Learning. Growing. Sharing.
The Different Minds Experiences Our group includes persons from neurodiverse backgrounds and has incorporated lessons from these learned experiences. Different Minds Academy places its trust in human variability and diversity. Each learner is respected for their unique perspectives and contributions.
Join us!
Mission
We are are a dedicated group of professionals, researchers, and students in training that have together developed a program specifically for educating neurodiversity and different minds. We work under supervision of UVic professor Dr.
Values
We embrace values of recognizing disability, celebrating different abilities, and sharing the roles of teacher and student equally between participants and facilitators. Our purpose is to facilitate self-determination to learn and the wonder of discovery. Each student is nurtured to express their unique voices, unique dreams, and unique contributions.
Meet our team
Jim Tanaka is a professor of psychology at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. Jim is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada who is passionate about teaching and working with diverse learners of all ages.
Maddie Topfer
Program Director
Maddie graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2019. She started with DMA as a Mentor in the Fall of 2020. She has a strong affection for animals, and her house is home to 6 pets (3 dogs and 3 cats), making it feel like a miniature zoo!
Our Sponsors
