Cook: If you've heard the 'why' behind my work as an attorney, educator, and neurodiversity advocate, you know that the foundation of every career decision I've made thus far has been "to make sense of my own brain and empower others to do the same." As I sit at my computer at almost midnight reflecting on how far I and my team have come in accomplishing this mission, I feel both proud and anxious.
The work that we've been blessed to do over the years has fostered a great sense of accomplishment. Equally, and perhaps less obvious, the closer we get to the goal of achieving equity for ourselves as neurodivergent individuals, I feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Why? Because, after years of launching different versions of the same vision over and over... and over again (fine-tuning with every iteration), our work has finally reached a point of scalability significant enough to warrant the draining, yet weirdly motivational critique of the masses. Or maybe, just maybe... it's because, deep in the crevices of my soul, I understand that there exists some child, in some under-resourced community, with a brilliant mind but limited resources, waiting for educators to be the advocates they need... the forces powerful enough to withstand detractors... the disruptors of systemic barriers erected long before their time... and the answers to a plethora of questions that they cannot yet formulate the words to ask. That being said, on students’ behalf, here are five things to keep in mind when educating diagnosed (and yet to be diagnosed) neurodivergent students, with attention to culture. As Tumi stated: “Living with the intersectionality of being a black man with dyspraxia presents the challenge of disentangling whether social barriers presented are due to race or neurodivergence”.
Nichelle N. Cook
Consideration 1 - Stress Impairs Academic Performance and Breeds Executive Dysfunction Without Adequate Support
If, as an educator, you've planned your semester seeking to encourage stronger organizational and time-management skills by attaching grades to the ability to maintain perfectly managed notebooks or meet rigid assignment deadlines, perhaps that approach (while well-intentioned) is worth reconsidering. Notably, ADHD, OCD, and several other common exceptionalities are accompanied by executive functioning challenges that make these tasks far more difficult than one might imagine. That being said, it's advisable to familiarize oneself with various forms of executive dysfunction and offer support rather than judgment, as students' inability to meet certain non-academic requests might be beyond their control – despite their best efforts. Added to this are fundamental considerations that must be addressed to also be culturally responsive.
Consideration 2 - Not All Neurodivergent Students Have IEPs and/or 504 Plans
Given that many neurodivergent students have yet to be diagnosed, the first consideration should apply whether or not students have IEPs and/or 504 plans. By not applying this consideration across the board, educators fail to take into account the high number of undiagnosed, yet equally symptomatic, students facing challenges that fall completely under the radar. This fosters chronic stress and low self-esteem.
As more widespread awareness of various neuropsychological disorders continues, stigmas attached to pursuing treatment and accommodations have begun to decline. Interestingly, however, challenges regarding the feasibility of equitably providing resources necessary for these students to thrive have grown exponentially as policymakers and academic leaders seek to negate the validity of many diagnoses and the necessary funding to support said students. Embedded in this consideration is the reality of unjust school funding for Black and some other students of color. This often leaves our students struggling without recourse. In sum, it is imperative that educators go the extra and necessary mile to remain vigilant, informed and empathetic as they are often the only direct sources of support (and, thus, hope) that many students have.
