(2-minute read) I failed five math classes in college before anyone suggested I might have a learning difference. The road to that diagnosis was painful and lonely. I had always excelled in reading but struggled with math, and I was constantly told I just wasn’t trying hard enough.
In graduate school, I enrolled in a dual-degree program in social work and special education. I wanted to understand myself better and help others who were struggling with diagnosed and undiagnosed learning differences. That experience changed the course of my life and career.
Today, I specialize in working with adults, families, and educators who live this reality every day. My professional development workshop, Understanding and Supporting Neurodiverse Learners, was born from both lived experience and evidence-based research. It helps teachers and parents see students through a new, more compassionate lens.
Why Neurodiversity Matters in Every Classroom
Every classroom is a mix of brilliant, diverse, and unpredictable minds, each one as unique as our fingerprints. Yet students with ADHD or learning differences, especially when layered with anxiety, are still too often misunderstood as distracted, lazy, or oppositional. These outdated assumptions damage motivation, self-esteem, and relationships at school.
Recognizing neurodiversity means reframing these differences as natural variations in how brains learn, focus, and process information. It is the foundation of inclusive and emotionally intelligent education.
The Neuroscience Behind Learning and Behavior
Students with ADHD or learning differences often experience delays in executive functioning, the brain’s control center for planning, focusing, and following through. When stress or anxiety floods the system, working memory and attention decrease sharply.
This is not a matter of willpower. It is biology. When educators understand what is happening neurologically, they can move from frustration to empathy and create conditions where all students can succeed.
What Educators Will Learn in This Workshop
In Understanding and Supporting Neurodiverse Learners, participants gain:
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Brain-based strategies to strengthen attention and reduce overwhelm
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Sensory and movement tools that support self-regulation throughout the day
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Collaborative approaches that build trust and independence
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Executive function supports that improve organization and motivation
The workshop blends neuroscience with practical classroom tools that teachers can use immediately, without extra prep or complicated materials.
A Compassionate Framework for Real Change
When we approach behavior through a neurodiversity-affirming lens, we stop asking “What’s wrong with you?” and start asking “What does your brain need to feel safe and ready to learn?” That single shift can transform classroom interactions and change the trajectory of a student’s self-belief.
Bring This Training to Your Campus
This session is ideal for schools, districts, and parent education events seeking to build inclusive and trauma-informed classrooms.
📩 Contact Dr. Laura Summerhill to schedule Understanding and Supporting Neurodiverse Learners for your 2026 professional development calendar, in person or virtual.
