By Dr. Michelle Spoonemore, Head of School, The Winston School San Antonio
Neurodiversity is a popular term to describe differences in how people’s brains work. It is often used in the context of neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, or other learning disabilities to bring awareness to the idea that there’s no “right” way for the brain to work and no “correct” way for learning. Instead, there is a wide range of ways people perceive and respond to the world, and these differences are to be embraced and encouraged.
One in five children in the United States has a learning difference – a neurological disorder affecting people’s ability to interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These differences can affect how well children read, write, speak, compute, and handle similar tasks.
For nearly 40 years, The Winston School San Antonio has provided a life-changing experience for neurodiverse students in grades K-12 who have struggled to reach their potential in traditional classroom environments. At Winston, we recognize that when students can’t learn the way we teach, we must change the way we teach. Winston hosts an environment for students to embrace their neurological differences while developing their strengths and talents through small class sizes and multi-sensory instructional approaches, using visual, auditory, and hands-on activities to teach essential concepts. Our average class size of eight students ensures personalized attention fostering academic and personal growth. Our curriculum includes organizational and study skills supporting academics and fostering classroom success, emphasizing students’ strengths, restoring self-esteem, and building confidence.
As a community, The Winston School San Antonio provides diverse enrichment and athletic programs to foster the spirit of creative expression, promote social and emotional development, and enhance the character development skills learned through individual and team activities.
Beyond day school opportunities, The Winston School Center for Neurodiversity provides additional services, including psychoeducational testing and consulting, ADHD and executive functioning coaching, dyslexia therapy, academic intervention, and college admissions counseling. We are committed to sharing the gifts of neurodiversity in every child.
For more information about how Winston can make a difference for your family, visit www.winston-sa.org.
