Panama at the AMCO Teacher's BootCamp 2023: Reflections on Neurodiversity and Education
"This indicates that Panama has talented human capital available to promote improvements in educational inclusion and neuroeducation in our region."
Last March, Mario Pimentel, as Director and Founder of the Comprehensive Center for Educational Neuropsychology , had the honor of representing Panama as a speaker at the AMCO Teacher's BootCamp in Guadalajara, Mexico. This international event brought together various educational stakeholders from Latin America around an urgent and necessary theme: Neurodiversity in Education .
As a Panamanian company specializing in mental health and human well-being, it is a source of profound pride to see our professional expertise valued by foreign education and technology organizations. This invitation reaffirms our conviction that borders are irrelevant when it comes to sharing knowledge for the benefit of human development.
Lessons Learned from a Lived Experience
Beyond the presentation, this trip represented a two-way learning opportunity. We would like to share with you, dear readers, three fundamental pillars that we gleaned from this experience and that we consider vital for any educational transformation process:
1. Planning and Human Support
From the very first meeting, the communication was structured yet warm. This reminded us that the success of any intervention—whether clinical or educational—depends on trust . Impeccable organization not only facilitates logistics but also creates the human connection necessary for learning to flourish.
2. The Power of Experiential Learning
Life is a sensory process. During our visit to AMCO's facilities, we witnessed how the environment shapes the mind. We were deeply impressed by the themed rooms: spaces designed for future explorations of Mars , areas for mindfulness and children's relaxation, and augmented reality zones. This validates what we promote at Neuropsyedu: learning is more fruitful when we engage the senses and emotions.
3. Passion for Details
Total quality lies in the details. From the transfer to the hotel to the technical preparation for the presentation, every step was carefully considered. This "passion for detail" is a philosophy we share and apply with each of our consultants in Panama.
Towards a Culture of Inclusion in Panama
This experience invites us to reflect on our local context. It is imperative that, in the short and medium term, foundations, government entities, and Panamanian civil society join forces. Our goal must be to promote a truly inclusive culture of education .
It's not enough to talk about differences; we must actively promote acceptance in work, social, and academic settings. Neurodiversity is not a fad; it's the reality of our human biology, and embracing it is the path to a more just society.
We are deeply grateful to AMCO for their trust. We would like to reiterate to our readers and partners that the Comprehensive Center for Educational Neuropsychology is at their complete disposal.
We are ready to collaborate, both in Panama and internationally, in teaching and awareness-raising activities on neurodevelopment and mental health.