Our guest is Jane Singleton, an executive function coach and consultant, and she talks with Emily Kircher-Morris about the development of executive functioning skills through different life stages, and how it impacts individuals. They talk about the importance of practicing these skills early on, to prepare for the increasing demands of independence. You’ll pick up strategies for parents to help their children build executive functioning skills, including asking questions, creating a safe space for planning, and celebrating small wins. A healthy skill set includes recognizing the significance of self-reflection, collaboration between home and school, and reframing struggles and failures as necessary tools for growth. Executive Function Growth Throughout Life, straight ahead on episode 222.

Takeaways

• Executive functioning demands naturally increase with the level of independence required at each life stage.

• Practicing executive functioning skills at a young age prepares individuals for the challenges of adulthood.

• Parents can support their children by asking questions, creating a safe space for planning, and celebrating small wins.

• Self-reflection and reframing struggles and failures as learning opportunities are essential for growth.

• Collaboration between home and school is crucial for supporting neurodivergent individuals.

To learn more about the Neurodiversity University courses for educators, click the link, and get in touch with us through the contact page if you have questions.

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Jane Singleton is the founder and executive coach at Launchpad for Life, LLC and specializes in helping clients understand their cognitive and emotional strengths and weaknesses, communicate more effectively, and build their self-awareness in order to meet academic, career, and life goals. She is an educational leader and specialist in analyzing cognitive profiles, creating behavioral interventions, and coaching families and  individuals through life transitions.

Jane als has significant experience with team coaching with the goal of creating alignment of curriculum and protocols as it relates to inclusion, strategic priorities and academic outcomes. She has developed customized training for organizations on topics such as: executive functioning, growing and self-esteem and motivation, and parenting like a coach, as well as a variety of topics on neurodiversity. Jane is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified executive coach, a lifelong learner and an inclusion advocate for people with disabilities.

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In episode 221, Emily talks with Brad Wright, a Neurodivergent Educator and Administrator, and author of the Infinity Blast series of middle grade books featuring neurodivergent characters. They discuss his work as an educator and how it influenced his decision to write fiction for young people. It’s important for educators to be educated about neurodiversity and provide accurate information to children. Brad also talks about the evolution of neurodivergent characters in children's literature and the role they play in the lives of young people. There is a need for more diverse and authentic characters in literature.

Takeaways

• Educators should be educated about neurodiversity and provide accurate information to children.

• The representation of neurodivergent characters in children's literature has evolved, but there is still a need for more diverse characters.

• Authentic portrayal of neurodivergent traits is important to provide a nuanced understanding of different types of brains.

• Neurodivergent children should hold onto their special interests and stay true to themselves, as they will find their people and become fully actualized individuals.

To learn more about the Neurodiversity University courses for educators, click the link, and get in touch with us through the contact page if you have questions. Join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group on Facebook!

Bradley Wright is an author, educator, and administrator at an independent school. In his earlier years, he was a professional ballet dancer. Brad grew up in Seattle but has been slowly migrating southward with stops in Portland, Eugene, San Francisco, and now Los Angeles where he lives with his family. His current writing project is the Infinity Blast series for middle grade readers. Books one and two are out now. Book three will be released Spring 2025.

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We’re talking STEM today, and Emily Kircher-Morris is joined by Dr. Arash Zaghi, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut, to discuss the importance of neurodiversity in STEM fields. They talk about the need for diverse perspectives and ways of thinking to solve complex problems in science and engineering. There’s a value in different types of contributions, such as creative ideas and detailed execution plans, and a need to shift the focus from deficits to strengths. They also discuss the importance of creating a sense of belonging for neurodivergent students in academia and the need for faculty to be more supportive and inclusive.

Takeaways

• Neurodiversity in STEM fields is crucial for solving complex problems and creating innovative solutions.

• The focus should shift from individual skills to the true meaning of diversity, bringing together different perspectives and ways of thinking.

• Creating a sense of belonging is essential for the success of neurodivergent students in STEM fields.

• Faculty should be more supportive and inclusive, valuing diverse contributions and providing options for different types of learning and assessment.

• Neurodivergent individuals should embrace their strengths and bring their whole selves to their academic and professional pursuits.

