Bold By Choice Podcast | S3 E6: Hear from Dr. Matthew Tyson

Neurodiversity in Action

A reflection from Dr. Matthew Tyson

I grew up moving every few years, living in different states and experiencing very different school systems. What stayed with me was not just the change, but the realization that a child’s educational experience can vary dramatically depending on where they live. Expectations change. Support changes. For students who learn differently, those differences can shape an entire future.

That understanding is what drew me into education and eventually into special education. I wanted to work in the space where expectations are often set lowest, because I believed that was where the greatest opportunity for change lived. Early in my career, I worked with a student who was nonverbal and widely underestimated. People had already decided what he could not do. Instead of accepting that narrative, I focused on what motivated him and what he could do. With time, creativity, and belief, he exceeded every expectation placed on him. That experience fundamentally reshaped how I see potential and what schools should be responsible for cultivating.

Tapestry exists because too many students fall through the cracks in middle and high school. As schools grow larger, students who need individualized support are often the first to be lost. We designed Tapestry as a small 6–12 community on purpose. Size allows us to know students deeply, to support them consistently, and to build relationships that last years, not semesters.

Inclusion at Tapestry is not a program we implement. It is the foundation of how we operate. Every core classroom is co-taught. Support is not something students have to request or qualify for. It is part of the environment. We have sensory spaces available to any student who needs them because regulation and readiness are human needs, not labels. We scaffold our sixth graders intentionally, knowing that many arrive with disrupted learning or painful school histories. Their parents arrive carrying those experiences too.

One of the most powerful moments in our work is when families realize we are not here to fight them. We want what they want. We want their child safe, respected, and growing. When that alignment becomes clear, trust replaces fear, and progress accelerates.

This model only works if teachers are supported as whole people as well. Education can be relentless, and burnout is real. We protect planning time, pair co-teachers intentionally, consolidate meetings, and reduce what does not matter so educators can focus on what does. When teachers feel valued and effective, they stay, and students benefit from stability and expertise.

Students also have real ownership of this school. They help shape clubs, courses, events, and even hiring decisions. When students see that their voice leads to real outcomes, they begin to understand that they belong in rooms where decisions are made. That belief carries far beyond our walls.

This year, my students have reminded me of something simple and profound: the power of the present moment. Students live fully in the now. As adults, we often live in regret or anticipation. They remind me that the work happens here, today, through care, patience, and love expressed in action.

That is what we are building at Tapestry. A school where students are seen, supported, and trusted to become more than anyone once imagined.

Listen to the Episode

🎧 Season 3, Episode 6 – “Neurodiversity in Action”
Featuring Dr. Matthew Tyson, Tapestry Public Charter School