Category: Neurodiversity-Affirming
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When First /Then and Visual Schedules Become a Condition on Autonomy
My daughter Lily is 18 years old. Yet during a recent conversation with a new occupational therapist, I found myself explaining why her preferences should matter in decisions about her own life. Her immediate suggestions were whether or not I had ever tried “First/Then” or a Visual Schedule with Lily. First, I want to address…
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What My Students Taught Me About Disability
When people find out that I am an autistic ADHD special education teacher, one of the first assumptions I hear is that I must automatically understand all my autistic ADHD students. I understand why people think that. I have lived the experience of being autistic and ADHD. I know what it is like to be…
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My Students Understand. Why Don’t Some Adults Get It?
Of those things people recognize me by at this point, yesterday one of my 4th graders pointed at it and asked, “What do ALL those words mean?” Not just one—every single one. So instead of brushing it off, we sat down and talked about it, and honestly, it turned into one of the most meaningful…
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Autism Acceptance Month Is Not a Celebration—It’s a Reckoning
Every April, the world turns its attention to autism. The posts go up, the slogans circulate, and suddenly everyone is talking about “awareness” again. But if I’m being honest, awareness has never been the issue. Autism is not hidden. It is not rare. It is not misunderstood because people haven’t heard of it. It is…
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How Martial Arts Can Help Those Who Have Experienced Exclusion, Bullying, Seclusion & Restraint
As a child growing up in the mid-1960s, I became the product of early private school education, an experience that no doubt changed me for years to come. For as long as I can remember, I was always a very shy and timid kid, even well into my early 20’s. It is unclear if I…
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What Happened Before That Moment?
Sometimes a small sign says a lot about how we think about children. Today I walked past a table with a sign that said: “All emotions are okay, but not all child behaviors are okay.” And I stopped. Because that phrase gets repeated in education spaces as if it’s wisdom. People nod along like it’s…
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Choice Doesn’t Fix It: Why PBIS Still Harms Kids
When I was a little girl, I didn’t speak until I was four years old. I remember the way adults looked at me—like I was broken, like my silence defined me. They didn’t see the potential bubbling beneath, only the ways I failed to fit the mold. That early experience taught me something I carry…
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Cultivating Inclusive Futures: Supporting Neurodivergent Learners Through Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Creating inclusive and supportive environments is essential for everyone. This is especially true for neurodivergent children, people with disabilities, and racial or ethnic minority communities who often face systemic barriers. This literature review explores how Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) principles are applied in education, healthcare, and community settings to make these environments more…
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My Journey: Heart-Strong International Changemakers for Children
This past week, I was very proud to receive my certificate in the Heart-Strong International Changemakers for Children course, taught by Sandi Lerman. Signing up, I already knew that anything Sandi and Heart-Strong International had put together was going to be amazing! AASR has a long-running relationship and collaboration with Sandi and Heart-Strong International, including…
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It’s All Just Part of the Routine: How Touch Becomes Restraint in Early Childhood Education
Every child deserves to feel safe in their body. Every early educator wants to be someone a child can trust. If we truly want to build environments rooted in care, we have to be willing to pause, reflect, and make changes. There are amazing, wonderful things happening in early childhood education settings every day. I…