In the last 5 years, teachers have had challenging experiences while educating young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as the number of children diagnosed with the disorder has sharply increased. This transcendental phenomenological study of teachers' interactions with students with ASD during social activities answers the following research questions: What are the lived experiences of teachers educating five- through eight-year-olds with ASD in the classroom during social exchanges? What are the difficult lived experiences of teachers educating five- through eight-year years olds with ASD in the classroom during social interactions? and What are the positive lived experiences of teachers educating five- through eight-year years olds with ASD in the classroom during social interactions? Interviews with eight teachers yielded four themes: lack of diagnoses of students entering school, challenging social skills, lack of knowledge, and community neurodiversity awareness. Educational psychologists, educators, and professionals in the ASD field may benefit from better understanding the lived experiences and specific knowledge about teacher-student social interactions to improve training practices and professional development. Avenues for future research include (a) exploring the underlying causes of teachers' uncertainty about specific teaching strategies, (b) examining strategies for enhancing teacher expertise, (c) investigating how teachers' practical pedagogy quest influences their professional growth and instructional practices, and (d) studying positive experiences such as teachers' connections and successful communication with students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]