Neuro-Diversity

What terminology do you use to describe a mentally disabled person? In the age of political correctness, we are sometimes afraid to refer to anyone using a "label." Even in education, I know teachers who do not want to know the diagnosis of a child because they think it may cause them to become biased towards what a student can accomplish. It is very important to know the diagnosis, because "diagnosis determines treatment.

Regardless of the diagnosis, I choose to embrace the concept of Neuro-Diversity as a conceptual framework. The focus then does not become so much about the disability, as discovering where the students intelligence resides.

One of my students has multiple learning disabilities, yet she is an incredible artist. Another of my students had a traumatic brain injury, yet he has a great sense of humor.

We are all neuro-diverse. Although we all have our limitations, we have strengths. Sometimes how we think about ourselves prevents us from using our gifts. We are afraid to fail as well as succeed. Gifts need to be nurtured to grow. We must use them, or "we will lose them."

What are your gifts that you are not using? Why? Find your gift or intelligence, nurture it, and you will be all the you were meant to be!