6 Ways to Support Neurodivergent Teachers

Approximately 15–20 percent of the world’s population is neurodivergent. This means that over 1 billion people have a brain that processes and produces information in a manner that is not considered typical or “normal.” Educators with dyslexia, dysgraphia, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette’s syndrome, and other neurological differences are among this group.

During my first year as a high school teacher, I met a colleague with dyslexia. She frequently misspelled words, and her students quickly noticed this when she wrote on the whiteboard. They ridiculed her and questioned her instructional competence. The emotional toll of this experience was evident in her glum expressions, foul mood, and teary eyes. Soon, she was regularly absent from school, and whenever she attended, she dreaded going to her classes. She received very little support from her supervisors during this ordeal and eventually resigned.

There are many neurodivergent teachers like her who are similarly unsupported, despite the neuro-inclusive policies at their schools. This is deeply concerning, especially as teacher attrition continues to rise. If schools are not proactive in including and supporting all teachers, many brilliant minds might be lost from the education sector. Against this background, I offer six ways school leaders can create neurodiversity-affirming workplaces that recognize, retain, and respect all teachers. These strategies emerged from my firsthand experiences, peer-reviewed journal publications, and publicly shared testimonials from neurodivergent educators.

1. Promote Tolerance and Acceptance

Neurodivergent teachers should never have to mask their inherent differences to be accepted, tenured, or promoted. Their school leaders, through their words and deeds, should foster a culture of tolerance, acceptance, empathy, and compassion. To begin, they can develop disclosure procedures that support the teachers’ privacy and psychological safety.

Emily Kircher-Morris, an educator diagnosed with ADHD in early childhood, has also recommended that school leaders facilitate book studies and informal discussions to counter stigmas and stereotypes surrounding neurodivergence. I am already planning to collaborate with the special education department at the college where I work to coordinate a book study on Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally, by Emily Ladau. It is a reader-friendly start to what I hope will be an ongoing series.

At a middle school where I worked, the principal observed similar destigmatizing practices. She extolled diversity and equity through her Monday-morning emails to the staff and monthly newsletter updates. Stephen Covey’s Leader in Me curriculum, which was delivered during our morning meetings with students, helped sustain her message. Habit number five in particular, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood,” promotes double empathy for neurodivergent teachers.

2. Identify Reasonable Accommodations

Kircher-Morris has also maintained that “just as we differentiate for students, we can differentiate support for teachers.” Accommodation is not about offering “special treatments” or lowering standards; it is about providing equitable access. Consequently, school leaders can invite neurodivergent teachers to suggest reasonable, school-provided accommodations for their effective functioning. Additional time for task completion and paperwork submission, for example, may be considered, since some of these teachers may have challenges with executive functioning, such as time management and organization.

During extended meetings or personal development sessions, they can be given occasional breaks, as needed, to retreat from overstimulating environments. Meeting schedules (time and day) can also be developed with them in mind, and professional learning can be flexibly designed with built-in downtime for quiet, self-paced work or asynchronous tasks.

School leaders can also pair neurodivergent teachers with neurotypical teacher buddies who can offer practical assistance through reminders, collaborative document reviews, and co-planning. Together, these forms of support can alleviate stress, mitigate the risk of burnout, and enhance the teachers’ overall well-being and workplace experience.

3. Create a Sense of Predictability

As school leaders plan meetings, it is important to finalize and share the agenda and minutes in advance. This arrangement can support preparation while lowering teachers’ anxiety, uncertainty, or general sense of overwhelm. Further, work-related schedules or routines should be maintained or modified gradually when necessary. Abrupt changes can be unsettling for neurodivergent teachers who often need time to adjust to new or added demands.

If, for example, the hall-monitoring duty roster will change, school leaders can provide ample notice before the term starts. The same can be done if the teachers’ class assignments are revised. A tempered in-person conversation, along with a warm email follow-up, is ideal for sharing the news.

4. Simplify Communication

Ambiguous work requests can be overwhelming for neurodivergent teachers. Simplified, step-by-step tasks with examples, if possible, are useful. Reporting templates with checkboxes and drop-down menus can make required paperwork less burdensome. Provide alternative reporting formats, as well. Recorded oral reports or presentations, for instance, can reduce the composition strain for teachers with dyslexia or dysgraphia.

Written communication from school leaders should be thoughtfully formatted. Bold subheadings, clear spacing, bulleted points, color codes, and visual aids are ideal for accessibility, comprehension, and retention. Lengthy, text-heavy documents and multiple email threads can create cognitive overloads and make it difficult for some neurodivergent teachers to identify key points and required actions.

5. Create Sensory Regulating Spaces

Some neurodivergent teachers may experience periods of low mood and reduced motivation, due to natural serotonin imbalances. Therefore, it can sometimes be difficult for them to sustain their attention and efforts. Research also indicates that many people with autism and ADHD may be overstimulated quite easily. Sensory-friendly spaces with soft adjustable lighting, flexible seating arrangements, and noise-reduction resources can help them relax and recharge throughout the day. As a self-identified neurodivergent educator, I appreciated the quiet staff lounge at a former workplace. It allowed me to quietly decompress after a stressful class and refuel for the next.

As a principal or assistant principal, you can sometimes provide temporary classroom coverage for teachers who may need a short respite outside. You can utilize a discreet digital alert system for teachers to submit their requests, or you can agree on other safe and private channels. Coded text messages, pre-agreed verbal codes transmitted via walkie-talkies, email alerts, or requests through Google Forms or Microsoft Forms may be used. I especially like the use of the forms to preserve the teachers’ privacy.

6. Leverage Their Strengths

Many neurodivergent teachers have remarkable talents, skills, and perspectives. School leaders can explore these and consider them as they plan school activities and delegate responsibilities. I currently facilitate a student teacher with ADHD and autism who is gifted at oral presentations, artistic expressions, critical thinking, and problem-solving. I have been intentional about helping her recognize, value, and leverage these strengths for her professional advancement. I know she will be an asset to any school she joins following graduation, but she will need inclusive structures.

Neurodivergent teachers have diverse expertise and experience to offer, but these may be underutilized in exclusionary school environments. School leaders can challenge this prospect by extending care, empathy, and equitable access for all teachers to flourish.