Bridges Learning System is pioneering how we think about autism and neurological differences.
As a curriculum development organization, our courses and trainings celebrate neurodiversity, empower individuals, and build bridges of understanding between neurotypical and neurodivergent youth.
As a former educator and having worked in the field of education for over 20 years, founder Dr. Katrina Martin has seen firsthand the dangers of "othering" children who think or behave in ways that don't fit our expectations. Children are bribed, threatened, and manipulated into "overcoming" their disability. As a result, there are growing accounts of autistic and neurodivergent adults who have been traumatized by an education system that discounts their unique ways of thinking and being.
At Bridges Learning System, we create curricula centered by autistic and neurodivergent voices that celebrates neurodiversity for both young learners and the educators that teach them. Our online curricula and trainings include in-depth lesson plans and guides, engaging workshops and games, and essential resources to use outside the classroom on an easy-to-use platform that makes learning and teaching possible from virtually anywhere.
Instead of forcing children to “overcome” their disability, at Bridges Learning System, we break down barriers of understanding for both youth and adults to champion what each person brings to the table. With our Neurodiversity Training Series, educators are encouraged to dismantle their own ableism and empower inclusion in- and outside of the classroom. And, our flagship program, the Social-Emotional Acuity Bridge, or SEA Bridge, is designed for small groups of neurodivergent children ages K-5 where all types of interactions, expressions, and engagement are valued, and students are encouraged to become self-advocates from a young age.
We have a small but mighty team of neurodivergent, autistic, and neurotypical staff and collaborate with a growing group of autistic and neurodivergent folks to help inform all that we do! From what to teach, to how to best teach it, to what it should look like on the page.
Your contribution will allow us to be able to provide up to 6 FREE SEA Bridge curriculum subscriptions for educators to use to get to know our program without the financial commitment. Any contribution you can provide means a step toward a more inclusive learning experience, where autistic and neurodivergent youth are able to grow with dignity into confident adults, assured of their self-worth.
Thank you immensely for your support!
-Bridges Learning System Team
