I am super excited to share that I was recently a guest on the The Play Ed3 Podcast.

During the podcast, we talked about my dissertation research and did a deep dive into how to support neurodivergent educators.

The goal continues to be to share out information far and wide to help guide the design of neuro-AFFIRMing schools for all educators.

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The Current State: Am I Doing It Right?

Educator A: I walk by a classroom and hear a few kids shout in excitement, followed by a round of applause. I look into the door window, wondering what is happening inside. I see several groups of students at different tables working on some kind of puzzle or game. I come through the door and notice that students are actively struggling through a challenging activity at each station, working together to solve the problem. A few minutes later, the teacher cues them to rotate. They chat about the activity as they change stations.

Educator B: I walk by a classroom and hear a teacher’s voice through the door. I peek in the window. She is using a slide to introduce the start of a group activity. The slide has bulleted directions with a timer in the bottom section. The students are listening attentively. I come into the room and notice that stations are set up with activities at each table. The teacher cues the students to find their assigned groups. Students quietly find their stations and begin the activity, keeping the noise level to a requested two out of five.

Which one of these teachers is doing it “right”?

If you guessed that both educators are doing it “right,” then you would be correct!

Educator A prefers an environment with higher movement, discourse, and productive struggle. Educator B prefers more structure and routine when students are engaging in an activity with a designated noise level.

Both educators are actively engaging students in a way that works for their thinking and processing needs.

The participants in my dissertation study overtly discussed the desire to create active learning in the classroom, avoiding scripted curriculum, and seeking a way to engage students. This makes sense. Neurodivergent educators went through years of schooling, learning and processing differently than teachers might have recognized. Of course they want to find different ways to engage their own students.

However, each of the participants described different ways of encouraging active learning according to their own needs and preferences.

While some participants discussed creating active classrooms, full of movement and noise, others preferred more structured settings and quieter routines. And that’s okay. There is no such thing as a “perfect” way of learning.

While they felt the inclination to engage students in active learning, they expressed worry that their classroom would look different than their peers’. And that’s why we are talking about it now.

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The Research: Active Learning and Student Engagement

In a 2019 study from Harvard, students “felt” that they learned more in a traditional lecture, but they actually learned more when engaging in active learning. There is a misconception that if it is noisy, students are not learning.

One of the participants in my study stated, “If I’m bored, they’re bored,” and I felt that deeply to my core (Osborne, 2025). I found that I often created lessons that kept me just as engaged as my students.

Blackburn (2023) noted that teachers with ADHD utilized their creative thinking and detail-orientedness to create active classrooms built on student interests. Hickman and Brens (2014) stated that teachers with disabilities are “out of the box” thinkers, with Neca et al. (2020) surmising that teachers with disabilities are committed to innovation of teaching and learning.

The participants in my study reflected this research, deviating from scripted curriculum and lessons. They reflected on their propensity to create hands-on activities and project-based learning, prioritizing interaction and student-led activities. But they needed to do so in a way that worked for their learning and teaching style.

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The Systemic Shift: Identifying Educator Strengths

To positively disrupt schools, we revisit the AFFIRM Framework for Building Neuro-Affirming Schools^TM to make sense of the current state and the research to design neuro-affirming schools that work for all minds.

One of the seven AFFIRM principles is Focused on Strengths. We have talked about this before in The Hidden Faculty: Why They Need Us.

A school is a team, and a good coach maximizes the strengths of the members of the team. It only makes sense to recognize the strengths of neurodivergent educators as proponents of active learning and student engagement.

To create Belonging in neuro-affirming schools (one of the three core pillars!), we need to make the systemic shift of identifying educator strengths.

Actionable Practices

• Provide educators the opportunity to identify their classroom strengths at the beginning of the year via a survey, focus group, or PLC meeting. Then look out for these strengths when doing walkthroughs and observations

• Highlight moments of student engagement and active learning during observation feedback opportunities

• Ask educators to lead workshops or sessions focused on active learning and engagement

• Create semesterly peer-observation opportunities for students to observe each other in action

These actionable practices are good for all educators. Recognizing how educators utilize their strengths in the classroom goes a long way in bolstering their sense of belonging and connection.

And when educators feel like they belong and are valued for their strengths, they tend to stay.

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References:

Blackburn, B. (2023). Managing neurodiversity in workplaces. Occupational Medicine, 73, 57-58. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqac142

Hickman, R. & Brens, M. (2014). Art, pedagogy, and dyslexia. International Journal of Art and Design Education 33(3), 335–344. doi:10.1111/jade.12067.

