Bridging the Neurodivide: Thinking with Circles

A Production of Ananth’s Fold, Color, Talk

Why think about complex topics such as neurodiversity, neurodivergent individuals, inclusion, and bridging the neurodivide using only words? Building visual and tactile models clarifies ideas and helps us think and talk about our ideas. Have fun exploring ideas in different ways with visual and tactile tools.

I have been folding circles since 2007. I use Wholemovement, an approach developed by Bradford Hansen-Smith. I used to fold circles to create tetrahedrons, octahedrons, icosahedrons, Vector-Equilibrium Sphere, and many other interesting structures. After folding, I enjoyed coloring it. While some children like my cousin liked to fold many circles in a day, I folded one or two and spent time coloring.

Since I kept folding and coloring, my mother started organizing ideas on the circle creations. We used these foldables to think about different topics and to talk about our ideas.

See the video below and try folding!

https://youtu.be/FJ4VIetBbYg?si=pK7FDI93Ieogjawq


I enjoyed folding and coloring because
• It was relaxing
• I enjoy coloring
• I could learn better with visual and tactile tools

I did an entrepreneurship summer camp in 2014. I created the concept and logo for Fold, Color, Talk.

Bridging the Neurodivide

When my mother started preparing for her presentation on Bridging the Neurodivide, she asked me to fold a tetrahedron and then an icosahedon using four colors.

Tetrahedron

The first fold divides the circle into two parts. We used one side neurotypicals (NT) and another half to represent neurodivergent (ND). Once folded into a tetrahedron, the bottom two triangles represent NTs and NDs having experiences in environments that work best for them. As they learn in their own ways, different people (learners, parents, teachers, etc.) discover ways to bridge the neurodivide (triangle at the center). These discoveries enable them to bring NDs and NTs together in different environments.

Icosahedron

I used four tetrahedrons to create an icosahedron. The icosahedron can help us visualize the process of bridging the neurodivide more clearly.

Sustaining (green)

NDs and NTs have experiences in environments that work for them.

Initiating (yellow)

We initiate activities to bring these learners together.

Adapting (orange)

Students, teachers, parents and others adjust to changes

Extending (blue)

New activities and ways of bridging the neurodivide are discovered and implemented.

We have started tracking our progress in bridging the neuro divide using this Icosahedron.
Watch the video below to see how we are using it.

https://youtu.be/MBgGNUyc_oA?si=3tMUv05ISY9kR9wN


About Ananth
Ananth Raghunandan is a student ambassador for (Ramana Sunritya Aalaya) RASA and Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD). Ananth Raghunandan is doing a diploma in Bharatanatyam.

He enjoys folding circles and created Fold, Color, Talk with his mother Dr. Dasaratha Rama during an entrepreneurship camp.