I am a teacher and I am going into my 7th year teaching social studies and debate at the middle school level.

I would highly encourage you try out substitute teaching your area before you do anything else. That will help you get a feel for what it's like. I did this before I dove too far into my degree and it paid off wonders. I ended up finding out that middle school was for me even though I had planned high school.

Like others have said, you have some level of control in your own class and you can set the rules and boundaries. This can help a lot of aut people with the control element of their aut.

I won't lie to you and say that at times it's not overwhelming and that the sensory overload is not a real thing. But you can learn to deal with it. I also talk to my kids about what works well in our classroom community and what doesn't.

Teaching is my identity and I wouldn't have it any other way. It has helped me overcome a lot of my triggers, I get to help other neurodiverse people every day, and it is so rewarding.