What is neurodiversity — and why should teachers care? In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Warner — a certified meditation teacher, 16-year classroom veteran, and AuDHD educator — breaks down the neurodiversity movement in plain language...
Posts and Podcasts about: Neurodiversity
About the Neurodiversity category
Paradoxical AuDHD: A Poem About Contradictions, Overwhelm, and Self Understanding
On the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner shares that she pursued an autism diagnosis at 43 after years of researching autism following her child’s 2021 diagnosis. During this time she was also diagnosed with ADHD, identifying as AuDHD. She describes...
Why Diagnosis Matters: My Adhd and Autism Journey as a Parent and Teacher
Host Amanda Werner shares why she is discussing her family’s diagnostic journey, describing years of feeling overwhelmed and not understanding why daily life felt so hard for her and her child. She explains pursuing evaluations through medical providers and insurance,...
What Made Me Suspect I’m Autistic: A Teacher’s Adult Diagnosis Story and Classroom Takeaways
Amanda Werner hosts an off-the-cuff episode of the Empower Students Now podcast about what led her to suspect she was autistic and eventually seek a formal adult autism diagnosis. She explains that her suspicion began after her child was diagnosed with autism in 2021...
Teaching Emotional Regulation to Students
Amanda continues her Empower Students Now series with short classroom slideshow lessons available via email sign-up here by focusing on emotional regulation. She defines it as noticing emotions and body sensations, understanding triggers, using strategies to reduce...
Navigating an Adult Diagnosis of Autism
Join Amanda Werner and her good friend Jessica Martin in this insightful episode as they dive deep into navigating life with autism and other neurodivergent conditions in adulthood. Jess shares personal experiences about her sensory sensitivities and struggles with...
I’m Autistic. Always Have Been. Always Will Be.
In this special New Year's episode Amanda shares some big news, that she's Autistic! To help Amanda reveal this difficult and amazing truth to the world Amanda brings on her co-host, Jessica Martin from Two Wacky Teacherpreneurs Tell All podcast. They discuss Amanda's...
Listener Favorite: A New Way to Think About Apathetic, Unmotivated, and Defiant Students
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, Amanda addresses a common issue faced by teachers: students who are disengaged. Drawing from personal experiences as a teacher and a parent of a neurodivergent child, the Amanda discusses the importance of moving...
The Revealing Reality Struggling Readers Face within the U.S. Education System
In this episode of Empower Students Now, host Amanda interviews her sister Shelly Gonsalves, who opens up about her lifelong struggle with reading and learning difficulties. Shelly recounts her early educational challenges, the lack of support she faced, and the...
I Found Out I Have ADHD at Age 40
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner shares her personal journey of discovering that she has ADHD and the importance of teachers understanding this condition. Amanda explains that many students in classrooms may be undiagnosed with...