Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom: An Interview with Kara Dymond About Her New Book

Please join us for “Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom: An Interview with Kara Dymond About Her New Book."Kara Dymond, OCT, PhD, is a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD advocate, teacher, author, researcher, and award-winning university lecturer. Kara teaches autistic elementary students who inspired her books, Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom (Jessica Kingsley, 2025) and The Autism Lens (Pembroke, 2020). Kara earned the 2024 Award for Excellence in Initial Teacher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, where she teaches graduate courses on neurodiversity-affirming classrooms. In 2025, she received the King Charles III Coronation Medal, a Governor General Award for service, for her dedication to improving the lives of autistic people and their communities across Canada. She researches intersections of neoliberalism, ableism, racism, classism, and neuronormativity in education; teacher reflexivity; and the transformative potential of neurodiversity-affirming pedagogy, where all are expected and welcomed, and is a co-investigator in a study on Universal Design for Learning and accessibility in teacher education. For fun, Kara co-hosts a podcast called Autistic Tidbits & Tangents, along with autistic psychologist Maja Toudal and autistic composer Bruce Petherick.From Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom: The world expects the impossible from teachers, with so many young people in our care, all with unique needs. How do we help everyone to thrive?Imagine a classroom where there is no 'normal' - where all brains are expected and welcomed. Students are taught about neurodiversity, metacognition, and self-advocacy alongside the curriculum and are encouraged to identify their own needs. Learning tools are taught and available to everyone!This thoughtful guide breaks down the learning process. It's brimming with practical tips, brain-based strategies, and illustrative examples that teachers can implement in the classroom. Stories of real teachers and neurodivergent students help educators envision how to apply neurodiversity-affirming approaches.This book invites a compassionate lens for teachers and students alike. It's the how-to of forging partnerships with students - our best resources in collaboratively problem-solving pressing classroom concerns and invisible learning needs. Everyone benefits when we plan with accessibility in mind!Support the show