News

Did you know that, like fingerprints, the human brain is so uniquely complex that no brain is exactly the same? This month, we join in celebrating neurodiversity, a term that emerged in the 1990s as part of a movement to “increase acceptance and inclusion of all people while embracing neurological differences.” Harvard Health Publishing Mind and Mood “What is Neurodiversity?” 11/23/2021

Neurodiversity embraces the ideas that each of us experiences, learns, and interacts with the world around us in different ways and that there is no one “right” way of thinking, learning, and behavior. Some of the different ways of thinking, learning, and interacting that have been given labels include Autism (ASD), ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Social Anxiety Disorder.  

Just like other human variations, differences in our brains make for a more beautiful and interesting world. Thinking “outside the box” is a hallmark of the neurodivergent brain, and many people who have made significant contributions to our world are neurodivergent. The climate change activist Greta Thunberg is autistic and has ADHD. Albert Einstein had dyslexia. As journalist Harvey Blume states, “Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general. Who can say what form of wiring will prove best at any given moment?”

Neurodiversity brings strengths as well as challenges. At Springmont, we support neurodiversity through multisensory learning, prepared environments, and individualized learning in a collaborative framework, as well as through specialized instruction in our Plus program and a wide variety of experiences in nature. As we celebrate this April, let’s support each other with kindness, patience, and understanding, knowing that while we each think, learn, and experience life differently, like the flowers that bloom across our campus, we are each a beautiful part of our community.

“We have a duty to focus
On the road before us-
To dream of the destination
But never forget
To Delight in the Drive.”            
-Morgan Harper Nichols