When it comes to preparing our education system for neurodiverse students, the level of engagement can vary and may not always produce the intended results.
Courtney Teague, Assistant Director of Internal Professional Learning and Coaching at Digital Promise and Director of Culture at CLT & Associates, discusses the importance of identifying neurodiversity in the classroom and preparing neurodiverse students for a successful future.
Teague to be a presenter at upcoming tech & Learning event EdExec Summitthe three-day networking conference dedicated to the business of education taking place September 11-13 at the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort outside Atlanta. She will present “Reaching All Students: Neurodiversity, Accessibility, and Access for All.”
Preparing a system that addresses neurodiversity
Our neurodiverse student population deserves to have adequate representation to properly prepare them for a successful future. Recently, we have become more sensitive to the needs and challenges of children, but we can always do more to help everyone address neurodiversity.
“We know that with neurodiversity, if you’re working with someone who may have ADHD or another exceptionality, they may need certain accommodations,” Teague says. “Do you provide those accommodations for them? For example, I have ADHD. I have a lot of energy in the morning, but if you make me sit in meetings all morning and then in the afternoon tell me I have to work and produce a product, you’re actually going to lose money because it’s going to take me longer in the evening to produce that product than it would have in the morning when I had a lot of energy.”
Recognizing how neurodiversity presents itself can help create more effective adaptations.
“When we think about our systems and how we organize programs and projects, are we receptive to that?” Teague says. “If you have someone who may have autism, they may not be able to be in a space with all of their teammates at that moment. They may need time to adjust. When I think about teachers at school, people who work in a district office, do you offer choice and flexibility? Or do you push everyone into a room and say, ‘We all have to sit in this room together’?”
Offering choice is one of the best ways to make students feel comfortable and welcome in the classroom. It may seem like a natural thing to do, but in some cases a greater sense of preparation may be needed to ensure that teachers are ready for their students.
Ensuring neurodiverse hires are also catered for
Young people who see themselves reflected in the people they admire can adopt those people as role models, so having neurodiverse teachers is crucial. But how do we ensure that we create an environment that gives neurodiverse teachers the best chance of success? Teagues suggests that the goal should be to take a collaborative approach between administrators and neurodiverse teachers.
“As a leader, administrator or superintendent, we ask you what you need to be successful,” Teague says. “Let’s see if what you need is what we can provide and if it’s not disrupting the system.”
Inclusive hiring practices, as well as other support, are also critical. “Let’s make sure that the people who are in the space doing the work have the necessary professional development and implementation support around neurodiversity so that they are aware and create an enabling environment,” Teague says.
Implementing inclusive policies for hiring neurodiverse people can create a ripple effect for teachers and students.
“When we think about how our students have diverse learning needs, we want teachers to differentiate,” Teague says. “We want teachers to personalize learning. Why not keep that same practice at the district level? This way, you now have a bigger impact because teachers can develop empathy because they get it from the district. This means that when it comes time to do it in the classroom, there is a culture of support.”
<h2 id="can-ai-play-a-part-in-supporting-neurodiversity”>Can ai play a role in supporting neurodiversity?
With the rise of artificial intelligence, more and more companies are leveraging technology to create ways for teachers to connect with students. But is it really as simple as adding a program to a classroom environment to cater to students with neurodiverse needs?
“For me, I can leverage ai when I support my coaching clients and conduct trainings,” Teague says. “I know how to develop plans using ai prompts. When we think about ai, there are different types. Let’s think about behavior tracking that helps build relationships, where if you know you have a student with a diverse need and certain triggers, you can use ai to track that. Then, as a teacher, I can spend a little bit more time with a student if the ai detects a change in their behavior patterns. But to leverage ai, you also have to understand how to make data-driven decisions. There are a few competencies you need. Digital literacy is one, but you need to know the basics of classroom management, data-driven decision making, and relationship building.”
There are many ways to set up neurodiverse classrooms for success. Involvement at the leadership level may be the most effective way, as it creates a culture of inclusion for a district or school. This helps teachers and their students and sets them up for a positive professional life.
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