my own making gets to me. It's the my soul is a temple and I must earn my own passage to myself for me. It's 8:10 and I just shotgunned a soda.

[annikathewitch]

Okay People, Pop Quiz

I will not be grading on a curve. All of you will receive the same score based on answer that gets the most votes. This quiz is worth 25% of your final grade. Good luck! :)

[ryebreadtheoriginal]

In school, they always teach us how to avoid shooters in the classroom, but never in the hallway or cafeteria... what are we supposed to do in that situation if it actually happened one day?

[mordcore]

so i looked at the bite model for cults wrt school and i wanted to share my results:

behavior control:

Regulate individual’s physical reality

Control types of clothing and hairstyles (if there is a dress code. not always applicable.)

Regulate diet – food and drink, hunger and/or fasting (strict eating times and not enough time to eat properly)

Manipulation and deprivation of sleep (teenagers notoriously are night owls and school always starts really early)

Restrict leisure, entertainment, vacation time

Major time spent with group indoctrination and rituals and/or self indoctrination including the Internet (indoctrination just means teaching)

Rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors, both positive and negative

Impose rigid rules and regulations

Instill dependency and obedience

information control:

they actually encourage research (generally) so 0

thought control:

Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth

Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful

emotion control:

Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings – some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish

Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault

Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness, such as:

- b. You are not living up to your potential

- f. Your thoughts, feelings, actions are irrelevant or selfish

Instill fear, such as fear of:

- b. The outside world d. Losing one’s salvation (salvation = education, success under capitalism)

- e. Leaving or being shunned by the group

- f. Other’s disapproval

Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority

- a. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group

- b. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc. (being unemployed or a failure or a worthless member of society)

- d. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll (the government literally won't let you leave in some countries)