Image via WikipediaApparently, he was waiting in the checkout line at one of the big-box stores and people were a bit grumpy. Until they reached the checkout counter, that is. Then they started to smile. When it came to his turn at checkout, he understood why. There was a little sign near the cashier that said:
"I was made with love. Please treat me accordingly."
Maybe what we need to look at neurodiversity through a different lens:
The
concept of neurodiversity is timely in that it respects recent research
suggesting that what we call disabilities exist on a continuum with
normal behavior. [9]
But instead of viewing Ratey's "half-empty glass" (more people are
disabled than we previously thought), it takes a "half-full" glass
perspective (individuals with"disability labels"are more closely linked
to "normal" people than we thought). It also gives us a context for
understanding why we are so frequently delighted with Calvin's ADHD
behavior in "Calvin & Hobbes" in the comics, amused by Tony
Shalhoub's OCD super-detective "Monk" on television, and inspired by
Russell Crowe's performance as Nobel-Prize winner/schizophrenic John
Nash in the movie "A Brilliant Mind."
The
use of the term neurodiversity is not an attempt to whitewash the
suffering undergone by neurodiverse people, nor to romanticize what many
still consider terrible afflictions (see Peter Kramer's attack on
so-called romanticizers of depression). [10]
Rather, its use seeks to acknowledge the richness and complexity of
human nature, and specifically, of the human brain. The more we study
the brain, the more we understand that it functions, not like a
computer, but more like a rainforest (see Gerald Edelman's work in this
regard). [11]
The "brainforest," in fact, may serve as an excellent metaphor to use
in the neurodiversity field to talk about how the brain responds to
trauma by redirecting neurological pathways, and how genetic "flaws" may
bring with them advantages as well disadvantages. Disorders such as
autism, ADHD, bipolar depression, schizophrenia, and dyslexia have been
in the gene pool for a long time. There must be a reason why they're
still there. The work of evolutionary psychobiologists and evolutionary
psychologists represent a key component in exploring this fascinating
question.
The
implications for special education are enormous. Instead of wallowing
in the current "disability discourse," both regular and special
educators have an opportunity to step "out of the box" and embrace an
entirely new trend in thinking about human diversity. Rather than
putting kids into separate disability categories and using outmoded
tools and language to work with these students, a perspective based on
neurodiversity invites educators to utilize tools and language from the
ecology movement as a key to helping kids succeed in the classroom. If
we apply the same kind of diversity model to children as we do to the
flora of the world, then we should be in much better shape than we are
now.
Consider
the issue of inclusion in education. Regular classroom teachers are far
more likely to want a "rare and beautiful flower" or "an interesting
and strange orchid" included in their classroom than a "broken" or
"damaged" child. The use of ecological metaphors suggests an approach to
teaching as well. Individual species of flowers have specific
environmental needs regarding sun, water, soil conditions, and so forth.
Similarly, neurodiverse children will be seen as having their own
differing ecological thriving factors, and it will be a key role for a
neurodiversity specialist to understand each child's unique needs for
optimal growth. The goal will not be to try and "cure" "fix" "repair"
"remediate" or even "ameliorate" a child's "disability." In this old
model, such kids are made either to approximate the norm (especially for
national accountability tests), or helped to cope with their
disabilities as best they can (the phrase "she can learn to have a
successful and productive life despite her disability" comes to mind
here).
In the new model, there is no norm. [12]
Rather, the neurodiversity-based educator will have a deep respect for
each child's differences and seek ways to bring together an optimal
joining of nature and nurture, finding the best ecological niche for
each child where his assets are maximized and his debits are minimized.
This, of course, represents an enormous challenge for public schools,
since they are not known for their flexibility in creating a variety of
learning eco-systems. [13]
Hopefully, schools will be forced to change by the sheer variety and
force of their student population's neurological organization.
To
this end, the neurodiversity-inspired educator will strive to educate
others (parents, administrators, colleagues, students) about
"differences, not disabilities" through diversity programs that are
similar to those used in schools and the workplace for gender and race.
These programs will include information on the abilities of neurodiverse
people, showcase examples of neurodiverse individuals who have achieved
success, and help people discard old disability-based ways of thinking
in favor of a new neurodiversity discourse (not with the intention of
being "politically correct," but of being "neurologically accurate.")
Finally, educators who are engaged in research projects will have a new
avenue of exploration in identifying the strengths, talents, abilities,
multiple intelligences, and other assets of neurodiverse people. Such
research is very much in line with contemporary psychology's new
approach to "positive psychology" and will be fundamental in changing
the attitudes and outlook of people toward children in special education
programs. [14] Neurodiversity and Ecology
Maybe because God created us with love, we should be treated accordingly.
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