Teaching in Higher Ed An Educator’s Guide to ADHD with Karen Costa
Jan 22, 2026
Karen Costa, a faculty development facilitator and author of "An Educator’s Guide to ADHD," discusses reshaping views on ADHD in education. She emphasizes that students with ADHD are assets, not burdens, and critiques the problematic romanticization of ADHD as a superpower. Karen shares methods for creating supportive learning environments, like high expectations paired with flexibility, and highlights the importance of strong instructor presence in online settings. She also offers practical tools like checklists and external memory aids to aid students' success.
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ADHD Students Are Classroom Assets
- Students with ADHD are often mislabeled as a burden, which harms their inclusion and self-worth.
- Reframing ADHD as part of human neurodiversity reveals students' creativity and engagement as assets.
Reject The Superhero Framing
- Calling ADHD a 'superpower' can dehumanize people by creating unrealistic expectations and pressure.
- Karen Costa urges a middle path: celebrate strengths while acknowledging real challenges.
High Support, Structure, And Challenge
- Hold high expectations while offering strong supports and clear structure for students with ADHD.
- Use flexible structure and tap students' interests to make challenge meaningful and achievable.