Neca, P., Borges, M.L., Pinto, P.C. (2020). Teachers with disabilities: A literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-19. doi:10.1080/13603116.2020.1776779

Osborne, J. J. (2025). Exploring the experiences of neurodivergent educators in schools [Doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech University].

Thorpe, A. and Burns, E. (2016). Managers’ and teachers’ perspectives of dyslexic Teachers in the English and Finnish Further Education workforce: New insights from organisational routines. Oxford Review of Education, 42(2), 200–213. doi:10.1080/03054985. 2016.1157062.Blackburn, B. (2023). Managing neurodiversity in workplaces. Occupational Medicine, 73, 57-58. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqac142

The Current State

In previous posts, I have written about the importance of systemic shifts to create a neuro-affirming school. These small shifts in practice can make a difference in the culture of a building.

Today, I stumbled upon a neuro-affirming moment during a PLC meeting.

Two of our high school teachers were in the throes of planning an upcoming unit, and I complimented them on their use of a visual poster to delineate where topics would be taught in the unit. I told them that I love the visual planning poster and noted that my brain works differently in that I need a more structured planning document. I love a good Google Doc with all of the lessons and resources hyperlinked in one place; I work very linearly and struggle with colorful visuals in planning.

One of the teachers commented that she is also a linear thinker and prefers a more structured document to plan from, but she recognized that her partner preferred the visual poster to help her organize her planning first. Her partner then commented that because they start with the visual, she goes back to their common structured planning document to note the changes and updates to benefit the other.

I was so impressed that these two teachers worked within their thinking and processing differences to create a planning system that worked for both of them.

Last year, I introduced neurodiversity-affirming productive struggle for students to the staff at my school, a session I later presented at the ASCD/ISTE Annual Conference this past July. During the session, we discussed neurodiversity and how our students need space, belonging, and access for meaningful learning to happen in a classroom.

Sound familiar? Space, belonging, and access are the core pillars of a neuro-affirming school…for both students and educators.

After witnessing today’s meeting with these two teachers, I am so excited to see that we are acknowledging each other’s differences and finding ways to build each other up to be stronger practitioners.

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The Research

In The Hidden Faculty: The Cost of Fitting In, one of the research-based recommendations was to create an Accepting culture by educating and training staff on the core tenets of neurodiversity. The two suggestions presented were to invite guest speakers to educate faculty members and create opportunities for leadership to be trained in neurodiversity-affirming practices to ensure equitable support of educators and students.

Participants in the study noted a need for advocacy for neurodiversity, with one participant stating “there’s not enough understanding, not enough acceptance” (Osborne, 2025). It is difficult to accept differences in thinking and processing without first understanding that neurodiversity exists.

We are all neurodiverse. Some of us are neurodivergent and learn in ways that deviate from neurotypical individuals; however, all the ways of processing and thinking should be celebrated. Neurodiversity is just as biodiversity is.

Neca et al. (2020), in their literature review of teachers with disabilities, noted that advocacy can help reduce misperceptions and minimize negative stereotypes of disability. StEvens (2022) noted that autistic teachers provide an alternative perspective in an advocacy role, with Vogel et al. (2007) stating that understanding the lives of those with a disability can lead to valuable insights.

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The Systemic Shift

The AFFIRM Framework for Building Neuro-Affirming Schools^TM was created on the premise that all schools can be neuro-affirming by incorporating three core pillars and seven affirming principles into their school systems.

Within each of the seven AFFIRM principles are systemic shifts and actionable practices that directly impact an inclusive culture.

Under the core pillar of Belonging and the AFFIRM principle of Accepting, a key systemic shift is neurodiversity education.

Some actionable practices include:

• Inviting guest speakers to educate all staff, and even the community, on neurodiversity

• Create opportunities for staff to share their stories (i.e., neurodiversity panels, teacher-led sessions)

• Educate school leaders on neuro-affirming principles and practices

Tech corporations are already leading this charge by actively training their employees on neurodiversity and actively recruiting a neurodivergent workforce.

Schools are places of learning, and I feel like we are often left behind in changes that shift the culture of other companies. We need to capitalize on our ability to be institutions of learning.

Providing education on neurodiversity is a small shift that can make a big difference.

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References:

Neca, P., Borges, M.L., Pinto, P.C. (2020). Teachers with disabilities: A literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-19. doi:10.1080/13603116.2020.1776779

Osborne, J. J. (2025). Exploring the experiences of neurodivergent educators in schools [Doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech University].

StEvens, C. (2022). The lived experience of autistic teachers: A review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education: 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2022.2041738

The Current State

The first two posts in this series focused on raising awareness of neurodivergent educators in schools.

