The world is a diverse place with different kinds of people. But there is little compassion for those who interact with the world around them ‘differently’. The 1990s saw the emergence of the neurodiversity movement that showed that there is no one ‘right’ way of thinking, learning and behaving, and that differences must not be viewed as deficits. Over the years, this idea has permeated education, with educators being trained on neurodiversity.
If you want to know more about neurodiversity – differences in the way people’s brains work – delve into episode 21 of the Neurodiversity Podcast, Beyond the Page: Empowering Young Minds, where host Emily Kircher-Morris talks to Brad Wright, a neurodivergent educator, and author of the ‘Infinity Blast’ series, which features neurodivergent characters.
In this 38-minute episode, they discuss his work as an educator and how it influenced his decision to write fiction for young people. Also, there’s the important lesson of letting neurodivergent children hold on to their special interests and stay true to themselves, as they will find ‘their people’ and turn fully actualised individuals. ‘Think Different’ isn’t just an Apple slogan.
