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Neurodiversity 101: Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD, Executive Function, and Beyond!

New class
Ages 12-15
Self-Paced Course
In this unique self-paced course, taught by a physician and neurodiversity advocate, students are empowered to understand diverse brain wiring as a benefit to our species through lessons, a trait inventory, and journaling.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(501 reviews)
Star Educator
Popular

11 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content

Enroll Now, Start Anytime

Go at your own pace
Your learner can start learning when they want and progress at the speed that works best for them.
Start when you want.
Learn at your own pace
Access course material for a full year.
Get hands-on support from teacher.

What's included

11 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks
of teacher support
1 year access
to the content
Homework
1-2 hours per week. Students will complete journaling pages and reflection questions for each lesson. These are expected to be done at a level appropriate to the age, understanding, and verbal abilities of the specific student.
Assessment
If a student needs a written assessment of their work during the course, they should make sure to complete all assignments and answer all questions thoughtfully. If a student merely completes the course without showing significant effort, you can get a certificate of completion. But if a student demonstrates effort and intellectual development during the course, I'm happy to write a one paragraph assessment.
Certificate of Completion
included

Class Experience

👉 Unlock the World of Neurodiversity: Your Comprehensive Guide

🎓 Discover Your Unique Brain Wiring with a Neurodiversity Advocate

Have you ever wondered why people think and experience the world differently? Are you curious about the strengths and variations of the human brain? Do you want to understand yourself and others on a deeper level.

Embark on a transformative journey into the heart of neurodiversity with this course. 
Go beyond surface-level understanding and dive deep into the fascinating world of diverse brain wiring, gaining invaluable insights into yourself and others.

▶▶ Every lesson has a video from me explaining the topic in detail!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A note about suggested age range: The reason I set the age range as I did is because I'm not working through the information in the same way I usually do in my classes for middle-grade students, in which I scaffold each step.  I simply deliver the information in my usual clear style. If you have younger students taking this course, I'd recommend watching the lessons with them and then discussing in more detail to make sure they understand the nuances.


❓ Will This Help Me Diagnose or Treat Anything? ❓

👉👉👉This course does not diagnose or treat any condition. The focus is on the neuroanatomy of neurodiversity and the evolutionary advantages to having a diverse mix of neurotypes in the gene pool!  For any diagnosis or treatment you need to see your own medical and mental health care providers.


❓ Why Learn from a Neurodiversity Advocate and Physician? ❓

🎉 This course will demystify neurodiversity and empower you with knowledge, taught by a family physician and neurodiversity advocate!

🎉 You'll gain invaluable insights into yourself and others and learn how to create a more inclusive world.


As a physician and neurodiversity advocate, I can approach the subject with a unique blend of scientific knowledge and personal understanding. I can teach you how to think critically about neurodiversity, moving beyond stereotypes and embracing the complexity of human cognition. This gives you a solid foundation for building more knowledge and fostering a more inclusive mindset. The goal of this course has nothing to do with diagnosis or treatment.  It's about true understanding.

✅ Diverse Perspectives: Explore the full spectrum of neurodiversity, from well-known conditions to the broader understanding of diverse brain traits.
✅ Self-Reflection: Throughout the course you'll be using a specially designed journal to explore your own thoughts, beliefs, and experiences related to neurodiversity. I also provide a packet of traits covered in the course so you can work through those along with the lessons.
✅ Empowering Science: Learn how neurodiversity contributes to our species' strength and survival, and gain insight into the complex connections between different neurodiverse traits.
✅ Expert Guidance: Benefit from my extensive experience and personal insights, gaining a deeper understanding of a variety of aspects of neurodiversity.


❓ What to Expect from this Course ❓

For each lesson you will:

✅ Watch recorded in-depth lessons from me (varying lengths, information available in the syllabus)
✅ Compare what you've learned with the inventory of 46 traits that exist on a spectrum in order to think about how complex and varied neurodiversity really is.
✅ Engage with journaling prompts (one page of questions per lesson plus extra space for additional reflection, if needed) 
✅ Share one insight from your journal for each lesson (it's otherwise private unless you choose to share)
✅ Review key concepts and strategies (not in enough detail to actually use the strategies but for purely educational purposes)
✅ Understand more about neurodiversity-affirming attitudes to wiring differences

By the end of the course, you'll understand that you are actually part of a global neurodiversity-affirming community, where understanding and acceptance thrive.