Part I revealed these educators as a natural presence in schools since 15-20% of the population is considered neurodivergent. It is only logical that neurodivergent educators exist, even though they are talked about so little in research and in policy (Neca et al., 2020).

Part II highlighted part of the reason that this population has remained “hidden,” with participants from my dissertation noting the need to “mask” to fit into a school built for neurotypical minds. This has made supporting neurodivergent educators even more complex, as we are not yet aware of what supports would benefit them the most.

Now that we know neurodivergent educators exist and are a presence in our schools, I want to shift the focus to why we should care about supporting them, and more importantly, why we should care about designing schools where all minds thrive, adults included.

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The Research

One of the most consequential findings in my research is that neurodivergent educators bring a unique perspective and skill set to classrooms, matching the literature on disabilities research that revealed their pedagogical contributions and benefits.

First and foremost, neurodivergent educators accept and embrace differences in students, as they themselves have been students in classrooms where they learned differently. Several participants revealed that they openly advocate for students with challenging behaviors and prefer to listen to a student’s perspective first before jumping to conclusions about behaviors.

One participant noted that they are “unintentionally drawn to students who are neurodivergent.” This echoes Burns and Bell’s (2013) research that noted teachers with disabilities more readily understand students with disabilities, with teachers even feeling more responsible for supporting their development.

Secondly, neurodivergent educators show increased empathy of students, desiring to be transparent, authentic, and open with them. Participants in my study noted that they want to be a role model for students, offering a safe space for students to be themselves. StEvens (2022) echoed this research from autistic teachers who want to be a role model for both autistic and neurotypical students.

Relationship-building also surfaced as an important practice for neurodivergent educators. One participant said they wanted “to see my kids, not just their grades, not just their problems.” Participants felt the need to advocate for students and to advocate for “behavior as communication.” Burns and Bell (2010) echoed this finding that teachers empathize with their students, striving to build relationships as a cornerstone of the classroom.

Beyond connecting with students, neurodivergent educators also naturally differentiate their content, as they themselves learn differently in classrooms. Participants in the study prioritize hands-on learning, exploration, and inquiry and struggle with scripted curriculum and lessons.

One participant emphatically stated, “If I’m bored, they’re bored.” We know from neurodiversity research that neurodivergent adults bring a different skill set to their work, and educators are no different. Khan et al. (2023) noted that neurodivergent individuals are often creative and innovative.

While most participants expressed they are natural differentiators, several participants reflected that they prefer order to chaos, labeling everything in the classroom, instituting scheduled breaks, and dictating movement patterns to protect their own sensory triggers.

The research is clear that neurodivergent educators contribute to classrooms, and it is vital that we continue to shift our schools to embrace the minds of all adults in the building.

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The Systemic Shift

We have previously focused on Acceptance from The AFFIRM Framework for Building Neuro-Affirming Schools^TM

Now, we will move to Focused on Strengths, which means it is our responsibility as leaders to focus on the strengths and contributions of a neurodiverse staff. And remember, neurodiverse is all of us. Neurodivergent are those who deviate from neurotypical patterns of thinking and processing.

A neuro-affirming school recognizes all ways of thinking and learning to build strengths-finding into common systems and practices.

So how do we show that we value the contributions of a neurodivergent staff? It starts with how we observe and support teacher performance.

Evaluations should focus on coaching teachers to be the best versions of themselves. This means recognizing what they do well and not just dinging them for what they miss.

Modifying existing evaluation rubrics is a good first step.

• Show recognition and value of the intangibles (relationship-building, connecting with students, being present at school events). This could mean adding a comment box or a reflective area for teachers to note how they are supporting the social-emotional needs of students.

• Delineate the importance of differentiation by measuring/noting when teachers use flexible seating, intentional movement patterns, visual reminders, and alternative texts/levels for students

• Clearly show that a quiet and orderly classroom is not what administrators always (or ever) want to see when they perform an observation. Many teachers are worried that their classes will be considered “out of control” if we walk into a noisy classroom full of movement. Learning is still happening in those moments, and we need to note what that looks like and why it matters.

• Clarify teaching expectations by ridding the rubric of subjective adjectives. If there are instructional strategies that the entire school is striving to use, then clearly note the success criteria if these strategies are implemented. Clear is kind.

These shifts in how we approach observations and evaluations can help acknowledge the contributions that neurodivergent educators make in the classroom.

We can fix this. By acknowledging the strengths of what educators bring to classrooms, we not only build them up, but we also keep them in classrooms where they benefit our students.

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References:

Burns, E. and Bell, S. (2010). Voices of teachers with dyslexia in Finnish and English further and higher educational settings. Teachers and Teaching, 16(5), 529–543. doi:10. 1080/13540602.2010.507964.

