Resources

Essays On My 10 Key Writing and Speaking Topics

• The Disappearance of Childhood
• 12 Ways to Revitalize U.S. Education
• Mindfulness in the Classroom
• The Power of the Adolescent Brain
• Multiple Intelligences
• Neurodiversity
• 101 Non-Drug ADHD Strategies
• The Best Schools
• The Natural Genius of Children
• The 12 Stages of Life

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Handouts from My Speaking Events

• SlideShare

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My Articles and Book Chapters

(Please click on the article name to read, print, or download. Use your browser’s “Back” button to return.  In some cases, the full article may only be available through a paywall.)

• ”Mindfulness:  An Emerging Tool for Equity in the Classroom,” A C & E Online Journal, January-February, 2020.
• ”Keep Religion Out of Mindfulness,” Phi  Delta Kappan, November 25, 2019.
• ”Help Kids Develop a Growth Mindset with the Theory of Multiple Intelligences,” Free Spirit Publishing Blog, October 29, 2019.
• ”Brick Wall, Jellyfish, or Backbone: What Type of Parent Are You?” ADDitude Magazine, October 12, 2019.
• ”School Safety Starts From Within,” Educational Leadership, October, 2019.
• ”A Kinder “Time-Out” That Really Works,” ADDitude Magazine, May 1, 2019.
• ”A Missing Aspect of Teen Brains’ Coverage,” School  Administrator (letter to the editor), March, 2018.
• ”How Project-Based Instruction Can Ignite Your Child’s Love for Learning,” ADDitude Magazine, November 2, 2017.
• ”10 Tips for a Smooth School Year for Students With ADHD,” Education Week Teacher, August 30, 2017,
• ”Neurodiversity:  The Future of Special Education?”  Educational Leadership, April, 2017, Vol. 74, No. 7, pp. 10-16.
• ”The healing balm of nature: Understanding and supporting the naturalist intelligence in individuals diagnosed with ASD: Comment on: “Implications of the idea of neurodiversity for understanding the origins of developmental disorders” by Nobuo Masataka,” Physics of Life Reviews, March, 2017, Vol. 20, pp. 109-111.
• ”5 Ways to Use Student Choice to Improve Learning,” Education Week Teacher, January 17, 2017.
• ”Neuroscience Should Inform School Policies,” Education Week, October 7, 2016. Vol. 36, Issue 8, pp. 24, 28
• ”The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversity,’‘ The AMA Journal of Ethics, April, 2015, Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 348-352.
• Commencement address for graduates of the Berkshire Hills Music Academy, South Hadley, Massachusetts, May 19, 2013.
• ”7 Ways to Bring Out the Best in Special-Needs Students,”  Education Week Teacher, April 9, 2013.
• ”Appreciating Special Education Students’ Diversity,”  Education Week, February 6, 2013, Vol. 32, No. 20, pp. 28-29.
• “First, Discover Their Strengths,” Educational Leadership, October, 2012, Vol. 70, No. 2, pp. 10-16.
•  ”Neurodiversity – More than Just a Good Notion” in Creating an Appropriate 21st Century Education (pp. 27-31), Robert Sylwester and David Moursund (eds) Eugene, Oregon: Information Age Education, 2012.
• ”The New Field of Neurodiversity: Why ‘Disabilities’ Are Essential to the Human Ecosystem,” reprinted from Ode Magazine in Alternet.org.  June 8, 2010.
• “When Cultures Connect:  Multiple Intelligences Theory as a Successful American Export to Other Countries,” in Multiple Intelligences Around the World, Jie-Qi Chen, Seana Moran, and Howard Gardner (eds), San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass, 2009.
• ”Special Education and the Concept of Neurodiversity,” New Horizons in Learning Newsletter, 2009.
• Book Review: The Power of Play:  How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children by David Elkind, American Journal of Play, Vol. 1, No. 1, Summer, 2008.
• The Curriculum Superhighway, Educational Leadership, Vol. 64, No. 8, May, 2007, pp. 16-20.
• “Canaries in the Coal Mine:  The Symptoms of Children Labeled ‘ADHD’ as Biocultural Feedback,” in Critical New Perspectives on ADHD, Gwynedd Lloyd, Joan Stead, and David Cohen (eds.), London:  Routledge, 2006.
• ”Making the Words Roar,”  Educational Leadership, Vol. 61, No. 6, pp. 78-81, March, 2004.
• “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children:  One Consequence of the Rise of Technologies and Demise of Play?” in Sharna Olfman (ed.)  All Work and No Play:  How Educational Reforms Are Harming Our Preschoolers, Westport, Ct:  Praeger, 2003.
• “IKSWAL:  Interesting Kids Saddled with Alienating Labels,”  Educational Leadership, November, 2001.
• “To Empower, Not Control!: A Holistic Approach to ADD/ADHD“, Reaching Today’s Youth, Winter, 1998.
• “ADD: Does It Really Exist?” Phi Delta Kappan, February, 1996.
• “Labels Can Last a Lifetime“, Learning, May/June, 1996.
• “Why I Believe Attention Deficit Disorder is a Myth“, Sydney’s Child [Australia], September, 1996.
• “Utopian Schools“, Mothering, Winter, 1996.
• “ADD as a Social Invention,” Education Week, October 18, 1995.
• “Multiple Intelligences: Seven Ways to Approach Curriculum“, Educational Leadership, November, 1994.
• “50 Ways to Bring Out Your Child’s Best“, Family Circle, February 2, 1993.
• “Sparking Creativity in Your Child“, Ladies Home Journal, October, 1993.
• “The Power of Pretend,” Parenting, December/January 1990.
• “Math Comes Alive,” Parenting, November, 1989.
• “Little Geniuses“, Parenting, September, 1989.
• “The Art of the Matter,” Parenting, June/July, 1989.
• “Cheers for Peers,” Parenting, March, 1989.
• ‘‘Transpersonal Experience in Childhood,” The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 1984