This course isn't just about information; it's about empowering you to understand, embrace, and celebrate the beautiful diversity of the human brain.

Take the next step in your neurodiversity journey. Enroll in Neurodiversity 101 today!

🥼👩‍⚕️🩺 Important: While I am a physician, nothing here is medical advice.  In fact, I specifically focus on the fact that neurodiversity goes beyond a any particular diagnosis and is actually a broader concept.  I do encourage students to see their own mental and medical health providers when topics related to that come up and do make sure to say that there are treatments available for any troublesome issues.

Learning Goals

Define Neurodiversity: Learners will be able to define neurodiversity as a broad spectrum of brain variations.
Analyze the Scientific Basis of Neurodiversity: Learners will be able to explain the scientific concepts behind neurodiversity, including the evolutionary advantages of diverse brain wiring.

Syllabus

Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
11 Lessons
over 5 Weeks
Lesson 1:
What Is Neurodiversity?
 Neurodiversity is a natural variation in brain wiring, encompassing diverse cognitive strengths and challenges, and understanding it involves recognizing that different brains function differently, contributing to a resilient and adaptable society. With this lesson, you will receive a downloadable journal that you will use throughout the course. (lesson length 5:57 + journal) 
1 assignment
6 mins of video lessons
Lesson 2:
Understanding Neurodiversity
 Neurodiversity arises from varied brain wiring, not isolated diagnoses, with traits existing on a spectrum; understanding these separate traits allows for a broader view of neurodiversity. After watching this lesson, you will explore a packet of 46 different traits that each exist on a spectrum.  You will be using this packet throughout the course. (lesson length 5:18 + journal + traits) 
1 assignment
5 mins of video lessons
Lesson 3:
What is Executive Function?
 Executive function encompasses skills like planning, memory, and self-regulation, varying naturally among individuals; everyone benefits from using strategies to support their executive function, allowing for efficient focus on complex tasks. (lesson length 6:55 + journal + traits) 
2 assignments
7 mins of video lessons
Lesson 4:
Your Eight Senses
 Humans have eight senses with distinct sensory organs, neural pathways, and brain processing areas: sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, interoception (internal sensations), vestibular sense (balance), and proprioception (body position). (lesson length 8:45 + journal + traits) 
2 assignments
9 mins of video lessons

Other Details

Learning Needs
This class is meant for anyone, including students who are neurodivergent, to come to a better understanding of neurodiversity. Please contact me for any accommodations or additional support your learner might need.
Parental Guidance
Nothing in this class will be or is intended to be medical advice. This is merely educational in nature and will be a surface-level overview. Your student will not be coming out of this class knowing anything about how to diagnose or treat these conditions and we will not be discussing any personal medical questions/needs. Students should come with general questions about the topic.
Pre-Requisites
In the lessons, I am sitting and talking to students. Each lesson is concise but it's meant to be approached thoughtfully rather than with a lot of whizz-bang to try to keep a learner's attention. That said, it is appropriate for any age.
Supply List
I provide two printable resources that could alternatively be uploaded into an app for pdf editing.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Meet the teacher

Joined November, 2020
4.9
501reviews
Star Educator
Popular
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Doctoral Degree from Unviersity of Colorado School of Medicine
Bachelor's Degree in Science from University of Denver
As a family physician with a decade in private practice, I love teaching young people about how their bodies work.  I believe that people who understand their bodies will take better care of them.  I've now taught almost 3000 learners on Outschool and love spending my time with young people!

This course has been a delight to create because I have spent many years caring for neurodiverse patients, consulting with neurodiverse families, and teaching about neurodiversity at the medical school where I was adjunct faculty and am now a guest lecturer. 

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