How Schools Can Better Support Neurodivergent Learners (Without Just Handing Out Fidget Spinners and Hoping for the Best)

Let’s talk about neurodivergent learners; the brilliant, creative, detail-obsessed, hyper-focused, distractible, deeply feeling, sometimes misunderstood, often underestimated students sitting in every classroom.

You know the ones. The kid who knows everything about ancient Egypt but forgets their pencil every day. The student who builds entire worlds in their mind but can’t quite remember what you just said about commas. The learner who seems “fine” one day and totally overwhelmed the next.

They’re not broken. They don’t need fixing.

But they do need school systems that understand, support, and celebrate how their brains work. And while we’ve made some progress (hello, sensory corners and flexible seating!), we’ve still got work to do.

So let’s dive into what schools can do beyond buzzwords and Band-Aids to truly support neurodivergent learners—whether they’re diagnosed, undiagnosed, masking, flapping, zoning out, or sitting quietly hoping no one notices they didn’t understand a word of the last lesson.

First of All, What Do We Mean by “Neurodivergent”?

Neurodivergence includes brain-based differences in attention, learning, processing, sensory experience, and social interaction. This umbrella includes—but isn’t limited to—students with:

• ADHD

• Autism

• Dyslexia

• Sensory processing differences

• Anxiety

• OCD

• Tourette’s

• Executive function challenges

And here’s the thing: neurodivergent kids are not all the same. They’re not one-size-fits-all. They’re one-size-fits-them.

So the big secret to supporting them?

Flexibility. Patience. And a lot less “because that’s the rule.”

What Doesn’t Help Neurodivergent Learners (But We Keep Doing Anyway)

Let’s lovingly roast ourselves for a moment.

• Color-coded charts of shame (no, “red” doesn’t teach self-regulation—it teaches anxiety)

• Zero-tolerance policies (because nothing says “supportive learning environment” like automatic suspension for not making eye contact)

• “Just focus harder” (ah yes, why didn’t they think of that?)

• Forcing group work on a student who is clearly dying inside

• Sending home missing work packets the size of a phone book

These don’t work. They never worked. And deep down, we all know it.

So What Does Help Neurodivergent Students Thrive?

1. Build in Flexibility (And Actually Mean It)

Give options.

Let students stand, sit, lay on the carpet, wear headphones, or do math from under a table if that’s where the magic happens. If a student needs more time? Give it. If they need fewer problems to show mastery? Done.

Flexibility isn’t coddling. It’s access.

2. Ditch the “Fair Is Equal” Mindset

Repeat after me:

Fair does not mean everyone gets the same. It means everyone gets what they need. Some kids will need visual timers. Some will need written instructions, oral explanations, and a follow-up sticky note. Some will need breaks, movement, or the freedom to stim without side-eye from the teacher.

Give it to them. Guilt-free. Judgment-free. That’s equity.

3. Prioritize Sensory-Friendly Environments

You don’t need a full-blown sensory room to make a difference.

Try this:

• Reduce harsh fluorescent lighting (hello, lamp mood lighting)

• Provide noise-canceling headphones

• Allow gum or chewables

• Create quiet corners or chill zones for self-regulation

• Let kids move—frequently and without fanfare

Comfortable brains learn better. Period.

4. Reimagine Behavior “Support”

If a student is melting down, zoning out, or suddenly sprinting down the hallway, they’re not trying to ruin your day. They’re overwhelmed. Behavior is communication, not a character flaw.

Instead of punishment, ask:

• What sensory, emotional, or social need wasn’t being met?

• What can we do differently next time—together?

And please, for the love of dopamine, replace the clip chart with a system that actually teaches self-regulation, not public embarrassment.

5. Focus on Strengths, Not Just Struggles

Neurodivergent kids have incredible strengths:

• Creativity

• Hyper-focus

• Pattern recognition

• Out-of-the-box thinking

• Deep empathy

• Passion for niche topics that could rival a TED Talk

Make space for those gifts. Let students shine in their way—even if it doesn’t fit neatly in a rubric box.

6. Listen to the Experts (Spoiler: It’s the Kids)

Ask them:

• What helps you stay focused?

• What makes school hard for you?

• What would make this lesson more doable?

Even young kids can articulate what they need—if we ask with sincerity and follow through. (Also: listen to autistic and neurodivergent adults. They were these kids once. They know things we need to know.)

Final Thoughts: Different ≠ Deficient

Neurodivergent learners don’t need us to “fix” them. They need us to see them, believe them, and build spaces that work for them.

This doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It means changing how we help kids rise to meet them. So let’s stop asking neurodivergent students to twist themselves into knots to fit the system. Let’s start twisting the system to fit the humans in front of us.

Because when we do?

Everyone learns better.

Neurodivergent brains are part of what makes this world—and your classroom—extraordinary. Let’s build schools that treat them that way.