Teaching neurodivergent children in the same way that we teach neurotypical children is a recipe for failure for both the school and the child.
👉 For many autistic children, a school can be a toxic environment, They are often told that what they feel, think, or do is wrong and that they should just do whatever they are told instead. This can have a life-long impact on self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-advocacy.
👉 Disruptive or atypical behaviour is often labelled oppositional, avoidant, attention-seeking, rude, or simply inappropriate..... Children who don’t conform are often called non-compliant but it's critical to understand that a child's "acting out" could be a result of internal distress, overstimulation, anxiety, or any other form of suffering or trauma.
👉 Behaviour support plans often focus on eliminating the surface behaviour instead of recognising distress. We need to support children, not single-mindedly focus on correcting behaviour.
👉 Unfortunately, the child is most often than not, perceived as the problem, not the intervention. Many interventions focus on addressing behaviour from the outside in, with little awareness of the neurodivergent mind and the fact that the child's behaviour is a result of sensory, social, emotional, motoric, and cognitive challenges.
👉 #earlyintervention, Change and accommodations are achievable and don't have to be costly. You can promote mindfulness and emotional literacy, create a calm zone and utilise it to teach self-regulation, and give fidgets and sensory toys for all children.
👉 The most important thing is to acknowledge is that teaching neurodivergent children in the same way we teach neurotypical children is a recipe for failure for both the school and the child.