Dyspraxia affecting my work (I think..)

openup

Hi
I was diagnosed with mild dyspraxia as a teen. The details of my diagnosis are unclear to me. The phrase "dyspraxic tendencies" was thrown around so maybe I don't have a diagnosis? I had a spelling and grammar waiver for both LC and JC, and remember going to one OT appointment but the gist was that if I'd made it this far without help then I didn't need it and to avoid ball sports as they would be bad for my self-esteem (which is accurate )

It only really surfaced again when I was going through teacher training myself as learned about dyspraxia with relation to my own students. I also nearly failed my teacher training and subsequent NQT year (in the UK), not due to any problems with my teaching but my inability to keep on top of paperwork.

Anyway, made it through, now in year 4 of teaching and for some reason I feel this year I've been really struggling with my organisation. I feel like I'm letting myself and my students down. I'm constantly losing things to the point where it's become embarrassing. I can't keep on top of my class records or homeworks. I work in an over-subscribed school so my classes are scattered between 9 different rooms so that doesn't help. I genuinely probably waste about 45 minutes everyday looking for things I've misplaced.

And then sometime I wonder if it's dyspraxia at all or if I'm just a bit of a mess and need to sort myself out. I think the fact I know so little about what my actual diagnosis is (my parent's won't talk about it as they don't want me to have any excuses). Can I be reassessed as an adult? Would an OT be able to help me? I have other symptoms but none of them actually really impact me except the disorganisation thing... It's really starting to make me feel like a terrible teacher, even though my in class work is really very good.

is_that_so

I can't comment on the possible dyspraxia but that kind of chaos in the workplace would make it hard for people to keep track of stuff. My suggestion is to treat yourself to a large annual diary and record what you have to do every day and make sure you carry them out and tick them off/cross them out. That helps in building up good habits and with organising your thoughts in your head and the few minutes you spend jotting them down should help with the focus.

looksee

I can empathise with your problem OP, but in my case it is age related. In the couple of years before I retired I struggled with teaching paperwork - and tbh the section I was working in did not have a lot, so there wasn't that much excuse.

It may be dyspraxia, or it may be disorganisation or it may be that you are overtired and need not so much a break as a clean sweep to get you started again. I would not rush at this stage to call it dyspraxia - you give it a title, but it doesn't get you any further with the problem, you will still have to learn to deal with it.

Try and figure out do you work better with tech or with paper and folders. I worked best with paper so I had a very comprehensive folder that stayed open in front of me while I was working, with my own designed pages to record everything from who was out to who had or hadn't done work to things I had to tell them. I still forgot stuff and got confused, but at least all the information was there. If you work better with tech then have your laptop / whatever with a folder that you understand and contains all the stuff you need to record. A diary/notebook is still handy for quick notes.

All this is a bit stating the obvious, and it doesn't solve all the problems - my main problem was remembering to write stuff down, even though the folder was open in front of me. Yes, you do tend to think it makes you look a bit dim, but it really doesn't, just bat on and if necessary make a bit of a joke about muddles. Don't allow it to overwhelm you, its not as obvious to other people as you think.

Bicyclette

Two of my three adult children received dyspraxia diagnoses when they were in primary school. I was unofficially diagnosed at age 45, by the OT who was involved in the diagnosis of my children.

Yes, poor organisational skills are part of dyspraxia, but I always got around that by being hyperorganised. If I had a deadline in college, I worked as if it was two weeks earlier than the actual deadline. Lists and more lists are how I survive. I tick everything off my list. I add to it. When I was teaching, my diary was my bible. EVERYTHING went into that diary. Deadlines, lesson themes, you name it. I had to work hard to get organised but it becomes easier as you develop the skills.

My daughter started out her university career a bit ropey. She is now doing her Masters and has finally grasped the finer elements of organisation. But it took time and working in an administrative capacity.

My son has Aspergers as well and has absolutely no concept of time. He cannot see the point of submitting an assignment any more than 30 seconds before a deadline. And has been known to start an assignment an hour before the deadline, get it submitted and then get a B (little fecker!!).

A diagnosis is only incidental. At this point in your life, you are unlikely to get educational supports or exemptions. But you do need to work on and develop your organisational skills. And like every skill, it takes time to learn. It might be worth your while speaking with a Private OT and getting some support as well.

Finally, don't feel like a failure. You are not. And don't allow yourself get depressed. But also, don't feel you have to keep quiet about it either for fear of offending your parents. This is your life, this is your experience. Talk about it if it helps you.

L1011

I've no experience of teaching so have no idea what if any tools I use that you'd have or more importantly would be allowed use for data/privacy purposes

I make extensive use of the notes function in my work email client - was Tasks in outlook I think and is Keep in GMail now we've moved to that - for keeping track of things, and set reminders for paperwork deadlines. Without that I'm likely to forget stuff quickly. Its right on the side of the screen every time I open the mail client so it doesn't get out of sight.

Attempting to keep track of stuff in a paper diary never worked for me because I can't read my own handwriting. Postits were worse than useless as I'd lose them!

openup

Hi guys, thanks for the replies! I think I was just getting down about it with exams and reports looming, which is stressful even for people who don't panic at the sight of a pile of paper.
I do struggle to find strategies that work though.I use online things a lot, there are ways of setting online homework etc that work really well for me but, surprisingly to some, teenagers are not usually computer literate so there is always a lot of faffing involved with trying to get them set up.
I get lots of suggestions involving folders and filing and I know everyone means well but at this point it feels like telling some who's depress to just get happy. I just can't seem to make it work me!
I've been using excel a lot more recently in terms of grades/results and it has been really helpful but it also highlights things that make me feel worse like that X class hasn't handed in a homework in 3 weeks. Which is good to know I guess but it makes me feel a bit rubbish that I would let something like that slide without even noticing (not that I'm a huge homework advocate).
Anyway, I think I just needed to vent more that anything. So thanks!

looksee

I get lots of suggestions involving folders and filing and I know everyone means well but at this point it feels like telling some who's depress to just get happy. I just can't seem to make it work me!

Sorry if that was me! I get told to write lists, useless protesting that a. you have to know what you will need a list of; b. then you have to remember to write the list; c. then you have to remember that you wrote a list; d. you have to remember what you did with the list. You wouldn't believe the number of nice new notebooks I find with Useful Stuff I Need To Remember written on about 2 pages, then the whole thing got forgotten...