To read additional short articles by Dr. Armstrong on a number of learning themes, visit the The National Parenting Center.

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My Guest Blog Posts

• ”Neoteny:  The Art of Being Young at Heart,” Arts of Thought, n.d., 2022.
• ”Multiple Intelligences:  8 Ways Kids Are Smart,” Free Spirit Publishing Blog, August 22, 2022.
• ”Kids Need ‘People Smarts’ Now More Than Ever,” Free Spirit Publishing Blog, July 27, 2020.
• ”Schools Can ‘Reinvent Themselves’ in the Fall” (panel) – Classroom Q & A with Larry Ferlazzo, Education Week Teacher June 11, 2020. 
• ‘‘What If Great Minds Designed Our Schools?” TeachThought, May 1, 2020
• ”Thinking That You’re Stupid Is Not a Smart Thing to Do,”  National Autism Resources Blog, February 7, 2020.
• ‘Mindfulness Practices:  Made for Middle School,” MiddleWeb, December 29, 2019.
• ”The Crippling of Students’ Individuality in America’s Schools,” Rae Pica’s Blog, December 10, 2019.
• ”What if Einstein Ran Our Schools?” Diane Ravitch’s Blog, December 9, 2019.
• ”The Spiritual Odyssey:  A New Vision for Developmental Psychology,” Arts of Thought, September 17, 2019.
• ‘‘The Teacher’s Guide to Practicing Mindfulness,” trustED K12Insight, July 30, 2019.
• ”Explaining a Diagnosis to Kids with Autism or ADHD: Teaching Kids About Their Brain Forests,” National Autism Resources, May 21, 2019.
• ”Maximize the Power of the Middle School Brain,” MiddleWeb, April 30, 2017.
• ”5 Ways to Help Kids Build Focus in a World Full of Distractions,” mindbodygreen, August 31, 2017.
• ”Special Education Needs a New Approach:  Neurodiversity,’‘ ASCD In Service, April 19, 2017.
• Response:  Learning Self-Regulation Is Needed on the Path to Academic Success,” (panel) – Classroom Q & A with Larry Ferlazzo, Education Week Teacher, November 27, 2016.
• ”Move with Purpose: Four Approaches to Making Content Kinesthetic,” ASCD Express, October 13, 2016.
• ”Response:  Metacognition Helps Students ‘Understand Their Gaps & How to Close Them” (panel) – Classroom Q & A with Larry Ferlazzo, October 12, 2016
• ”Unraveling the Mystery of Teaching the Adolescent Mind’‘ with Rae Pica and Heather Wolpert-Gawron, BAM! Radio, October 7, 2016.
• ”Neurodiversity, Play, and the So-called ADHD Child,” Hearts at Play, 2014.
• ”6 Tips to Get Your Kids Focused on the New School Year,” Brightly (PenguinRandom House)
• ”Can’t Sit Still?  7 Expert Ways to Help Your Child Focus, Motherly.
• ”Seeing the Best in Every Child:  The Importance of Neurodiversity,” Funderstanding, November 28, 2011.

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My Webinars, Interviews, Videos, and Podcasts

