I had my first day of Microbiology Lab today. Walking into class not really knowing anyone in the lab I didn't have someone scout out as a lab partner. People started entering the room and taking their seats. Some people knew each other but mostly people didn't know the others. Class started and "Phil" walked in a couple minutes late. Phil had been in a couple of my classes in the past and walking in late was a usual occurrence. But the teacher would never say anything because there is obviously something mentally wrong with him. If I had to guess I would say that it's some form of autism, but I really can't really put my finger on it.
Long story short....
The professor moves him to the station next to me, which makes him my lab partner. Throughout the lab he's having a very difficult time learning how to use the microscope. Now I know that a microscope can be tricky to learn how to adjust and see clearly using both eyes, but Phil was having a hard time with everything about it. When trying to adjust the height of it he took the headpiece off and couldn't get it back on by himself. The professor had to stop he lecture to help show him how to put it on. Trying to use the oil emersion lens was another story within itself. And it’s not like he hasn’t had plenty of experience with a microscope before, because it’s used a lot in Gen Bio. Following the step-by-step directions that we were being given seems to be the main weakness, which I believe is a sign of autism.
Saying all of this makes me feel like a huge jerk. But I'm not even trying to be mean. I'm just saying what happened. And I feel even worse that I'm worried about being his partner. I know that he had to get through Gen Bio and Gen Chem to get to this point, which is no easy task, but I still have my reservations. I’m afraid that I’m going to have to do all the work and explain everything to him. I've never been good around the mentally challenged although my experience is limited. I feel like the only way I can communicate with them sometimes is by talking down to them and I hate belittling people like that. I don’t even mean talking down to them in the “I’m better than you” sense as much as how a mother talks down to her child about the dangers of touching a hot stove.
Maybe I’m making a big deal about nothing. Only time will tell. In the mean time does anyone have any advice? I’m fairly sure I’ve lost any continuous audience I had but it’s worth a shot.
3 comments:
When I read that I wondered about Asberger's and when I looked it up, it's a form of high functioning autism but they tend to be clumsy and have difficulty with fine motor skills. You may need to take this poor guy under your wing and do the manual work or when he's struggling say: "Do you want me to take a crack at that?" You might even approach your teacher and ask him the best way to be a good lab partner to this guy. You could end up saving this kid a lot of stress and embarassment!
I always feel like an asshole around people with heavy accents. I can never understand what they're saying and it makes me look like a moron.
I thought Asberger's too, but I believe a defining characteristic is being, as I'll put it, "socially aggressive," which he's not at all. And I know a couple of people with Asberger's and their ability to follow direction is fine. I don't know how their fine motor skills are. But there is a basic listening comprehension/direction following skill that's missing.
I take it you have abandoned your blog? :( Well, good luck with college and the med school process. Stay true to your ideals.
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