BRTC Holds Neurodiversity and Communication Panel for Faculty and Staff

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A group of people on a stage talking during a professional development session.

Left to Right: Teresa Hendrix, Shelby Knight, and Blake Walker.

Black River Technical College (BRTC) recently held a Neurodiversity and Communication panel for faculty and staff during the college’s Convocation week. The panel was moderated by Director of Student Development Dane Dillion and it aimed to inform faculty and staff on best practices when it comes to working with neurodivergent students in and out of the classroom.

The Neurodiversity and Communication Panel included Teresa Hendrix, Parent Mentor and Northeast Region Curriculum Specialist for The Center for Exceptional Families; Shelby Knight, Executive Director of The Center for Exceptional Families; and Blake Walker, Associate Director of Access and Accommodation Services and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor at Arkansas State University.

During their session, the group talked about topics like common misconceptions about neurodivergent teens and young adults, sensory processing or executive functioning challenges in the classroom, and building trust and rapport with neurodivergent students who do not use traditional forms of communication. They also discussed signals or behaviors that might indicate a student is struggling to process or understand instruction. Knight informed faculty and staff that some students need to keep their hands busy to help them pay attention, so they should not assume those students are not paying attention.

To end the session, the panelists were asked what could make a campus more neurodivergent-friendly. Walker suggested instructors be able to teach in different formats and that staff provide handouts or slides that list important and general information for students. Knight and Hendrix both recommended getting to know students better and to not be afraid of situations that may arise during the semester. Hendrix also left faculty and staff with a reminder to always be patient and kind with students.

“Sometimes we forget what out job is,” Hendrix said. “Our job is to take care of our students.”

BRTC’s Accessibility Services Resource Center works to assist BRTC students with accommodation services. BRTC seeks to be in compliance with both the spirit and the letter of the law as stated in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For more information about BRTC’s accommodation services contact Dr. Zachary Singleton at Zachary.singleton@blackrivertech.edu or visit https://blackrivertech.edu/students/ada-accessibility-services/.