An Out-of-this-World Answer

Superstar astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson doesn’t just know about outer space; he also seems to always have the right answer to tough questions about things here on Earth. Recently, a little girl asked him whether he knew of anyone in his field of study who has dyslexia, and his answer to her was inspiring.

Watch the footage of their interaction here, then talk about it at your dinner table tonight:

Do you know anyone with dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, or another learning disability? What things are they really good at? What do they seem to struggle with?

Whether you have a learning disability or not, we all have strengths and weaknesses. What are the things you’re best at? What do you struggle with most?

Neil deGrasse Tyson makes the point that it’s possible to overcome a weakness or challenge by coming up with a strategy to help yourself — like giving yourself extra time to read things if you’re dyslexic. Have you found a similar way to overcome a challenge, or discovered a trick that helps you perform better in areas that are sometimes” hard for you? Do you know anyone else who has?

“What do you do in the Olympics when you come to a hurdle? You jump over it.” Have you “jumped over” any hurdles? How did it feel to get past something that was difficult for you? If you’ve been nervous about trying to “jump over” a particular challenge in your life, has this video changed your mind?