Teachers…and just people in general….some of us can not help but to process things slower. Not because we don’t understand…but because we absorb every single bit of information naturally and it takes a second to file ALL info we receive. We have detail oriented brains. We see and absorb every single detail compared to neurotypical brains which absorb the big picture automatically and don’t bother so much with the details. Their brains don’t automatically sift through all the details. This neurotypical way of processing is quicker than a neurodivergent way of processing. But neither are wrong.
Let me say that again.
Neither are wrong.
Both have the same results and both are able to comprehend. One simply processes slower because of the amount of information being processed. That’s it. There is no “fix” to this. There is no way to retrain your brain. There is no “just try harder”. The only way to change how we process is to physically remove our brain and insert a neurotypical brain.
Thankfully we havnt gone full on Frankenstein and this isn’t a reality or option.
It is so important to understand this. We will never ever be quick at processing and like how other brains work and to repeatedly expect us to do something our brains literally can not do quickly..over time leads to generalized anxiety disorders in adulthood. The common expectations in daily life in multiple situations does not leave room for different wiring and processing and I’m telling you from experience…it is hurting people unnecessarily. It is tearing away at self confidence unnecessarily. We HAVE to change this idea that there is only one common acceptable way to teach and learn. We have to change this idea that slower = dumb or not as bright. This is factually not true. We have to get to a common understanding that there are in fact many different ways to reach the same conclusion and answer.
There are so many people out there who stopped trying because they were told over and over in so many different ways that they wouldn’t be able to keep up or make their brain process quicker.. so why bother. The risk of this being pointed out..put on the spot…the risk of being and feeling humiliation made things not worth trying. The frustration felt alone trying to force your brain to do something it wasn’t designed to do and could not be forced to do has devastating affects on a humans well being. A simple logistics thing turned into an emotional shut down response. So many shut down. I did. In an environment where I was not granted patience and time…I chose to shut down. I went into survival mode. My brain said nope we know how this will end…I don’t trust me or you..shut er down.
In environments where I was given time…I excelled. With teachers who noticed my different way of processing…I excelled. It’s just as simple as that. We have to change this old fashioned narrative that all brains process the same in the same amount of time and if they don’t…they are inadequate in some way.
And that’s my Thursday rant.
You Had To Be There… 