May is Anti-Stigma Month in Bermuda — a time to reflect, reframe and reimagine how we support those who are often misunderstood. At the Bermuda Centre for Creative Learning, we believe this conversation is especially urgent when it comes to children with learning differences.

Too often, children who learn differently are labelled, underestimated or excluded — not because they lack intelligence or potential, but because traditional systems were not built for the way they learn. This disconnect can lead to anxiety, frustration and, over time, a deep erosion of self-worth.

At BCCL, we know this story all too well — and we work every day to rewrite it.

We have built a school specifically for students with language-based and/or attention-based learning differences such as dyslexia or ADHD. Our mission is rooted in the belief that with the right environment, every child can thrive, and learning should never come at the expense of wellbeing.

That means small class sizes, personalised learning plans and a strong focus on social-emotional growth. But it also means choosing our words carefully because words shape the way children see themselves.

This is why we have released Words Matter: BCCL’s Guide to Inclusive Terminology for Children Who Learn Differently. It is a resource designed for families, educators and the wider community — a tool to help shift the language we use away from deficit and towards empowerment. Because saying “struggling reader” is not the same as saying “a student who learns differently”.

One labels. The other affirms.

As we mark Bermuda’s first Anti-Stigma Month, we also invite the community to our Mental Health Town Hall tomorrow, when we will bring together experts, educators and families to talk openly about the connection between learning differences, neurodiversity and mental health. It’s time to break the silence that surrounds these challenges, and replace it with shared understanding and support.

Ending stigma does not begin with systems. It begins with stories, with listening and with the courage to see every child not as a diagnosis, but as a learner with strengths, goals and tremendous potential.

If we want to build a Bermuda where every child can succeed, we must start by creating learning environments that meet them with empathy, flexibility and high expectations.

This May, let’s commit to a future where no child is made to feel “less than” for learning differently. Let’s end the stigma — one word, one classroom and one child at a time.

• Cindy Corday is cofounder and head of school at the Bermuda Centre for Creative Learning