Sounds like a strange topic but I’ve been quite curious about a very unusual professor I had this summer. Yesterday I got to chat with someone who knows him real well online and she said that she gets kind of concerned about his behavior at times. She said that a month ago he kept on shouting something crazy to no one in particular when some guy at a party was talking to him.
I noticed a lot of unusual behavior when this teacher lectured, and I always have wondered if he’s just eccentric or could have Asperger’s Syndrome.When he would lecture he didn’t stay still like other teachers, he would pace around the lecture area as if he was too hyper to stand in one place. Sometimes he would say racy and crass things to get the class to laugh. I blushed at some of the things he said as I’m not used to my professors discussing something like sex scenes in art work. One day a classmate of mine said though our professor’s glasses were tinted he could see that he blinked and closed his eyes at times. As the professor wore perscription glasses with tinted lenses I figured out his eyes could have been supersensitive to bright lights so maybe the light from the overhead was bothering them. Also he walks almost on the tips of his toes and I’ve read this is a sign of autism.
Then he wears some outrageous clothes and hats.Sometimes he just wore a black bandanna, but other times it was wool or fur caps (in 102 degree weather!). Once I had made a comment about how hot it was and he said “Why the weather is lovely! You should be happy that the weather is so nice!” though he was wearing a black turtle neck sweater.
Now from what I’ve read about Asperger’s Syndrome would say I might have an autistic professor, or is he just eccentric?
Curious About Teacher's Behavior: Could It be Autism?
Yes I learned a lot from this teacher. He made the subject he was lecturing on a lot of fun though he got a bit obscene at times. I had such a great time in class that I got an A, and he was such a sweet guy as he didn’t ask for proof of my CAPD when I asked him if I could use a tape recorder to record his lectures.
His friend told me that people have mistaken him for being gay because of some of his behavior and the way he dresses. He has extremely long hair and wears a lot of jewelery.
Luckily my art teachers are open minded people as they said he was such a cool guy they hope he stays on teaching at the college. I discovered last week he will be teaching again at the school I go to, so I’ll be seeing him when I go to the arts building. Though his behavior is strange and he dresses funny I know from talking to people who know him better than I do( his friend, former students with special needs)that he has a good heart.
Curious About Teacher's Behavior: Could It be Autism?
I think that your professor is eccentric. I would not really worry or anything. Seems like a cool person, really. But, I kinda doubt the professor has aspergers or anything like that. The professor might be a true eccentric or something far different than aspergers or autistic.
Curious About Teacher's Behavior: Could It be Autism?
You are learning the material and he is doing right by you in class. Does it matter? Are you learning to be accepting?
Curious About Teacher's Behavior: Could It be Autism?
I’m very accepting it’s just I never had such an unusual professor before.I was just curious of what his behaviors meant so if I have him for another class I will be able to communicate with him better.
Once I asked him if he had the homework from the day before as I had been absent, and he said “You were not in class yesterday? But I thought I saw you.”. I told him “I wasn’t feeling well so I stayed home yesterday.”, but he didn’t seem to listen just rushed to his office before class. Usually I get professors giving a short lecture on attending class and resposibility if I’m absent, so his neutral attitude towards my absence surprised me.Also when a student had to talk to him before class he didn’t talk to them in his office like other profs did. He would go outside with the student and would sit cross legged like a child as he chatted with them. I just think he’s an eccentric, but very kind and intelligent person. I’m looking foward to taking another class with him in the future.
There could be a couple of things that would match those behaviors. He could have Tourettes, Bipolar, Schizoaffective, or something on the autism spectrum. Whether or not he has “something”, the most important question is “Did you learn anything from him?”.