\n\u201c(\u2026) but that extra time wasn\u2019t enough to make up for the time I lost being distracted \u2014 by unrelated thoughts or by anything that caught my attention in the room: a pen falling on the floor, sunlight coming through the window, or professors chatting in the back. (\u2026)\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n<\/i><\/div>\n\u201c(\u2026) I had, and still have, a lot of difficulty focusing during an exam, and it\u2019s even harder when I try to study, especially outside exam season.<\/i><\/div>\n<\/i><\/div>\nHowever, if I\u2019m working on a project that captivates me, I can be so focused that I even forget to eat; but no matter how hard I try, I can\u2019t choose the target of that concentration. (\u2026)\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\nThe person who writes this message is a student with ADHD<\/a> . (the full mesage is available in this link<\/a>)<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\nAs a teacher, it occurs to me to share the following:<\/b><\/div>\n\nWhen we receive students who require some type of accommodation, the student arrives with only one label: SEN (Specific Educational Needs).
\nWe, as teachers, neither know nor understand the reason. The colleagues of these students neither know nor understand.<\/div>\nEach student with specific educational needs will need particular accommodations that will help hin\/her overcome the period of study at university.<\/div>\nNo momento em que o\/a estudante entrar na sua atividade profissional e come\u00e7ar a fazer o que o\/a cativa, ter\u00e1 oportunidade de ser excepcional.<\/div>\nThe moment the student enters his\/her professional activity and begins to do what captivates him\/her, he\/she will have the opportunity to be exceptional.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nTwo examples in the context of PHDA:<\/strong><\/div>\n\n\u201c(\u2026) Neeleman\u2019s personal life isn\u2019t the same success story. \u201cMy wife can\u2019t always figure out what the heck I\u2019m thinking, and my kids want me to focus on just one thing with them. I find it difficult. It\u2019s hard for me to do the mundane things in life. I have an easier time planning a 20-aircraft fleet than I do paying the light bill. (\u2026)”<\/i><\/div>\nDavid Neeleman<\/b><\/i><\/div>\nFounder, JetBlue Airways (link to source<\/a>)<\/b><\/i><\/div>\n
<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<\/i><\/div>\n\n\u201c(\u2026) The same hyperfocus that once made classrooms difficult became his lifeline. ADHD can sometimes mean distraction, but it can also mean the ability to lock onto a problem with unshakable intensity, especially when the stakes are high.<\/div>\n\u201cWhen I\u2019m able to work, my mind is like a river,\u201d says Lindsay. \u201cSwimming upstream is a challenge but paying attention to what motivates me or interests me is effortless, and I can bring hours and hours and hours of intense focus to get things done.\u201d<\/div>\nIn Lindsay\u2019s case, hyperfocus and persistence produced a medical breakthrough. What looked like a disorder was actually the engine of survival and innovation. (\u2026)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n(\u2026) The Takeaway for Leaders: encourage ADHD strengths<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor educators, employers, and innovators, the lesson is clear: stop pathologizing difference and start cultivating it. ADHD strengths bring unique tools to the table. As Adrian put it: \u201cArchitecture becomes innovation when you connect unrelated ideas and trust those leaps.\u201d Or as Lindsay proved, hyperfocus can literally save lives. Organizations that embrace neurodiverse thinking will unlock new levels of problem solving. (…)”<\/div>\n<\/b><\/div>\nADHD Strengths: How Brains Wired Differently Spark Innovation<\/b><\/div>\nForbes, Sep 09, 2025 (link to source<\/a>)<\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nAs announced on this page, in addition to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), we will soon cover Reading and Writing Learning Disorder (usually called Dyslexia) and the Autism Spectrum Disorder (AEP).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNeurodiversity is a very important topic for all of us in the context of engineering<\/a> and education<\/a>. In the context of education, I would like to highlight, on this page, the links to “Universal Design for Learning” (UDL)<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\nThis initiative started when we came across this article stating that 50% of students with ADHD withdraw from University<\/a>, and another stating that between 5% and 10% of students will have some form of ADHD<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nI take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the colleagues who dedicate their time to this initiative. In fact, their effort is carried out beyond their daily activities.<\/div>\n<\/p>\n