This unit provides a foundation for understanding the history of neurodiversity, the reception of the concept, and the importance of human experience. Students will explore theories of inclusive education and approaches to strengths-based pedagogy. Drawing on these ideas, students will critically reflect on the learning environments within their own Christian tradition.

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Thomas Armstrong, “The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversity.” AMA Journal of Ethics 17, no. 4: 348-352

Baglieri and Shapiro, Disability Studies and the Inclusive Classroom. Routledge, 2017. (Select chapters)

Della Sala and Anderson, Neuroscience in Education: The Good the Bad and the Ugly. Oxford, 2012. (Select chapters)

Temple Grandin, “The World Needs All Kinds of Minds”, TED Talk, 2010

Topics

• Neurodiversity: History, Reception, and Human Experience

• Inclusive Education: An Art or a Science?

• Strengths-Based Pedagogy

This unit explores theological frameworks for understanding diversity, disability, inclusion, and belonging. Students are equipped to reflect on their own theological frameworks and encouraged to begin to develop a vision of educational ministry in which all people belong and differences are celebrated.

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Brian Brock, Wondrously Wounded: Theology, Disability, and the Body of Christ. Baylor, 2019. (Select chapters)

Eric Carter, Including People with Disabilities in Faith Communities. Brookes, 2007. (Select chapters)

Benjamin Conner, Disabling Mission, Enabling Witness: Exploring missiology through the lens of disability studies. IVP Academic, 2018. (Select chapters)

Rachael Keefe, The Lifesaving Church. Chalice Press, 2018. (Select chapters)

Erin Raffety, “From Inclusion to Leadership: Disabled “Misfitting” in Congregational Ministry.” Theology Today 77, no. 2: 198-209

Topics

• Theological Frameworks for Diversity, Disability, and Inclusivity

• Belonging and the Teaching Ministry of the Church

This unit is focused on concrete ideas for designing curriculum, writing lesson plans, and cultivating teaching skills in the context of educational ministry. Students get a chance to design original lesson plans and curriculum units, paying close attention to their own ministry contexts and co-learners.

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Thomas Armstrong, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. ASCD, 2012.

Claire Howell Major, Michael S. Harris, and Todd Zakrajsek. Teaching for Learning: 101 Intentionally Designed Educational Activities to Put Students on the Path to Success. Routledge, 2015. (Select chapters)

Bruce Joyce, Marsha Weil, and Emily Calhoun. Models of Teaching. 9th edition. Pearson, 2015. (Select chapters)

How Autism Feels, From the Inside | NYT Op-Docs — a short documentary about the experience of Jordan Kamnitzer, directed by Joris Debeij

Erin Raffety and Stuart Carroll, “From Charity to Classroom Co-Learning: Togetherness in the Spirit as a Model for Experiential Education with People with Disabilities.” Journal of Disability & Religion 25, no. 3: 312-328

Susan Swanson, “Experiential Religion: A Faith Formation Process for Children with Autism.” Journal of Religion, Disability & Health 14, no. 3: 238-255

John Swinton, Finding Jesus in the Storm: The spiritual lives of Christians with mental health challenges. Eerdmans, 2020. (Select chapters)

Topics

• Learning Disabilities

• ADHD

• Autism Spectrum Conditions

• Intellectual Disabilities

• Mental Health Challenges