Neurodiverse in a Neurotypical World
November 25, 2020
Kate Galica and her program of study started at BTC at the same time, in the fall of 2017. She enrolled in the Foundations of Education program when it launched because of her fierce passion for helping students learn, grow, and realize their full potential - the same goals she has for herself as a student and a person.
“I first started getting involved with special education when I was in fourth grade and would spend my recesses volunteering in the special education department,” Kate explaining how her interest in teaching began. She found working with these students to be an opportunity to shine.
She also found a place to belong because, along with being passionate about helping others, she’s faced a life-long struggle with depression and generalized anxiety disorder. “I never felt as though any of the special education students or teachers passed judgment on me, where I often felt that in general education classrooms and with neurotypical folx.”
Neurotypical is the opposite of neurodiverse – the word used to describe hundreds of thousands of people in the United States who struggle with issues like depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, OCD, and dyslexia, among others. These issues can make navigating society a challenge because individuals appear “normal” but are continually fighting their own brains. “There are many people who I have come across,” said Kate, “who seem to brush off or dismiss me because of the side effects of my mental health.”
Kate’s neurodiversity has made education a challenge throughout her life, and she has had to develop strategies to succeed. “I value relationships,” she said, “and have to have that, especially in a school setting.” From a history teacher in high school who accepted her as a person even though she was failing his class to BTC instructors Deb Brovick, Lynn Neitzel, and Sallie Berndt, these connections have kept Kate moving forward.
When Kate lost her dad in the spring of 2018, she drifted away from her program. A former classmate reached out earlier this year and asked Kate if she’d ever finished her degree. That conversation prompted Kate to reach out to the instructors who had been so helpful to her, and she was soon reenrolled and back on track to pursuing her dream. “My professors have been extremely accommodating and flexible in helping create an environment where there is no unnecessary stress,” Kate says.
Program instructor Deb Brovick was very willing to accommodate Kate because she considers Kate “a leader among her peers in the Foundations of Teacher Education Program. She goes above and beyond to help her peers. She uses personal experiences in the education field to help others and enrich discussions.”
While students who are neurodiverse, or struggle with other accessibility challenges, can seek accommodations from BTC Access and Accommodation Services, many students find success by simply connecting with their instructors and discussing their challenges. For Kate, this meant things like having an existing instructor introduce her to a new professor and attending classes virtually when she needed to - an accommodation all BTC students have access to in MyEdChoice classes.
“I never imagined I’d be someone who enjoys being a student,” Kate exclaimed, “but that is the perfect word for it. BTC is a great community with educators who care a great deal about their students. It feels good to feel smart and to feel seen and known, and not just passed off.”
For more information on neurodiversity, seeking help for yourself, or supporting those in your life with mental disorders, you can check out:
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