ABOUT THIS EPISODE
I’m excited to share this powerful and gut-punching conversation with Jonathan Mooney, a self-described “do-gooder,” speaker, and writer who didn’t learn to read until he was 12-years-old. Growing up with Dyslexia, Jonathan faced a number of low expectations: he was told he would be a high-school dropout and likely end up in jail. Instead, he earned a degree in English Literature, started his first non-profit organization in his college dorm, and has gone on to write a number of books, including his latest title Normal Sucks (which, side note: should be required reading for everyone). He’s been a champion for neurological and physical diversity for more than two decades, and his award-winning advocacy projects have been featured in major media outlets across the US.
THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- The powerful messages, both positive and negative, Jonathan heard from the adults in his life as a child with dyslexia
- What it means to pathologize difference, and how even well-meaning organizations participate in this
- The difficult and disturbing historical outcomes for differently-abled people, including the ideas and legacy of the Eugenics movement.
- How the idea of “normal” has evolved since Jonathan started his advocacy work
- Why Jonathan believes that learning differences are a gift and why this is such an important concept
- What parents and teachers can do to help children to see their differences as strengths
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