Khan, M.H., Grabarski, M.K., Ali, M., Buckmaster, S. (2023). Insights into creating and managing an inclusive neurodiverse workplace for positive outcomes: A multistaged theoretical framework. Group and Organization Management, 48(5), 1339-1386. DOI: 10.1177/10596011221133583

Neca, P., Borges, M.L., Pinto, P.C. (2020). Teachers with disabilities: A literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-19. doi:10.1080/13603116.2020.1776779

StEvens, C. (2022). The lived experience of autistic teachers: A review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education: 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2022.2041738

The Current State

In Part I of this series, “The Hidden Faculty: We Are Around Here Somewhere,” the emphasis was on first acknowledging and accepting that neurodivergent educators exist. Before we can create neuro-affirming schools that support all ways of thinking and learning, we first need to acknowledge that adults are as neurodivergent as our students are.

Participants in my dissertation study explicitly noted their need to mask, or essentially hide their true selves, to make them feel like “they are a regular adult” or to “protect my own self…so I don’t have a conflict.”

Participants masked their characteristics to avoid negative attention or the social stigma that comes from being neurodivergent.

One participant noted that he had masked for so long that colleagues were surprised when he disclosed that he was autistic after many years of working at the school.

Neurodivergent educators mask in an attempt to fit in, keeping them invisible. While the first step in creating a neuro-affirming school is to acknowledge and accept the presence of neurodivergent educators, the second step is to begin creating environments where masking becomes unnecessary.

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The Research

It is difficult to support a population that stays “hidden” due to feeling a lack of support or acknowledgement of their strengths and contributions. This leads to what is termed “masking.” Dr. Ludmila N. Praslova defines masking as “the act of suppressing or camouflaging neurodivergent traits, behaviors, or needs to fit into a neurotypical workplace culture.”

Dr. Praslova goes on to explain that masking is workplace survival and involves mimicking others’ behaviors in an attempt to fit in and hide natural expressions or sensory challenges.

Bridgette Hamsted, founder of NeuroJustice, defines masking as “the sustained suppression and substitution of your actual neurological presentation for one built to read as neurotypical.”

When neurodivergent educators are constantly trying to be read as neurotypical, they begin to not only lose sight of who they are, but they also lose the opportunity to showcase how their divergent thinking and learning positively contribute to the classroom.

Research from StEvens (2022) notes that autistic teachers remain hidden for fear of bullying and discrimination; however, Neca et al. (2020) note that when teachers with disabilities are acknowledged, they can help defy negative stereotypes to change the conversation on support.

The Systemic Shift

We continue to focus on Accepting from The AFFIRM Framework for Building Neuro-Affirming Schools^TM

Without acceptance, neurodivergent educators will continue to mask to avoid social stigmas related to differences.

One of the core pillars of a neuro-affirming school is relational transparency. Relational transparency is based on clear communication and reciprocal mentorship.

Neurodivergent educators should not have to mask to fit in. When schools are neuro-affirming and difference is celebrated, all stakeholders can communicate in a way that supports and uplifts each other.

The framework rests on the belief that school environments must systemically shift practices to ensure all educators are supported, regardless of how they think and process.

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To help neurodivergent educators unmask, the following practices are recommended:

• Support Systems

  • Create affinity groups for neurodivergent educators to connect and support each other

  • Create a mentorship program to pair neurodivergent educators with experienced mentors to help them navigate the unwritten social norms and expectations in the building

• Education and Training

  • Invite guest speakers to educate faculty members on neurodiversity to create systems of support among the faculty

  • Create opportunities for leadership to become trained in using neurodiversity-affirming practices to ensure equitable treatment and understanding of the needs of all educators

• Clear Communication

  • Ensure communication is clear by putting expectations in writing via regular newsletters or email notices

  • Make use of bullets, bolded words, and checklists in all communication

  • Maintain a faculty handbook that is succinct and explicit, defining all school terms and expectations

These practices are a win-win for schools and leaders, as they ultimately benefit all educators by creating opportunities for clearer communication and connection.

Supporting neurodivergent educators means providing the opportunity for them to unmask and be their true selves.

Get the Playbook: Building a neuroaffirming school culture? Subscribe to receive The Playbook for Designing Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools.

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References:

Neca, P., Borges, M.L., Pinto, P.C. (2020). Teachers with disabilities: A literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-19. doi:10.1080/13603116.2020.1776779

StEvens, C. (2022). The lived experience of autistic teachers: A review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education: 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2022.2041738

The Current State

Neurodivergent educators are “hiding” in plain sight. Even though it is believed that 15-20% of people are neurodivergent, there is a distinct lack of acknowledgement of the presence of these educators in schools.

