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Built for Every Mind: Reimagining Classrooms for Neurodiverse Learners
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT
Presented by Kara Ball, Academic Officer and Author, Teacher Created Materials; and Juliana Urtubey, Educator, Special Education Expert, Understood.org, and Director of Curriculum, National Center for Grow Your Own
Moderated by Heather Brooke, Vice President of Professional Learning, Teacher Created Materials
Sponsored by Teacher Created Materials
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
In every classroom, there are learners who think, process, and engage in different ways. When educators design with neurodiversity in mind, they create environments where all students can thrive.
In this engaging edWebinar, Kara Ball, Teacher Created Materials author and former IEP student herself, joins Juliana Urtubey from Understood.org to share practical strategies for building elementary classrooms where neurodivergent learners feel seen, supported, and valued. Together, we explore how designing with neurodiversity in mind can strengthen classroom instruction and expand opportunities for every learner.
In this edWebinar, you learn how to:
- Apply a strength-based lens to neurodiversity using clear, student-centered language that honors diverse ways of thinking and learning
- Implement classroom strategies that strengthen executive functioning, support flexible communication, and increase engagement across content areas, including STEM
- Create classroom environments that elevate student voice and foster a stronger sense of belonging
Designed for K–6 classroom teachers, instructional leaders, and special education professionals, this recorded edWebinar offers actionable steps for reimagining classrooms so every learner feels capable, confident, and included.
About the Presenters
Kara Ball is an author and Academic Officer at Teacher Created Materials, specializing in inclusive, inquiry-based STEAM. A former K–5 teacher and district STEM coordinator, she designs accessible learning experiences that empower all students as thinkers and problem solvers. Drawing from her experience as a neurodivergent educator, Kara advocates for expanded access and opportunity in STEM. She is the author of 50 Strategies for Teaching STEAM Skills and a recipient of the prestigious 2025 Bezos Courage and Civility Award.
Juliana Urtubey is an educator, special education expert, and Director of Curriculum at the National Center for Grow Your Own. She partners with Understood.org to amplify its mission of helping those who learn and think differently thrive. A National Board Certified Teacher with experience in bilingual and special education, she has helped develop schoolwide Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. In 2021, she was named National Teacher of the Year and later appointed by President Biden to the President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity for Hispanics.
About the Moderator
Heather Brooke is the VP of Professional Learning at Teacher Created Materials, where she oversees a team that delivers high-quality professional learning workshops for educators nationwide.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Join the Teaching All Students community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Teacher Created Materials develops innovative and imaginative educational materials and services for students worldwide. Everything we do is created by teachers for teachers and students to make teaching more effective and learning more fun. Join us on our mission to create a world where children truly want to learn.
