Creating Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools
Creating Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools
Podcast Description
Dive into the transformational ideas from the book Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and Supported, with the Creating Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools podcast. Perfect for book clubs, professional learning communities, or individual listeners, this podcast breaks down each chapter into actionable discussions. Hosted by the authors of the book Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools, Emily Kircher-Morris and Amanda Morin will help you shift mindsets, implement inclusive strategies, and foster environments where every student feels accepted. Join the journey to reshape education and embrace the strengths of all learners.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of neurodiversity in education, including masking and authenticity, Universal Design for Learning, ableism, empathy, learner variability, and building inclusive classrooms. Episodes provide deep dives into topics such as the effects of camouflaging on neurodivergent students, practical UDL strategies that benefit all learners, and ways to dismantle ableism in school systems, providing specific insights for educators to implement.
Dive into the transformational ideas from the book Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and Supported, with the Creating Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools podcast. Perfect for book clubs, professional learning communities, or individual listeners, this podcast breaks down each chapter into actionable discussions. Hosted by the authors of the book Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools, Emily Kircher-Morris and Amanda Morin will help you shift mindsets, implement inclusive strategies, and foster environments where every student feels accepted. Join the journey to reshape education and embrace the strengths of all learners.
In this episode of Creating Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools, Emily Kircher-Morris and Amanda Morin explore the intersection of mental health and neurodivergence. They reflect on how unmet needs and unsupportive environments can lead to anxiety, depression, and school avoidance—and how affirming approaches can foster resilience and well-being.
They’re joined by Dr. Andrew Kahn, licensed psychologist and Associate Director of Expertise and Strategic Design at Understood.org. Drawing from both his professional experience and personal neurodivergent identity, Dr. Kahn shares insight into how school systems can better support students’ mental health through systemic changes, not just individual interventions.
Key topics include:
How unsupported ADHD and autism can manifest as anxiety and depression
The impact of school environments on neurodivergent students’ mental health
Differentiating between mental health conditions and neurodivergent identities
Why Universal Design for Learning (UDL) benefits all students
Strategies for building self-awareness and self-advocacy skills
How clinicians and educators can collaborate to support student well-being
Resources mentioned:
Dr. Andrew Kahn – Understood.org
Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools online courses – Learn more here
Amanda Morin & Emily Kircher-Morris’s book: Creating Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools
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