In my dissertation that explores the experiences of neurodivergent educators, participants spoke of feeling disconnected and ignored simply because of the lack of education and understanding of neurodiversity and of neurodivergent individuals.

Before we can create neuro-affirming schools, we first need to accept that neurodivergent educators exist.

The first step to creating neuro-affirming schools is to acknowledge that there are educators in the building who learn and process differently, and that’s not only okay, but that’s actually an advantage in classrooms and schools.

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The Research

Here is the paradigm shift: neurodivergent educators exist in schools. That’s it.

Before we can make change, we need to come to an understanding that there are adults who learn and process differently in schools.

Researchers have found that teachers with learning disabilities are not acknowledged as an important source of expertise (Ferri et al., 2005).

In a comprehensive literature review of teachers with disabilities, Neca et al. (2020) noted that there is a lack of recognition of what these teachers bring to schools.

Because of the lack of research on neurodivergent educators, there is a gap in understanding of who these educators are and what they might need for support.

Without an understanding of this population, we are unable to create the policies and practices that are needed for teacher inclusion.

The Systemic Shift

The AFFIRM Framework for Building Neuro-Affirming Schools^TM starts with Accepting.

Acknowledging and accepting the presence and value of neurodivergent educators is essential to the design of a neuro-affirming school.

This framework rests on the premise that schools operate as they operate and sustainable change does not have to be an overhaul of current systems.

To support neurodivergent educators, we need to redesign and rethink current spaces and policies for the benefit of all educators.

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In the spirit of simplicity, here are a few suggestions to acknowledge and accept the presence of neurodivergent educators in schools:

• Neurodiversity Training

  • Invite guest speakers to educate all staff on neurodiversity and how neurodivergence benefits the school environment (Barnett, 2020)

  • When more staff members understand neurodiversity, they are more likely to exercise understanding when working with students and other educators

• Safe Spaces

  • Create physical and cognitive spaces for neurodivergent educators to ask for support

  • Maintain an open door policy for conversations or create staff surveys that ask for the communication preferences of staff members

  • Design spaces where educators can escape the sensory overload of the school building

  • When there are safe spaces for expression, communication, and being, there is more likely to be understanding.

• Affinity Groups

  • Create school-based groups that appeal to a wide variety of demographics to ensure all educators feel like they belong

  • This creates an opportunity to find mentors and colleagues for open-minded conversation and connection

This redesign is a cultural shift in thinking and will take some time to develop, and the success of these practices is highly dependent on the relationships in the building.

Do staff members feel comfortable asking for support? That’s the first step that leaders must take to support any educator.

If staff members do not feel like they have a space or that they belong, they will likely remain “hidden” in plain sight.

The first step to creating neuro-affirming schools is to acknowledge and accept the presence of neurodivergent educators.

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References:

Barnett, R.M. (2020). Leading with meaning: Why diversity, equity and inclusion matters in US higher education. Perspectives in Education,38(2), 20-35. http://dx.doi. org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v38. i2.02

Ferri, B.A., Connor, D.J., Solis, S., Valle, J., & Volpitta, D. (2005). Teachers with LD: Ongoing negotiations with discourses of disability. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38(1), 62–78.

Neca, P., Borges, M.L., Pinto, P.C. (2020). Teachers with disabilities: A literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-19. doi:10.1080/13603116.2020.1776779

It is widely believed that 15-20% of the population is neurodivergent, which means nearly 1 in 5 Americans, or roughly 60 million people, are considered neurodivergent.

While it is logical to assume that there are educators in schools who are neurodivergent, this population seems to be “hidden.” There is a distinct lack of research and even more distinct lack of school policies around teacher inclusion.

While the movement to support neurodivergent students continues to gain ground, the adults that teach these students have been largely ignored.

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Understanding Neurodiversity

The term “neurodiversity” was coined in the 1990s by Australian sociologist Judith Singer, and is defined as a subset of biodiversity, or the fact that all humans have a “unique nervous system with a unique combination of abilities and needs.”

Neurodiversity is considered a social movement that “seeks civil rights, equality, respect, and inclusion for all neurodivergent people.”

There has been some confusion about the terms in neurodiversity, especially the interchanging of the words neurodiverse and neurodivergent, so they are further defined below:

• Neurodiverse- a group of both neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals; we are ALL neurodiverse; schools are neurodiverse

• Neurodivergent- an individual whose brain processes and learns differently than what is considered “typical” (i.e., Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc.)

