Beyond Grades: Supporting Neurodiverse Students Towards a Passion-Driven Future

Today is my daughter's last day of secondary school. She is overjoyed as it has not been an easy ride. I'm not worried about her; she’s likely done well and is on course to get what she needs so she can follow her chosen path. Reflecting on this milestone, I think about other young people who experience this time as a scary, life-changing event, elevated by teachers and parents to induce fear. They’re led to believe that failing will doom them to a joyless, unproductive life while their successful peers thrive. If kids assimilate this noxious brain virus into their mental models, linking it to their natural abilities to learn and achieve, their lives will be adversely impacted, fearing to try anything due to their propensity to think of learning as failure. I was one of those students.

I didn't achieve any GCSEs. I was thrown out of school, unable to perform in an environment with even the smallest distractions. An exam hall, meant to be silent, felt like chaos to me. This message, which won’t be seen by those kids feeling overwhelmed, is for parents, teachers, and others to reflect on the anxiety they may have contributed to. When a student who can only fail in this system inevitably fails, perhaps this will resonate.

GCSEs are often portrayed as being more important than they actually are. They primarily serve as societal metrics for politicians to discuss league tables and performance statistics. While these metrics need to exist in some form, the current system isn't necessarily the best way. This is not to belittle the effort and achievement many pupils have made at great personal cost. If you can do well, do well in all situations. But if you cannot due to reasons of environment, disability, or attentional difficulties, do not sweat it.

Find a passion. It could be something you like, or even something you despise, like social injustice, a rigid education system, animal cruelty, the natural world... These passions can motivate you to make an impact. My gateway passion was music, though my school deemed my behavior unsuitable for studying it. After school, I went to college for art and music, quickly excelled, and went to university. I taught myself to write academically, code, and more. This led to starting a business aimed at developing education resources for those on the margins. So, don’t see GCSE grades as a determinant of your future. Instead, pursue your passions and surround yourself with like-minded people who support you.

As an employer and someone who works with other business leaders, I can say we are far more impressed by people with passion, desire, and a willingness to learn than by those with just grades. If you want to work for a business, reach out to them directly and ask if they have any open positions. Highlight how you can add value; what you might lack in experience and knowledge, you more than make up for in passion, desire, and eagerness to learn. If you can convey this clearly, you will stand out ahead of those who are merely qualified. Passion and drive are infectious, and every business needs this energy to fuel their operations.

If you want to start a business, learn what you need to know and go for it. It may fail, but this can help build resilience. Try again and again until you get where you want. Fear is the limiting factor; do not fear anything when it comes to pursuing your passion. And remember, not all wins are wins, and not all losses are losses.

Good luck to all kids finishing school this year. Develop and follow a passion, and you will excel.

#entrepreneurship #passion #education #adhdawareness #autism