You Don’t Have to be a Special Educator to Teach a Neurodiverse Group of Learners
...but you do need to know these 3 things
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How We Got Here
Over the last fifty years, American classrooms have become more and more neurodiverse. This is both a good thing and a hard thing.
Forty-seven years ago, Public Law 94-142 was passed by Congress ensuring that all children have a right to a “free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs.” At the time, the law was entitled “Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975” and stated that “handicapped children receive special education and related services in the least restrictive environment commensurate with their needs.” In other words, children should be educated with their same-age classmates as much as possible as determined by the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team, which includes educators and parents (and the student themselves once they are ready to join meetings). In 1997, this law was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), reauthorized in 2004, and amended in 2015 adding Public Law 114-95 or the Every Student Succeeds Act. According to the US Department of Education, in 2020-21, more than 66% of children with disabilities were in general education classrooms 80% or more of their school day.
While we celebrate the right for all children to have access to an education, we have been playing catch-up ever since 1975 to prepare teachers and administrators to create a sound education for students with variable learning needs. And, in this post-COVID world of educator burnout, we continue to be short-staffed in the field of education, which in my opinion hurts students with disabilities the most because they are the ones who need an available adult to help them through tough moments. But, let’s put all that aside for a minute and take a look back at how we got here.
How Teachers are Trained
Generally speaking, elementary school teachers either choose a teaching program to become a general education teacher or a special education teacher, yet when we advocate for children to receive education in the least restrictive environment, this means that we are educating many neurodivergent learners in the general education classroom with teachers who may not have training on how to meet variable student needs.
Yes, many students are taught through a team approach with time learning from the general education and special education teacher; yet, there are so many classroom teachers I talk with who say they only received one class in college or graduate school on managing behaviors (otherwise known as students feeling overwhelmed by learning) —not to mention the lateral entry teachers, substitute teachers, and instructional assistants who may not have had any training on supporting neurodiverse learners.
A common misconception is that you actually need to have a special education degree to be an effective general education teacher these days, but I don’t believe you do.
General education teachers: You are already teaching a neurodiverse group of learners. Their needs may not be as significant as students being educated with an IEP or 504 Plan, but building relationships, supporting emotional regulation, and implementing executive functioning strategies benefits all students. If you are an elementary educator tasked with teaching a neurodiverse group of learners, read on for the top 3 things I believe will help you be an effective educator for all students.
Educators: Want to learn more and get 6 hours of professional development? Everything I’ve ever wanted elementary educators to know about teaching a neurodiverse group of learners is in my online course, The Neurodiverse Classroom.
Where We Can Go From Here
As an educator, you are faced with teaching a standardized curriculum to a group of very non-standardized brains. Curriculums are linear. Brains are not. You know each child is unique but it’s hard to figure out when to support and when to push for independence. You’re also expected to emphasize a set of school-wide behavioral expectations that are attainable for some but not for others, not because they aren’t trying hard enough, but because they simply don’t have the impulsive control or emotional regulation skills to manage the demands of learning yet.
If you’re a teacher who wakes up worried about your students because you don’t know how to help them, you’re not alone. At times you might even struggle with boundaries because you just want to help so much. Plus, you’re exhausted trying to figure it all out. Start by focusing on these three things:
Never Stop Learning (because the kids are your teachers)
As a child psychologist, so much of what I have learned over the years wasn’t in graduate school, but in classrooms and the following 15 years of playing in the therapy room and consulting with parents and teachers. We gain knowledge and confidence with every child we help, but no two kids are the same so we must also rely on each other to share ideas and never stop learning.
Your special education, school psychology, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology colleagues are full of knowledge related to supporting unique learners and differentiating instruction for asynchronous student needs. I know you are encouraged to attend professional development on literacy, math, and STEM. But, the elephant in the room is that none of that content can get into a child’s brain if they are stressed and disengaged. So, attend as many professional development opportunities as you can on mental health, executive functioning, and supporting the anxiety of learners. I’m here to help!
Get Curious (about why kids are having a hard time rather than assuming they are giving you a hard time)
Yes, it is hard to be in the room with a student experiencing a stress response. Their big behavior disregulates our own nervous systems and challenges us to keep our cool while keeping everyone safe. It’s so hard. It’s an even harder experience for the child who is feeling it in their body. There are times when safety plans have to be in place, but I think there is always more we can do to prevent emotional overwhelm in the first place rather than only responding to it.
Stay curious about what skills are lagging for the student. Are they uncomfortable with something in the environment and don't know how to safely communicate their emotions? Then we need to teach them to notice their uncomfortable feelings and come up with a developmental appropriate plan to communicate this feeling to a trusted adult. Yes, we will miss some of these triggers and have to respond to behaviors at times, but if you see a pattern, there is always something we can do to get ahead of it to prevent emotional overwhelm. When expectations are higher than student skills, we are met with a stress response, otherwise known as behavior. You can read more here on how to tell if a behavior is intentional or a stress repsonse.
Take Exceptional Care of Yourself (because #1 and #2 take a lot of energy)
Yes, you should be paid more because you absolutely deserve to be respectfully compensated for all that you do. If you are still a teacher post-pandemic, I’m assuming your motivation for teaching goes beyond a paycheck. This is why I love teachers! Y’all just keep showing up!
You love to see a child’s face light up when they finally figure out a concept or feel proud of themselves for accomplishing a new skill they have tried so hard to master. These moments are deeply rewarding and you love making a difference in the lives of children. But, one thing I know to be true as a therapist and for teachers is that constantly pouring out compassionate care to others takes an incredible amount of energy from the helper.
So, you need to practice radical self-care. I’m not talking about manis, pedis, and year-end teacher gifts. Those feel great and are so appreciated, but they are band-aids on the deeper fatigue you likely feel as a compassionate giver.
You must take exceptional care of your nervous system to make this teacher life sustainable. So, back to basics: Prioritize sleep, move your body every day, stay hydrated, set boundaries, know your physical and emotional cues for rest, do something that brings you joy every single day, and ask your colleagues and family for help.
If you need some tips on how to set boundaries and take better care of yourself as an educator, you can learn more with me in the Beating Burnout video series (53 minutes total).
More info at the link.
These ideas are both simple and radical. We are all just a bunch of nervous systems walking around interacting with each other. As compassionate givers, we have to find the energy to hold space for a child who is having a hard time while also problem-solving ways to get ahead of it if their emotional response becomes a pattern. This type of problem solving takes a lot of energy, which you can learn to manage with practice.
Let’s Stay Connected!
~Dr. Emily
I’m Dr. Emily, child psychologist and former school psychologist, and I’m on a mission to help parents and teachers be the best adults we can be for the neurodivergent kids and teens in our lives. This isn’t about changing the kids, it’s about changing us. Learn more with my resources for parents, teachers, and schools at www.learnwithdremily.com.
**All content provided is protected under applicable copyright, patent, trademark, and other proprietary rights. All content is provided for informational and education purposes only. No content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical or psychological diagnosis, advice or treatment. Information provided does not create an agreement for service between Dr. Emily W. King and the recipient. Consult your physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to you or your child's symptoms or medical condition. Children or adults who show signs of dangerous behavior toward themselves and/or others, should be placed immediately under the care of a qualified professional.**