• ”How Are You Intelligent?  Our Eight Kinds of Smart,” Parenting GPS with Kari Kling Interview [Podcast], August, 2023.
• ”Tapping the Power of the Adolescent Brain,” Parents Navigating the Teen Years with Ed Gerety, [Podcast], Lessons in Leadership, 2023.
• ‘‘The Power of Neurodiversity” Applied Life, November 17, 2022 (interview with Dr. Nelly Nguyen).
• ‘‘Neurodiversity and the Importance of Niche Construction,”  (Neurodiversity Pride Day 2022 – NeuroEmergence Online Summit).
• The Unique Learning Ability Show with Rory Lemon.
• Mindfulness in the Classroom (Education Talk Radio Pre K-20). 
• ”Rekindle Your Child’s Passion for Learning,” (Master Class With Susan Stiffelman).
• Honoring the Teen Brain:  A Conversation with Thomas Armstrong (Educational Leadership magazine)
• Author Considers ADHD Diagnosis, Medication (”The Joy Cardin Show” Wisconsin Public Radio)
• Integrating Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom (ASCD Webinar)
• The Power of the Adolescent Brain Video Series
• One Size Fits Nobody:  Why Multiple Intelligences is More Relevant than Ever (Front Row)
• Multiple Intelligences:  A New Look at an Old Theory (ASCD Webinar)
• New Books on Parenting (New York Times Book Review Podcast reviewing my book The Myth of the ADHD Child)
• Strength-Based Strategies for Students with Special Needs (ASCD Webinar)
• Neurodiversity in the Classroom:  Strength-Based Strategies (Dyslexic Advantage Webinar)
• The  Myth of the ADHD Child (Interview on WGN Radio – Chicago)
• Neurodiversity in the Classroom (Interview on ”The Coffee Klatch”‘ Blog Talk Radio)
• Neurodiversity (Interview on ”The Coffee Klatch” Blog Talk Radio)
• How to Improve Your Child’s Behavior and Attention Span without Drugs, Labels, or Coercion (The Parent Normal Podcast)
• In Their Own Way (Interview on The Today Show)
• Neurodiversity (Print Interview on The Mouse Trap)
• From Birth to Death: The Odyssey of Our Human Experience (New Dimensions Radio – MP3 download available for $1.99)
• The Myth of the ADHD Child (Big Blend Radio Podcast)
• Ask the Expert (Print Interview on The Other Side of Organized)
• Interview on the Myth of ADHD (The Matt Townsend Show) BYU Radio
• Interview on Neurodiversity (English Language Print Interview from Revista de Educación Inclusiva, 2(1), 161-165).

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Press Clippings of My Books

• New York Times – Newman
• The Washington Post – The Answer Sheet
• Wired
• New York Times – Blumenthal
• Good Housekeeping
• The Washington Post – Oldenburg
• USA Today – Jacob
• Investor’s Business Daily
• Family Circle – Brinley
• Ladies Home Journal
• Mademoiselle
• Men’s Health
• Redbook
• Woman’s Day
• New Woman
• Woman’s World
• St. Louis Post Dispatch
• USA Today – Hellmich
• Washington Post – Vuko
• Hartford Courant
• New York Times – Hechinger
• Atlanta Journal Constitution
• Cleveland Plain Dealer
• Chicago Sun Times
• Los Angeles Times
• Family Circle – Solimini
• Orlando Sentinel
• Child Magazine

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Some of My Favorite Web Links

Neurodiversity

• ”Don’t Mourn for Us,” by Jim Sinclair (seminal document in history of neurodiversity) –
• ‘Neurodiversity” by Harvey Blume (first published use of term neurodiversity in 1998)
• Divergence Magazine – Reflections on the neuro-divergent experience in a neuro-typical world.
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) – ”Nothing about us, without us”
• Neurodiversity:  Honoring the Variety of Human Wiring – (website with numerous articles on neurodiversity) .
• The IDEAL School of Manhattan (neurodiversity-based inclusive school)
• Unicorn Village Academy – (neurodiversity-based school)
• Dyslexic Advantage (site focused on strengths of dyslexia)
• WrongPlanet.net – (online resource and community for Autism and Aspergers) –
• College of William and Mary – The Neurodiversity Initiative
• Brain.He (resources for neurodiversity and higher education)
• Temple Grandin – ”The World Needs All Kinds of Minds” (TED talk)
• William Henderson (former head of full inclusion school, now independent writer and speaker)
• Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) and SENG Misdiagnosis Initiative.
• GRIN:  How to let people be themselves (covers ”evaluative diversity”)
• Study Tips for College Students with Dyslexia and Dysgraphia
• Going to College with Aspergers and Autism
• Outdoor Environments for Children with Autism and Special Needs
• Work and Wellbeing: A Job Guide for People with Mental Health Conditions
• Resilience in Families with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• The Top Ten Mental Health Apps
• How Visual Designs Stimulate Cognition and Positive Emotions Among Children with Autism
• Foundation for Neurodiversity
• The Emergence of Teletherapy

Multiple Intelligences

• Online Module on Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
• Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS)
• Harvard Project Zero.
• Multiple Intelligences Institute
• New City School
• Introductory Article on Multiple Intelligences

Natural Genius in Children and Adults

• The Natural Child Project
• Deep Fun (Bernie DeKoven website, focused on play).
• John Holt: Growing without Schooling

Human Development and the Stages of Life

• Stage of Life
• Erikson Institute (graduate school with degrees in child development and early childhood education)

The Miseducation of America (critical voices in education)

• Alfie Kohn (outspoken critic of many current educational practices).
• Rethinking Schools (journal focused on equity and social justice in education)
• Diane Ravitch’s Blog (former top education official who is critical of current system)
• Creative Alternatives to Standardized Test Taking

Living Schools

(programs based on ecological principles)

• School in the Park

Education Speakers

• Michele Borba  (parenting, self-esteem, education)
• Barbara Coloroso, Kids Are Worth It! (parenting, self-esteem, education)
• Eric Jensen (brain-based learning, teaching kids in poverty)

Strengths of ADHD

• The Hidden Advantages of ADHD: Uncovering Unique Strengths

 

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