• Neurodiversity-Affirming- an environment that acknowledges, accepts, and values neurodivergent individuals

A Need for Systems

After finishing my dissertation research on the experiences of neurodivergent educators, I have continued to reflect on how we can create environments that support these educators. As a systems-oriented person and current school leader, I have tried to balance the need with the reality.

School leaders are incredibly bogged down with a multitude of duties, which means we basically run around and put out fires all day while trying to support teachers, analyze data, and communicate with families, among many other responsibilities.

Administrators do not need one more thing. What administrators do need are systems. More importantly, systems that are easy to implement and sustain.

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The Curb-Cut Effect

Since neurodiversity is a natural variation in how human brains work, it is our responsibility to ensure that environments are open and accepting of all minds. For students, we create sensory-friendly spaces and use frameworks such as the Universal Design for Learning to ensure equitable access to the school environment.

For adults, we expect educators to perform the same work in the same way at the same time. This is the rub when it comes to creating neuro-affirming schools. And this is when something called the curb-cut effect comes into play.

The “curb-cut effect” originated when Michael Pachovas and a few friends created a ramp on a curb to access a sidewalk with their wheelchairs. Despite police threatening to arrest them for pouring concrete on a curb, this sparked activism that resulted in the first “curb cut” on Telegraph Avenue in California in 1972.

Curb cuts created an interesting phenomenon. As Angela Glover Blackwell writes, “when the wall of exclusion came down, everyone benefited…parents pushing strollers…workers pushing heavy carts…[and] travelers wheeling luggage.”

In schools, there is an idea that we must treat teachers all the same–equality over equity. Blackwell states this very well: “there’s an ingrained societal suspicion that intentionally supporting one group hurts another.”

If we design special systems to support neurodivergent educators, how would that be fair to the rest of the staff? This is where the opportunity lies.

The Opportunity

How do we create environments that support neurodivergent educators while also benefiting all educators through sustainable systems?

The bottom line is that these educators exist in schools, and we need to support them just as we support our neurodivergent students.

Perhaps the best way to support neurodivergent educators is to support all educators by redesigning the school environment for all minds.

The Framework

Without further ado, here is the AFFIRM Framework for Building Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools.^TM

This framework is largely based on the data from the participants in my dissertation research, which was largely informed by empirical research on teachers with disabilities, the psychological needs of self-determination theory, and the tenets of neurodiversity.

This framework rests on three core pillars that address what all educators need:

• Sensory Autonomy (Space): Educators need a physical and cognitive environment that works for their sensory needs (i.e., duty spaces, written and explicit expectations)

• Relational Transparency (Belonging): Educators need clear communication channels and reciprocal mentorship.

• Systemic Equity (Access): Educators need access to the profession through the hiring/onboarding/retention processes.

Residing within these core pillars are the AFFIRMing practices that schools exhibit when creating a neuro-affirming environment. Notice that these practices are simplistic in nature, but powerful in implementation.

As we navigate through the research on neurodivergent educators, we will continue to visit this framework as a lens for creating sustainable systems that benefit all educators.

Ultimately, the mission of Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools is to help school leaders empower ALL educators by designing environments where neurodivergent educators thrive.

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Recommended Reading:

• Welcome to the Neuro-AFFIRMing School Community

• Teacher Inclusion in DEI Initiatives

• Write for Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools on Medium

Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools empowers the voices of neurodivergent educators. We are specifically looking for stories that shed light on the experiences of neurodivergent educators in schools — the highs, the lows, and the in-betweens.

Submission Guidelines

To submit a story to Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools, please create a Medium account. Once an account is created, start writing, follow the publication on Medium, and then submit the story!

Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools on Medium

The publication on Medium is focused on sharing the stories of neurodivergent educators and leaders in the field. To submit a story, please follow the publication and then click the three dots in your story to submit.

I will review each submission, make minor tweaks when necessary (i.e. add a subtitle, add the Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools call to action, and correct any major grammatical errors). If there are major edits, I will leave a note with details.

Please don’t forget to add an image, which increases the visibility of your story on the publication home page.

Bonus!

Each week, I will compile a list of stories from the publication and send them out to the community via the weekly newsletter to help highlight your story.

Submissions Checklist

Please review the following requirements to increase the likelihood of acceptance:

• Format: The title should be in title case, and the subtitle should be in sentence case.

• Format: Embed at least one photo and provide credit in the caption.

• Add appropriate tags (i.e., neurodiversity, neurodivergent educators, neurodivergence, teaching, education)

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About the Editor:

My name is Dr. Jennifer Osborne, and I am a neurodivergent educator and school leader. I wrote a dissertation about the experiences of neurodivergent educators in U.S. schools. This dissertation joins the small, but emerging, field of teacher inclusion.

