Navigating the Job Search with NVLD:
We’ve all been there: sending out dozens of job applications only to hear back from a small fraction, if any. The job search can be emotionally taxing and discouraging, especially when you put yourself out there time and again with little result. For me, navigating the job search with Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) adds an extra layer of complexity—but it also brings unexpected strengths.
On job applications, the inevitable question about accommodations often comes up. While I don’t typically require accommodations, I believe in being transparent with hiring teams when appropriate. I choose to disclose my NVLD when I’m working closely with others, such as in co-teaching, and only if I sense there will be no judgment. Before starting my current student teaching placement, I opened up about my diagnosis to my cooperating teacher, who, though unfamiliar with NVLD, responded with incredible support and understanding. This led to extra check-ins, planning sessions, and confirmation on assignments, helping me feel more authentic in my role. Additionally, it allowed me to design a lesson on NVLD for my unit on disability representation in literature and film, which has been a truly empowering experience! As a 12th-grade teacher, it’s crucial that my students develop a diverse and nuanced understanding of disabilities, including NVLD, before they head off to college.
Taking Initiative in My Career Search:
NVLD played a significant role in my decision to pursue teaching. My personal experiences have shaped my understanding of how students perceive the world differently, fuelling my passion for education. I thrive on new experiences, but I also excel in structured environments, which makes teaching the perfect fit for me and my NVLD.
Specifically, the school where I’m student teaching uses a rotating drop schedule, so my cooperating teacher and I work with different students each day. This structure provides variety while helping me stay grounded, organized, and focused when working with diverse groups of students.
For this reason, thoroughness—a strength of NVLD—is essential in teaching, and I approach the job search in a similar way. Whether I’m researching districts, networking with teachers, or preparing for interviews, my thoroughness has been a big asset in my job search. It’s made me feel more proactive and focused throughout the process.
For a long time, I wasn’t sure which career path to follow. I explored journalism, public relations, pre-law, and speech-language pathology, but teaching always appealed to me. It’s a way to combine my love of reading and writing with my passion for creating accessible educational spaces. In many ways, becoming a teacher feels very full circle; I get to help create the truly accessible spaces I needed when I was younger and serve as the support I didn’t always have.
Owning My Unique Strengths:
As I continue my job search, I’ve come to realize that NVLD is an integral part of who I am as an educator. While teaching is undeniably challenging, I focus on my strengths—attention to detail, memory, and strong analytical skills—which allow me to thrive in a structured environment. My NVLD impacts the classroom environment I want to uphold, influencing the way I approach
lessons, interact with students, and guide discussions. I’m excited to bring these strengths to future interviews and my future classroom.
I also look forward to sharing my experiences with students who may face similar challenges, hoping to make them feel less alone. In both my teaching and job search, I make it a point to ask for clear feedback and expectations upfront, helping me stay on track and ensuring success. And yes, keeping a sense of humor is key! It helps me through the little bumps along the way, especially when navigating challenges that can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Growth:
While NVLD has provided strengths like an exceptional memory and attention to detail, it also presents challenges I continue to navigate. For example, visual and spatial difficulties make interpreting data, graphs, and charts especially tough. In a recent interview, this became a focal point, and I recognized it as an area I need to improve. I view this challenge as an opportunity to develop strategies to handle these tasks more effectively in the future. Being aware of challenges (while also keeping a sense of humor) is key!
Lesson planning and organization are also ongoing challenges for me. As someone who thrives on creativity, I often generate a lot of lesson ideas but struggle to organize them into clear, manageable steps for students. Creating a structure that scaffolds lessons effectively—ensuring that students can build on prior knowledge while also engaging with new material—can be tricky. I’ve sought support from academic mentors and professors, who’ve helped me refine my organizational skills. Their guidance has been invaluable in shaping my ability to craft more structured, effective lessons.
Empowering Others Through My Journey:
Being open about NVLD hasn’t diminished my abilities—it’s allowed me to bring unique perspectives to the table. I hope my journey encourages others with NVLD—or any condition that shapes their experience—to embrace their differences and use them as tools for success in their professional paths.
Becca
Becca is a dynamic freelance writer and English educator, who is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Columbia University in New York City. Beyond crafting narratives that blend culture, identity, and personal history, Becca aims to weave communities together and foster empathy, understanding, and action. Becca’s works have been featured in Tablet Magazine, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Blending Magazine, To Write Love on Her Arms, and the evocative poetry anthology “From Angels to Rebels.” When she is not teaching or piecing together her first novel, she can be found typing away at a cafe, devoting herself to the daily crossword, traveling, hiking, or tackling her next puzzle!