To learn more about the Neurodiversity University courses for educators, click the link, and get in touch with us through the contact page if you have questions.

Join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group on Facebook!

Arash E. Zaghi is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut. His research is focused on engineering education, emphasizing the role of neurodiversity in fostering creativity within the engineering workforce, as well as strength-based approaches to diversity. Arash’s interdisciplinary work aims to develop personalized tools for middle-school students with dyslexia to engage in STEM, leveraging AI, neuroscience, and education research. Professor Zaghi was diagnosed with ADHD at 33, and his dedication to neurodiversity in engineering education has earned him multiple recognitions, including from Prism Magazine of the American Society of Engineering Education. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno and is a strong advocate of neurodiversity in STEM education. He hosts the Square Pegs podcast, where he further explores these themes.

Square Pegs Podcast via Spotify

In this episode of the Neurodiversity Podcast, Emily Kircher-Morris answers questions submitted by members of the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy and Support Group on Facebook. The questions cover a range of topics including listening to the podcast with children, supporting processing speed issues, managing low self-esteem, diagnosing ADHD in older age, the overlap between cognitive giftedness and autism, exploring masking, and managing chores and responsibilities for individuals with a PDA profile. The episode provides insights, strategies, and resources for parents and individuals navigating neurodiversity.

To submit questions for our next AMA, join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group on Facebook!

Jen Merrill, creator of Laughing at Chaos and author of If This is a Gift, Can I Send It Back?, shares her experience as a parent of a twice-exceptional child and discusses the challenges and benefits of homeschooling. She emphasizes the importance of self-care for parents of gifted and twice exceptional children.

Takeaways

• Parents of gifted and twice exceptional children need to prioritize self-care to better advocate for their children and maintain their own well-being.

• Twice exceptional children can be both intellectually gifted and face other challenges that make life difficult for them and their families.

• Homeschooling can provide personalized education and allow children to pursue their passions at their own pace.

• Homeschooling can have financial and career implications for parents, and it requires careful management of family dynamics.

Join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group on Facebook!

Jen Torbeck Merrill is an Illinois-based writer, musician, marketing project manager, and gifted family advocate.The mom of two boys, she homeschooled her twice-exceptional teen through high school while happily sending his younger brother off to his high school every morning. Those days now in the past, she is settling into the somewhat quieter life of an empty-nester. She is a music educator by trade, with degrees in music education and flute performance.

Long before she picked up a flute as a child, however, Jen wanted to be a writer, something that didn’t happen until she opened a Blogger account in 2006 and never looked back. Since that time, her writing has focused more on gifted families and advocacy. Her book, If This is a Gift, Can I Send It Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and Twice-Exceptional, struck a nerve with families who suspected Jen was living in their closet. Her second book, on the needs of gifted parents and self-care, is in progress; it is taking significantly longer than anticipated because the author herself struggles mightily with self-care and has been spending a lot of time banging her head on the keyboard and hyperventilating in writerly frustration. In the meantime she continues to blog at Laughing at Chaos.

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Often, neurodivergent people have a completely different communication experience than neurotypicals. They respond differently to regulation, attention, and motivation, and often parents struggle when trying to improve connections with their kids. Linda Murphy is the author of The Declarative Language Handbook, and we present an encore of our conversation from 2023, with ideas on how to reframe communication and break down barriers.

To learn more about the Neurodiversity University courses for educators, click the link, and get in touch with us through the contact page if you have questions.

Amanda Morin’s The Empathetic Edge podcast can be found here, bookmark it!

Linda Murphy is a speech language pathologist and RDI Consultant. She co-founded the “Peer Projects Therapy From the Heart” clinic in Beverly, Massachusetts, and has authored several books and numerous articles during her career. Linda has enjoyed working with individuals with social learning differences for over 25 years.

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Dr. Donna Henderson joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about the changes in the assessment process for autism, the importance of empowering therapists to diagnose autism, and the need for equity in masking. Their conversation also explores the double empathy problem and the challenges of balancing unmasking with the needs of neurodiverse individuals in educational settings. They also discuss the PDA profile and its place within the autism spectrum. That’s all waiting for you on episode 216.

Takeaways

• The assessment process for autism is evolving, with a shift towards understanding subjective experience rather than relying solely on test scores.

