Talking Points
Creating inclusive environments is essential for all students, but especially for those with neurological differences. The article highlights how some of the challenges faced by neurodivergent students are not rooted in the student themselves, but in the environments around them. This includes school schedules, overstimulating classrooms, and social situations. These factors can all make it impossible for a student to function at their best. As educators, being aware of these environmental factors and actively working to change them is one of the most powerful things we can do to support student success.
There are numerous factors that can contribute to a student's outbursts, meltdowns, or mood changes. It is important not to jump to conclusions. As Dr. Cynthia Martin explains in the article, extreme behaviors often lead parents to seek evaluations, but other factors such as anxiety, mood disorders, or social difficulties can also be responsible. I see this firsthand every day in 7th grade. Middle schoolers are navigating hormonal, emotional, and social changes simultaneously, and those shifts show up in the classroom in big ways. Before we label a student, we have to ask what else might be going on in their world.
Neurodiverse people have differences, not deficits. As the text emphasizes, rather than thinking of students as needing to be "fixed," we should put a spotlight on what they are good at and support the areas they are still developing. This is exactly the kind of educator I strive to be. All I want is for every student in my classroom to feel heard, seen, and genuinely capable of success. When we lead with strengths, we open doors that deficit-thinking keeps firmly shut.
Caroline Miller argues that neurodiversity should be understood not as a disorder to be corrected, but as a natural variation in how brains work. And that students thrive when their differences are recognized as strengths and their environments are shaped to support them.
Connections
After reading this article, I immediately thought of "Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit-Oriented Schools to Asset-Based Models" by Renkly and Bertolini, which we read earlier in the semester. Both texts are making the same essential argument: students do not need to be fixed. Whether we are talking about neurodivergent learners or students from marginalized communities, the research consistently shows that when educators identify and build on what students bring to the table, students are far more likely to grow and thrive. In the text it states that "everybody has strengths and everybody has things they're working on" which could have been pulled directly from Renkly and Bertolini's asset-based framework. Both texts challenge educators to shift their lens from what is wrong with a student to what is right, and to build their practice around that foundation.
Hi Giana, I felt the same connection to Shifting the Paradigm. In both articles, the authors frame their arguments around supporting learners rather than fixing them. I agree that the article this week looked at the idea from an ableist perspective which was an approach we had not read about prior. Like yourself I noted how important environment is for neurodiverse learners. I wonder what our schools are doing to support the diverse learners? I also wonder if the thoughts and ideas of other students is an attribute to the environment. If people are bringing diverse sets of information does it impact a neurodiverse learners ability to build connections and feel heard? I think environment is even more than the walls that build the space but I think looking at that space first is a great starting point and one I plan to do in my own classroom.
ReplyDeleteHey Giana,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your post, especially how you centered the environment instead of immediately placing the focus on the student. That part really stood out to me. It’s easy to look at behaviors and assume something is “wrong” with the student, but you made it clear that sometimes it’s the classroom, the schedule, or the overall setting that’s not working for them.
Your point about not jumping to conclusions was really strong too. Middle school is already such an intense time developmentally, and like you said, there are so many layers, emotional, social, hormonal, all happening at once. That reminder to pause and ask what’s actually going on before labeling a student is so important.
I also loved how you emphasized differences, not deficits. That connects directly to the asset-based mindset we’ve been talking about all semester. The idea of highlighting what students are good at instead of trying to “fix” them is powerful, and you can tell that’s something you genuinely try to live out in your classroom.
Your connection to Renkly and Bertolini was on point too. It really shows how this idea keeps coming up across different topics, whether it’s neurodivergence or other student identities. That consistency makes it clear that this shift in mindset isn’t optional, it’s necessary if we want students to actually thrive.
Overall, your post felt very grounded in real classroom experience while still connecting strongly to the bigger ideas from the readings.
Giana, I feel the asset-based stuff all over this, too.
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