To read more about my experience, research, and presentations, please visit my professional website at Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools.

About the Neuro-AFFIRMing Community:

After years of doing this research behind the scenes, I am excited to share ideas and insights that will bridge the gap between research and practice.

Subscribe to receive a weekly newsletter that will tackle both my dissertation findings and emerging research from the field.

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Each week, I will navigate the experiences of neurodivergent educators through the lens of:

• The Current State- or, whew, what is happening here

• The Paradigm Shift-- or, lock in, research and reframing for neuro-inclusion

• The Redesign- or, hey, what do we do next?

Join the Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools Community!

Subscribe to receive weekly research and insights for the neurodivergent educator community and the school leaders and staff who support them.

Note: This article was originally published in 2023 on Medium. I wasn’t kidding when I said I have been researching neurodivergent educators for several years! Take a look and let me know what you think.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are becoming more common in educational institutions. McKinsey & Company refers to DEI as the inclusion and fair treatment of all people regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, and neurodiversity. Research has shown that employees are more engaged when they feel a sense of belonging in the workplace.

Additionally, moving beyond an inventory of diversity to a systematic approach to inclusion is essential to ensuring meaningful change in how we accept and appreciate diversity in the workplace.

While corporations are seeking to embrace neurodivergent individuals as part of the workforce, educational institutions are woefully behind in the inclusion of neurodivergent educators.

To further create deep structural change, DEI policies should be implemented that directly address neurodivergent educators as welcome and accepted members of the educational workforce.

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Neurodivergent educators are an under-researched and misunderstood population of existing educators, so much so, that almost all research is centered on teachers with disabilities. The neurodiversity movement is rather recent, originally coined by Judy Singer in 1998, as a way to replace the deficit-based approaches to disabilities. Neurodiversity includes conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), dyscalculia, and dyslexia, to name a few, and acknowledges individual differences in function and traits as a “normal variation of the human population.”

Estimates reveal that 15–20% of the population are neurodivergent, which means that in all likelihood, there are neurodivergent educators teaching in schools today.

However, there is a distinct lack of research about teachers with disabilities, which then detracts from the opportunity to support and appreciate the unique perspectives and value they bring to students and schools. There is a perception that teachers must be “faultless”, and there is a real fear to disclose disabilities to avoid ridicule and/or misunderstanding.

Despite a fear of disclosure, research has shown that the perspective and knowledge that teachers with disabilities contribute play an “important role in enhancing academic, social, and emotional outcomes for these youngsters.” Ensuring that neurodivergent educators, and therefore teachers with disabilities, are supported in schools means targeting specific DEI initiatives to ensure inclusion.

There are a few pathways to teacher inclusion through DEI that school administrators and district leaders can utilize. First, school districts can collect data on the population of neurodivergent educators by creating a welcoming environment that supports neurodiversity. This means creating forums or open spaces for teachers to collect and discuss learning differences in a safe manner.

Although educators are not required to divulge a disability or learning difference, districts that create collaborative spaces and/or anonymous forms to discuss neurodiversity have a higher likelihood of identifying ways to create support mechanisms.

Second, school districts can invite experts to discuss neurodiversity for both students and teachers. When neurodivergent educators and their impact on students are discussed as a benefit and not a detriment to students, then educators can interact with their colleagues without fear of dismissal or ridicule once more awareness is raised by neurodiversity experts.

Last, but certainly not least, district leaders can deliberately include language on neurodivergent educators in DEI statements and initiatives. Much focus is made on students with disabilities, but there is a lack of recognition that adults are neurodivergent and exist inside schools. Redefining “normal” can ensure schools are more productive citizens of a world where neurodiversity exists.

Upcoming series: “The Hidden Faculty: Wait, What Is a Neurodivergent Educator?” This series will cover:

• The Hidden Faculty : We Are Around Here Somewhere

• The Hidden Faculty: The Cost of Fitting In (And Staying Invisible)

• The Hidden Faculty: Why They Need Us

Get the Playbook: Building a neuroaffirming school culture? Subscribe to receive The Playbook for Designing Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools.

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Hi! My name is Dr. Jennifer Osborne, and I am a neurodivergent educator and school leader. I wrote a dissertation about the experiences of neurodivergent educators in U.S. schools.

I am ready to share what I have learned, along with research and insights as the community continues to evolve. Join me!

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Why Join the Community

After years of doing this research behind the scenes, I am excited to share ideas and insights that will bridge the gap between research and practice.

This community is for neurodivergent educators, but it is also for anyone in a school looking to create a space where everyone belongs.