• Therapists are adapting by relying less on formal tests and more on interview skills and understanding inner subjective experiences.

• Empowering therapists to diagnose autism is important for identifying and supporting individuals who may have been missed in the past.

• Masking and camouflaging are complex behaviors that can have both benefits and drawbacks, and it is important to find a balance that respects individual needs and promotes equity. Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is not simply about avoiding demands, but rather an overriding biological drive for autonomy.

• Misdiagnosis and labeling are common for PDAers, leading to potential negative consequences, especially for minority boys.

• Understanding the core features of PDA, such as difficulty coping with demands, a wide variety of coping mechanisms, and challenges with social hierarchy, is crucial for accurate diagnosis and support.

Dr. Donna Henderson has been a clinical neuropsychologist for over 30 years. She is passionate about identifying and supporting autistic individuals, particularly those who camouflage, and she is co-author (with Drs. Sarah Wayland and Jamell White) of two books: Is This Autism? A Guide For Clinicians and Everyone Else and Is This Autism? A Companion Guide For Diagnosing. Dr. Henderson provides neuropsychological evaluations and consultations for children, adolescents, and adults who would like to understand themselves better. She is a sought-after lecturer on the less obvious presentations of autism, autistic girls and women, PDA, and on parenting children with complex profiles. She also provides case consultations and neurodiversity-affirmative training for other healthcare professionals.

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Is This Autism?

On this episode, Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Jeff Horwitz about the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and its application in education. UDL focuses on creating learning environments and experiences that are accessible and beneficial for all students, regardless of their learning styles or abilities. How can UDL be implemented in both classroom and home settings? What are some common barriers to implementing UDL, and what are some strategies to overcome them? What’s the role of technology in supporting UDL practices? It’s a deep dive into UDL, on episode 215.

TAKEAWAYS

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aims to create inclusive learning environments that meet the needs of all students.

• UDL can be implemented in both classroom and home settings, promoting autonomy and agency in student learning.

• Barriers to implementing UDL include resistance to change, lack of time, and perceived lack of training.

• Small changes and incremental adjustments can make a significant impact in implementing UDL.

• UDL fosters collaboration and empathy among students, promoting diverse perspectives and strengths.

• Technology can be a powerful tool in supporting UDL practices, providing options for engagement, accessibility, and personalization.

• Parents can advocate for their children by sharing their insights and experiences with educators, and by collaborating to create a supportive learning environment.

• Teachers should approach UDL with a growth mindset, recognizing that success is measured by meeting the needs of all learners.

To learn more about the Neurodiversity University courses for educators, click the link, and get in touch with us through the contact page if you have questions.

Join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group on Facebook!

Jeff Horwitz is a 20-year educator and has been an administrator at independent schools in St. Louis since 2013. Prior to becoming an administrator, Jeff taught kindergarten through third grade in public and private schools. Jeff is passionate about providing students with opportunities for learning that will prepare them for the increasingly automated world we live in through collaborating with teachers, and using student-centered techniques. Jeff is an advocate for project-based learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). When Jeff isn’t immersed in schools, he’s spending time with his two kids, cooking, golfing and playing music with friends.

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Friendships and relationships can be hard for neurodivergent people, especially if they experience lagging social skills, or struggle with executive function. Emily Kircher-Morris is joined by Caroline Maguire, author of Why Will Nobody Play With Me?, and they discuss the challenges and importance of neurodivergent friendships, particularly for individuals with ADHD. They talk about the lack of support for ADHD kids in developing social skills, and the negative impact it can have on their self-esteem. They discuss ways to build confidence and replace negative self-talk with positive thoughts. During a time when online friendships often outnumber in-person ones, they talk about ways to achieve a balance. A quest for meaningful relationships, on episode 214.

Takeaways

• Neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with ADHD, often face challenges in developing and maintaining friendships due to executive function weaknesses and a lack of social skills practice.

• Rejection sensitivity dysphoria is a common experience for neurodivergent individuals, leading to intense reactions to perceived slights or exclusion.

• Building confidence is crucial for developing friendships, and it can be achieved by focusing on strengths, celebrating small wins, and replacing negative self-talk with positive thoughts.

