Description
Transforming School Culture into Neurodiversity-Affirming: Step by step directions by an OT who did it.
► Presenter: Kristin Jones MS, OTR/L
► On-Demand Course: Learners have access to the recording and materials for 180 days from the date of enrollment.
► Audience: This educational presentation is designed for stakeholders in public schools, including OTs, SLPs, Counselors, Teachers, Administrators, Paraprofessionals, and Families.
(Therapy Neurodiversity Collective Members, this course is included in your membership!)
As a professional working in a school setting, it can be easy to become overwhelmed once you have changed your personal and professional philosophy to align with current neurodiversity-affirming research and the rest of your organization is not yet there. There are specific steps that can be taken to gain the trust of your administration, colleagues, and parents to implement a strength-based approach to classroom environments, IEP goals, and special education inclusion.
Course Description
Join Therapist Neurodiversity Collective in this enlightening, evidence-based course where you will learn how to transform your school culture to become neurodiversity-affirming. Occupational Therapist, Kristin Jones will reveal the step by step actions she took with her colleagues to transform the culture on her campus into an inclusive environment where students thrive.
A neurodiversity-affirming campus that recognizes and values the diverse neurological conditions of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others can dramatically improve the daily experiences of students and staff. Yet, such a shift can be challenging when existing institutional practices and mindsets do not yet align with this progressive framework.
Through this course, you will:
Understand Neurodiversity:
- Gain an in-depth understanding of what neurodiversity means and why it is essential in the educational setting.
- Explore current neurodiversity-affirming research and its implications for teaching and learning.
Align Your Practice:
- Learn how to integrate a neurodiversity-affirming approach into your current educational philosophy.
- Develop tools and strategies to evaluate and adjust your teaching methods to support all learners.
Communicate Your Philosophy:
- Acquire effective communication techniques to articulate the value of a neurodiversity-affirming approach to skeptical stakeholders.
- Build compelling arguments to demonstrate how embracing neurodiversity can benefit the entire school community.
Create a Supportive Network:
- Identify allies within your organization and learn how to work collaboratively to advocate for change.
- Discover methods for creating a professional support system that encourages sharing of ideas and resources.
Influence Change:
- Learn the steps to propose and implement policy changes in your school or district that support neurodiversity.
- Develop action plans for leading professional development and training sessions on neurodiversity for staff.
Foster Strength-Based Classrooms:
- Explore how to design classroom environments and curricula that leverage the strengths of neurodivergent students.
- Learn to set meaningful goals for students that maximize their strengths.
Upon completion of this course, you will have a a toolkit of strategies to advocate for and implement a neurodiversity-affirming philosophy on your campus, which can lead to a more inclusive, effective, and satisfying professional environment.
Join us on this journey to transform school cultures and champion neurodiversity acceptance and inclusion.
Included:
☑A comprehensive slide handout
☑ Course handout for reference
☑ Certificate of Attendance for 1 hour of professional development
Kristin Jones graduated from Misericordia University in 2000 with her Master of Occupational Therapy and has been an Occupational Therapist for 23 years. She has worked in multiple pediatric settings including early intervention, outpatient clinic, respectful feeding, and school-based. For the past 13 years, she has been at the Community School of Davidson where she has taken the lead in guiding the administration and staff to become a trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming organization. Kristin has a passion for the latest research in brain development and translating this information for teachers to apply in the classroom. Her favorite quote is “if they could, they would”. It is our responsibility as educators to figure out the “why” to provide the most effective strategies for student success and to ensure the student feels understood.
Participants will
- Learn the necessary steps for a campus to become neurodiversity-affirming, and be empowered with evidence-based knowledge to start conversations with campus and district administrators about implementing change.
- List at least 3 ways to structure tiers of school-based interventions to address student self-advocacy from a neurodiversity-affirming approach, including a written student-led self-advocacy plan
- Learn how to coach colleagues in writing neurodiversity-affirming, evidence and strength-based IEP goals