This is a community where we can all learn and take action together.

Community Membership Tiers

Free Subscriber Benefits

• Weekly newsletter posts delivered directly to your inbox

  • The Current State- or, whew, what is happening here

  • The Research- or, lock in, research and reframing for neuro-inclusion

  • The Shift- or, hey, what do we do next?

• Full access to public commenting and community discussions

• A complimentary digital copy of The Playbook for Designing Neuro-AFFIRMing Schools sent directly to your inbox.

Paid Subscriber Benefits

• Fund Open-Access Research: Your support ensures my core dissertation work remains completely free and accessible to all educators

• Badge recognition as a supporting member in community discussions

Founding Member Benefits

• Champion-level support for neuroaffirming educational research

• Your name listed in future book and guidebook acknowledgements

Why Neurodivergent Educators?

Throughout my dissertation work and interviews with participants, I was continuously surprised, and slightly appalled, that there was such little research on the neurodivergent educator community.

I happened into this field quite accidentally. I was researching a paper for a class about supporting students with disabilities and came across a few articles about teachers with disabilities.

After going down the rabbit hole of the little research that existed about teachers with disabilities, I discovered a literature review by Neca et al. (2020) that analyzed 53 articles (that’s not many!) uncovering themes and insights about their:

• career/life trajectories

• strengths and challenges in the classroom

• professional training

• pedagogical perspectives

Then, I distinctly remember saying to my husband, what about neurodivergent teachers? If 15-20% of the population is neurodivergent, surely there must be more of us in schools than we realize? How come no one is talking about neurodivergent teachers?

This was back in 2022, and the only research I could find were a few studies about autistic teachers and this book about learning from autistic teachers. To top it off, most of the studies I read were from non-U.S. countries.

While research was emerging, there was still a dearth of information about neurodivergent educators as a population deserving of acknowledgement and acceptance.

My dissertation was born!

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Why Me?

I have been an educator since 2005, entering the classroom at the ripe old age of 22, attempting to convince the 9th and 11th graders in my English class that I was in fact 30 and very experienced at teaching (Ha! 30 used to feel old).

I learned a lot and found ways to fit in, but there were times when I felt disconnected both from my peers and the system.

In the end, I decided I needed a challenge and wanted to travel, so I took a job at an international school in South Korea to do some adventuring.

This was a pivotal move in my career, resulting in a decade of teaching at international schools across Asia. I loved exploring new countries and learning new systems at different schools.

Turns out, my brain never shut off, and I craved adventure and constant cultural stimulation.

I didn’t consider myself neurodivergent at the time, but I always did feel disconnected in the school environments where I taught. I would often find “my people” and stay in my circle.

I took a job as a learning support teacher and quickly realized that I thought like my students. Their struggles and challenges were my struggles and challenges.

Wait a second. How did my brain work? Why do I feel like they do?

Over the years, I grew less afraid of stepping outside of the box and taking on leadership opportunities, mostly because I was hyper-organized and detail-oriented with a an ability to hyperfocus on tasks for hours at a time…and frankly, thought I could do leadership better.

Entering school leadership, I realized that not everyone has a race car brain that never stops or a compulsive need for everything to be perfect, logical, systematic, and meaningful.

I got in trouble for advocating too hard for students and for forgetting to turn my filter on.

However, I know I am a good educator. I know how to break down information for students to understand. I am an advocate for students that learn differently and can differentiate material naturally and quickly.

So here I am. Naturally, I had to do all the research before I felt comfortable speaking out and advocating for neurodivergent educators.

But I have learned and applied, and I am excited to bring together a community that contains a multitude of gifts that transform our schools.

It’s not always easy. There are certainly plenty of challenges with having a brain that works differently, but if being an educator is the right fit and the right calling (and it’s not always the right fit despite being neurodivergent or not), then we deserve to be recognized for what we bring to the table.

First, we will kick off with the series, “The Hidden Faculty: Wait, What Is a Neurodivergent Educator?” This series will cover:

• The Hidden Faculty : We Are Around Here Somewhere

• The Hidden Faculty: The Cost of Fitting In (And Staying Invisible)

• The Hidden Faculty: Why They Need Us

Hit the subscribe button and let’s learn together!

Subscribe now

References:

Neca, P., Borges, M.L., Pinto, P.C. (2020). Teachers with disabilities: A literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-19. DOI: 10.1080/13603116.2020.1776779

Osborne, J. (2025). Exploring the experiences of neurodivergent educators in schools. [Doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech]. TTU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/items/f55ce04d-b6f0-4bc3-ae65-321332b640a6