I ask the following question to guide the direction of a school project. I am currently in a master's program studying Autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions (outside of the United States because a sufficient program for such studies does not exist in the US). The project requires me to pose a research question relevant and of value to the autistic community. No actual research will take place. If this post isn’t allowed, I apologize and welcome the mods to remove it! 

I am AuDHD. I entered this master's program because I want to see a chance in the overreliance of deficit-based research. My interests lie heavily in education best practice; specifically, how can we make neurodivergent students more comfortable in schools? My own lived experience has led me to wonder about the impact of neurodivergent educators/mentors. When I was a young child, I spent most of my school day camouflaging and often needed to spend hours in a dark room to reset when I reached home. I began a teaching role, working in public schools because I wanted to be the educator I needed as a young child. The impact I made felt palpable. My neurodivergent students, many of which were undiagnosed, grew a strong attachment to me. They trusted me, they felt safe with me, and they understood me because I understood them.  

To truly learn, a student needs to feel safe. Safe to exist, safe to be themselves, safe to fail. So, the question I pose to you is would a neurodivergent educator/mentor have made a difference to your educational experiences? Did a neurodivergent educator make a difference for you? Please share any and all thoughts!