Lower School Explores the Brilliant Brain and Neurodiversity at Morning Ex

Elise Wulff of Aspire Services, a program through Mass General Hospital that specializes in helping children, teens and adults on the autism spectrum achieve success, spoke to Lower School students at Morning Ex. Wulff, who identifies as neurodivergent herself, explained how the brain functions before breaking down the ways each individual person’s brain and nervous system are unique and can react differently to various experiences. 

After describing neuroscience and her work studying the brain, Wulff played a true-or-false game with different brain facts to set the stage for understanding the organ as a whole. “You’re never going to know when someone experiences the world differently,” Wulff said. 

She then expounded on the concept of neurodiversity and that the ways people think, feel, sense and communicate with others can vary. Things can be harder or easier depending on a person’s nervous system. Wulff commented, “Different isn’t bad, but we have to think about different.” 

As neurodiversity does not always show up visually, Wulff offered ways for students to notice when someone’s nervous system may need something. She used the analogy of holding open a door for someone. Just as one would notice that someone with their hands full may need help with the door, it’s important to notice signs of someone looking worried or stressed and how one can “hold the door” for them at that moment. 

She said that a person can be an ally to someone who is neurodivergent by considering others’ perspectives, being flexible to others’ needs and showing patience when learning about others. “People don’t always need help, but they do need you to understand,” Wulff said.

Wulff’s presentation underlines Parker’s commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment where students learn to have courageous conversations about differences in experiences, opinions, ideas, interests and identities that shape humanity. The school is grateful to Wulff for sharing her knowledge with Lower School students.

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