What happens when you spend years believing you're not good at learning, only to discover that your brain works differently?
In this episode of That AuDHD Teacher, I'm joined by Paul McKee, a former teacher and online education entrepreneur who shares his experience of living with ADHD, navigating learning differences, and discovering how to work with his brain rather than against it.
Paul was labelled as struggling academically during childhood, despite being highly capable when learning was approached in a way that suited him. After years of figuring things out for himself, he received an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood and began to understand his experiences in a completely different light.
We talk about what it was like growing up misunderstood at school, how Paul discovered his own learning patterns, and why finding the right strategies can make such a difference. We also explore ADHD and sleep, the challenges of managing energy and focus, recognising similar traits in your children, and how understanding your neurodivergence can influence the way you approach work and entrepreneurship.
Paul also shares his journey from teaching and engineering into online education, including why he decided to make educational resources more accessible through his website, Free Worksheets.
Explore Paul's free educational resources: https://freeworksheets.com/
Free Worksheets provides worksheets for teachers, parents and homeschoolers, with resources created by teachers. Paul's goal is to help make educational resources accessible without the expensive paywalls that can make them difficult to access.
In this conversation, we explore:
Paul's childhood experiences and his journey to an ADHD diagnosis as an adult
Learning differences and why traditional education doesn't work for everyone
Finding strategies that fit your individual ADHD brain
ADHD, sleep difficulties and creating a sleep routine that works for you
Recognising ADHD traits in your children and supporting them as they grow
The relationship between ADHD, creativity, risk-taking and entrepreneurship
Why understanding yourself matters more than following a one size fits all checklist
Paul's mission to make educational resources freely available to teachers, parents and homeschoolers
This is a conversation about self understanding, challenging the assumptions we make about ability, and discovering that there isn't one right way to learn, work or navigate life.
If you enjoy honest conversations about ADHD, autism, AuDHD and neurodivergent experiences, follow That AuDHD Teacher for more episodes.
Hosted by Emily Sigglekow, a New Zealand early childhood teacher sharing conversations and reflections on life as a neurodivergent adult.
This episode shares personal experiences and is for informational purposes. Individual experiences of ADHD, sleep and treatment vary.