• Shared interests and activities provide opportunities for neurodivergent individuals to connect with like-minded peers and develop authentic relationships.

• While online friendships can be valuable, it is important to encourage a balance between online and in-person relationships to fully support social development.

To learn more about the Neurodiversity University courses for educators, click the link. If you have any questions or need help getting started, get in touch with us through the contact page.

Join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group on Facebook!

Caroline Maguire is the founder of a revolutionary social emotional learning methodology that helps teach social skills to children, teenagers, and young adults. She holds a Masters degree in Education with a concentration in SEL training, and is the founder and director of The Fundamentals of ADHD Coaching for Families training curriculum at ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA). Caroline is also a former coach for the Hallowell Center in Sudbury, Massachusetts. In addition to coaching and training, she is the author of Why Will No One Play With Me?, the winner of the Best Parenting and Family Book 2020 as awarded by American Book Fest, and a co-collaborator on the newly released HowToSel.com – a daily social emotional learning platform anyone can incorporate into daily life.

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On episode 213, Emily is joined by Matt Lowry, host of the Autistic Culture podcast. They discuss the concept of autism as a neurotype and culture, Matt shares his personal experience as an autistic individual, and they discuss the importance of understanding autism in a non-pathologizing way. They also discuss the need for neurodiversity affirming evaluations and therapy, as well as the challenges of balancing autistic identity and social adaptation. It’s a challenge to create a life that matches your neurological makeup, and finding a supportive community can be key.

This episode is brought to you by the Council for Exceptional Children, dedicated to high-quality education that is inclusive and equitable for individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Attend their Annual Convention & Expo, March 13-16, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Register now at cecconvention.org/, and if you’re a school principal, receive free registration by using the code 24CEC100.

Here’s a link to check out the courses Emily talks about in the Neurodiversity University.

Matt Lowry is an Autistic adult, parent of an Autistic son, and a Licensed Psychological Practitioner who works exclusively with Autistic clients, performing neurodiversity-affirming Autism evaluations and providing Autistic Centered Therapy (AuCT) - a form of therapy that he helped create. Matt works hard to expand autistic access and inclusion through his professional work as well as his advocacy work co-hosting The Autistic Culture Podcast. Among his latest projects, he is currently helping to create an Autistic-friendly, Autistic-run, medical facility in his home state of Kentucky.

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On episode 212, Emily Kircher-Morris and Jess Lahey discuss the importance of understanding and supporting neurodivergent students. Jess highlights the need for teachers to question traditional teaching methods and adapt their practices to meet the diverse needs of their students. They talk about the value of formative assessments, peer-to-peer teaching, and creating an inclusive learning environment. They also explore the overlap between substance abuse and learning differences, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and support. They discuss the need for teachers to gradually release responsibility to students, and empower them to advocate for themselves. Open-minded, reflective, and responsive classrooms best serve the individual needs of students.

Takeaways:

• Question traditional teaching methods and adapt practices to meet the diverse needs of students.

• Use formative assessments to gauge student understanding and provide targeted support.

• Create an inclusive learning environment that values peer-to-peer teaching and individual learning styles.

• Recognize the overlap between substance abuse and learning differences, and provide early intervention and support.

• Gradually release responsibility to students and empower them to advocate for themselves.

This episode is brought to you by the Council for Exceptional Children, dedicated to high-quality education that is inclusive and equitable for individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Attend their Annual Convention & Expo, March 13-16, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Register now at cecconvention.org/, and if you’re a school principal, receive free registration by using the code 24CEC100.

If you see value in rethinking education and building a stronger classroom, consider joining the Neurodiversity University Educator Hub! It’s a group built for educators, and we’ll open registration again soon! Sign up to be alerted, and join us for the learning, sharing, and fun!

Jessica Lahey is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed, and The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. Over twenty years, Jess has taught every grade from sixth to twelfth in both public and private schools, and has written about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Washington Post and The Atlantic, and her biweekly column, The Parent Teacher Conference, ran for three years at the New York Times.

She also designed and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ award-winning animated series The Stinky and Dirty Show, and was a 2019 Pushcart Prize nominee. She co-hosts the #AmWriting podcast from her empty nest in Vermont.

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