My Relationships as a Neurodiverse Young Adult
In this article I would like to give a window to the nature of my relationships as a neurodiverse young adult. I think my relationships are one of my biggest accomplishments at CLE.
How to Socialize: Advice from Students
Sometimes even mentioning the word “Socialize” can cause stress and discomfort for students. Other students become energized and excited upon hearing the same word. Here at CLE Fort Lauderdale, we include many social engagement opportunities for our students in hopes of helping them navigate all different types of relationships within various situations.
The Act of Engagement: Socials Get Easier!
Group outings can be intimidating, especially when you’re new to CLE and don’t know many people yet. We do try to involve students in planning the outings and finding things that will be interesting and fun. This helps to make the hard work of understanding group dynamics and communicating collaboratively more enjoyable.
The Pity and the Perks
The general public has significantly less understanding of how disabilities impact people. No matter how many times you mention it, or talk about it, they may never get it. They may be able to understand a little bit or have a surface-level knowledge or understanding about disabilities, but they never really know how it affects people every day.
How to Open a Can of Worms
Have you been part of a conversation that feels as if you and the other participant are having two separate conversations? Most of us can answer yes to that question. If the conversation is covering a difficult subject, this creates a whole other can of worms to think about. So how can we talk about difficult subjects with more ease?
The Anonybox
What happens if you leave an anonymous box in the common room of your local CLE center for a month and ask students to share topics they do not feel comfortable bringing up in person? If you’re like me, you might expect a few funny musings or adolescent jokes or possibly just a little bit of lint and maybe some random crumbs. You might be surprised at just how revealing your students can be.
Thinking Critically About Conflict
Conflict, unfortunately, is an inescapable facet of life. Thankfully, how one approaches and deals with conflict is wholly up to the individual. And while we cannot always be there for our students when they come up against the challenges of everyday life, we can arm them with one of the greatest tools education has to offer.
Sorry, Not Sorry
When I asked Jules why she feels the need to apologize, she explained how uncomfortable it is to feel different. She wants to explain it and escape the fact that she learns differently.
Positive Education at CLE Davie
Many psychologists believe that positive education can decrease depression in younger people. More specifically, the goal is to enable students to engage their own combination of character strengths.
Grit
Unlike many traditional measures of success, grit is not tied to intelligence, luck, or talent. Grit is a supportive attribute when it comes to challenging experiences and college is often a challenging experience. According to research, individuals who obtain an associate's degrees are, on average, more hardy/gritty than those who get bachelor's degree.