NEURODIVERGENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
Additional information regarding the THRIVE workshop proposal for
A comprehensive toolkit of workshops, consultations and resource materials crafted for meaningful learning—on campus or at home
Helping Students Become More Receptive and Effective Learners
Sample Educator Brief
Educator Brief
Cognitive Rigidity in ASD
These two-page reference sheets offer a quick, accessible overview of key neurodivergent topics. This sample covers cognitive rigidity, a common challenge for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Designed as a classroom-friendly cueing tool, it highlights hallmark behaviors, classroom indicators, and actionable strategies to support cognitive flexibility.
Not a comprehensive guide, but a reminder sheet meant to reinforce key takeaways from broader training sessions and help educators respond with insight and compassion in the moment. Other Educator Briefs cover emotional dysregulation, executive function, Pathological Demand Avoidance and social challenges.
Generic Options Sheet
Generic School Proposal
The Generic School Proposal below provides details of the training curriculum that might be helpful to you in deciding what content and formats would be of most value in your school.
Generic Workbook and Table of Contents
The Table of Contents below provides you with an overview of the kinds of topics and exercises that are part of our training curriculum.
Videos: Beyond High School and Neurodivergence in the Classroom
See us live! Check out these videos for two informative discussions delivered by Thrive staff about the teachers’ and parents’ perspectives on neurodivergence in the classroom.
QuickStart Guide
Here’s an excerpt from one of our QuickStart Guides that helps newcomers to neurodivergence start thinking about key issues.
Neurospicy Navigator Newsletter
Our monthly newsletter providing tips and tools for how to parent your neurodivergent kid.
Neurospicy: A Parent Empowerment Guide
Our book on parenting neurodivergent kids. Available on Amazon! Click below.
Bios
Rick Silver, MD, is a psychiatrist and the Founder of Thrive Emerge, an outpatient mental health center, and Director of The Village, a therapeutic community that specializes in helping neurodivergent teens and young adults transition to independence. In addition to his clinical work for over 30 years, he has extensive experience facilitating workshops for patients, parents, educators and mental health professionals on Autism and ADHD. His formal academic training includes an MD from the University of Maryland, MPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, and a BS from the University of Michigan.
Mary Jo Puglisi, LCPC, has been working in the fields of counseling and education for over 30 years. She has worked as an educator, administrator and counselor in private schools in Maryland and was responsible for creating and running a special education program that filled gaps in social-emotional support for neurodivergent students. She brings a practical approach that focuses on how to implement specific strategies in the academic setting. She has spoken at the local and national level on topics central to educational counseling and has had several articles published in magazines as well. She obtained her BA in Psychology and MS in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD.
Slideshow: Neurodivergence in the Classroom
This in-depth slideshow offers a comprehensive look at neurodivergence in educational settings, representing the full scope of our advanced professional development offerings.
Originally delivered as a 3–4 hour training, it explores the inner experience of neurodivergent students, the biological underpinnings of executive dysfunction and emotional dysregulation, and practical classroom strategies through a neuroaffirming lens.
While individual schools may request shorter or more tailored sessions, this presentation serves as a valuable sample of the depth and breadth we bring to our work. It can help school leaders envision how extended PD opportunities might foster meaningful, schoolwide shifts in mindset and practice.