Pedagogical homes in education are possible, and needed
As I reflect on my recent lecture at the University of Southern California’s John Brooks Slaughter Leadership in Engineering DEI Summit, sharing my vision for ‘pedagogical homes’ as ecosystems celebrating neurocognitive diversity amongst everyone on campus, a recent article further unpacks the vital role such spaces can play for teachers. A ‘pedagogical home’ offers the chance for renewal by bringing teachers together, away from the bureaucracy and systemic constraints we navigate daily, to reimagine and co-construct the schools we know students deserve. My talk at USC centred ways embracing the strengths and passions of neurodivergent minds in the classroom benefits all learners. The article’s exploration of ‘pedagogical homes’ aligns with that ethos - understanding that our own fulfillment as education professionals relies first on carving spaces where our identities and talents are embraced rather than inhibited. When our cups are full, we can pour into students most effectively. What unfolds when teachers congregate not haphazardly but with shared conviction that another reality is possible?
What is a pedagogical home?
At the core of this ‘pedagogical home’ is the belief that the innate talents and passionate interests of neurodivergent educators represent indispensable assets in the classroom. Instead of forcing professionals into cookie-cutter molds of teaching, this space provides opportunities to translate unique strengths into powerful modes of connection and learning.
In this collaborative ecosystem guided by the principle of “radical respect” for all cognitive wiring, neurodivergent educators gain the freedom to showcase our capacities for hyper-focus in designing hands-on lessons tailored to student passions. Our sensory differences lend a profound empathy in adapting physical environments to be more accessible. Intense interests yield thematic units bridging interdisciplinary concepts in a graspable holistic narrative. Far from being “quirks” needing correction, such distinctive gifts flourish as superpowers for catalysing student growth.
Equally vital, neurodivergent educators can find sustenance by coming together to support one another’s journeys, exchanging insights on effective practices grounded in living authentically. Beyond merely venting shared frustrations, rich dialogue can serve to expand solutions and co-creatively reimagine more flexible, identity-affirming institutions. In feeling genuinely seen, heard, and valued by peers intimately relating to our experiences, isolation dissolves into solidarity.
Such a fertile collaborative landscape can empower educators in crafting the schools they envision for their students by first securing that liberatory space for themselves. By incubating pedagogies embracing rather than erasing neurological differences, next generations inherit more capacious norms where all minds can unfold free from the harms of conformity. The roots of systemic change emerge one neurodiverse educator at a time as we collectively transform our profession into a true vocation.
Windows and mirrors
The familiar adage in education advocating for diverse books as both “windows and mirrors” for students applies no less for faculty. Neurodivergent teachers equally benefit from seeing our experiences mirrored back to validate our distinctive identities. We too feel empowered witnessing peers traverse obstacles limiting conventional career paths yet still ascending to influential roles. Our students are not the only ones needing to believe in their highest potential.
Equally vital are window perspectives from mentors whose trails we follow in taking pride publicly in how our brains are wired. Connecting in community with neurodivergent teachers shaping their institutions whilst staying true to their nature fuels conviction that we need not mask differences to belong. Their vulnerably shared insights equip us in translating passions into pedagogies that spark inspiration rather than induce anxiety in learners like us. The ‘windows and mirrors’ they embody reinforce our sense of worth when systems still default to deficit views.
Policy focusing extensive attention on recruiting and developing neurodivergent teacher talent must also invest in retaining these professionals. Cultivating ecosystems where we feel seen, nurtured, and able to spend our differentiation as strengths will increase retention more than token accommodations granted begrudgingly. Helping unique minds identify growth areas through mentorship so we can lead with gifts empowers sticking with institutions rather than burning out from masking. The ‘windows and mirrors’ supporting students to embrace their full humanity must first be afforded their teachers.