Adventures in Being Gifted

In our season finale of AIBG, we're excited to welcome two renowned experts for an insightful discussion on test-taking and visual-spatial thinking. We delve into the complexities of the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) with Dr. Joni Lakin, the esteemed lead author of the test itself. We'll explore critical themes like test equity and effective preparation strategies. Additionally, Professor Anne Flick joins the conversation, bringing groundbreaking research on visual-spatial intelligence to the forefront.  Don't miss this captivating end to a fantastic season!

Discussing race in the classroom is a topic that often makes us uneasy, yet it's crucial. We engage in an open and enlightening discussion about this with Dr. Joy Lawson Davis. She brings over four decades of educational experience and is the acclaimed author of 'Bright, Talented & Black: A Guide for Families of African American Gifted Learners' and 'Gifted Children of Color Around the World: Diverse Needs, Exemplary Practices, and Directions for the Future'.

"I haven't had a teacher since the fourth grade!"We talk with Kate Liemandt, known as Austin Scholar online, a high school student in Austin, Texas, who stands out for her exceptional academic performance, consistently scoring in the 99th percentile in nationwide tests despite not having a traditional teacher since fourth grade. Her secret? Online learning through adaptive educational apps vastly differs from the often ineffective "Zoom-school." Austin attends Alpha, an innovative school where students learn at their own pace using educational software, allowing them to grasp academic concepts twice as fast and consistently score in the 90th percentile.Austin's concern about the state of education in the U.S. is highlighted by the startling results of the nationwide Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Test: 50th percent of high school graduates have similar language skills as 98th percentile second graders and similar math skills as top-performing fourth graders. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for a systemic change in the educational system, a change Austin is determined to be a part of.You can read her newsletter HERE.

In this episode of our podcast, we're embracing the spirit of student empowerment by handing over the reins to our young learners. Join Daisy and Maren, two curious 5th graders, who delved deep into the workings of the brain in their recent unit. Their journey of discovery led them to Dr. Lisa Mannix, a renowned local neurologist. Tune in as they engage in an insightful conversation with Dr. Mannix, exploring the intriguing questions that emerged from their research.

We chat with Brian Housand, Ph.D. about how learning and technology have the potential to supercharge students' innate curiosity and propel them toward a lifetime of inquiry and investigation. Brian talks about tapping into students' interests and purposefully constructing experiences that promote creative, productive giftedness. 

We are joined by Debbie Reber, founder of Tilt Parenting, for a fantastic conversation about 2E kids. More than 20 percent of today's children are in some way neurodivergent, or what Debbie calls, “differently wired.”  She talks about how to help them thrive in their schools, their families, and their lives.

An amazing conversation with the author and founder of ThinkLaw, Colin Seale. Colin talks with enormous passion about closing the critical thinking gap to ensure teachers teach and reach all students, regardless of race, zip code, or what side of the poverty line they are born into. 

Season 5 kicks off at one of the best gatherings of gifted education minds in the country...the Ohio Assoc of Gifted Children Annual Conference! We talk to speakers, coordinators, teachers, and more.

In this episode, we share how our personal gifted classroom curriculum is structured around the framework of Content —> Process —> Product  —> Environment—> Assessment —> and our own addition of PARTY!Giving choices in all parts of the framework is key. Gifted students love choice, and they love real-life, meaningful experiences. That's why we're handing over the mic on today's episode to Masa and Vikram as they chose to host their own podcast conversation with a real-life scientist, Mike Pashka from P&G and how they aspire to save the planet!

What happens when you take risks and go through doors that open for you? Listen to the Little twin's story to be inspired. They went from shy middle school kids to leading Ohio's largest high school's student broadcast and newspaper behind the mic, in front of the camera, and with the pen.Student voices with Sahana 

We talk with legendary gifted authors, Judy Galbraith and Jim Delisle, about their fifth edition of The Gifted Teen Survival Guide, a one-of-a-kind book full of sage advice to help teens understand themselves, relate well with others, and reach their potential in life.Get the book on Amazon HERE.

We talk with Dr. Susan Corwith about talent development,  assessment,  and advocacy.  No student is born with a set destination, and talent development takes many forms. Talents, passions, and goals are discovered through exploration, challenge, dedication, and mentorship.  For over 20 years, Dr. Corwith has been active in gifted education, working as a K-12 educator, gifted program coordinator, administrator, and researcher.  She also is an instructor in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern and serves on the board of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children (IAGC).  She works with Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development (CTD) to guide and support students of all backgrounds.To learn more visit: https://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/

We have the privilege of talking with Dr. Gail Post about her book, The Gifted Parenting Journey. The book is based on research, theory, and clinical experience and talks about the emotions parents of gifted or high-ability children and teens face, and how improved self-awareness enhances parenting efforts.

We have the privilege of talking with Emmy award-winning reporter Sheree Paolleo about her 25+ year career in journalism. Her story about perseverance and no-nonsense advice about the hard work and practice it took to rise to the top of her profession are invaluable.

We chat with Mike Anderson, a prolific writer, educational consultant throughout the US and internationally, and a teacher for fifteen years, about his book, "The Motivational Crisis". In the book, Mike talks about how the job of teachers is not to motivate students but to make sure classrooms and schools are places that inspire students' intrinsic motivation and allow it to flourish.

We talk with Starr Sackstein, arguably the world's leading authority on the no-grades classroom. She is a longtime teacher and author of six education books, including the bestselling Hacking Assessment and Hacking Homework. It's a conversation you don't want to miss!

Don Bentley, a NY Times best-selling author, shares his story from starting as a gifted student to being an engineer to an FBI Agent to writing for Tom Clancy. His story is one of discipline, focus, perseverance, and pursuing your passion.

In this episode,  we talk with Allison Edwards about anxiety and mental health. Allison is a child psychotherapist, speaker, and author of seven books. We've found her insight to be a fantastic resource and guide in our classroom, and we bet you will too!

Tune in to amazing conversations with the keynote speakers, other presenters, attendees, and parents as they share their knowledge and experience. Thanks for joining for Season 3...see you in 2023 for Season 4!

We couldn't be more excited to continue our conversation with Matt Marvin about the tips and tricks to crushing an interview. It's an immensely practical and relevant topic that every student (and adult) should know about.Here's a link to Matt's book. 

Eventually, we all have to get a job.  What if parents and students who are working really hard found practical solutions that made all the difference in the world to land the jobs they want?  Jill talks with Matt Marvin, author of the book "NAILED IT! 10 Keys to Crushing the Interview" and president of MGM Consulting, about "cheat codes" to land the jobs you want in high school, college, and for your career.

3 gifted young adults takeover the podcast to talk about their gifted adventures since elementary school, anxieties, friends, how to get the most from a senior year, mentors, and the need for caffeine.

In this episode, we talk with a longstanding education consultant, Allison Zmuda, about personalized learning and the habits of mind. We've found them to be amazing in our classroom and hope you'll find it that way for you too.Personalized learning helps build student self-direction, curiosity, and impact. It helps develop opportunities for students to express their voices, co-create and design, and discover who they are as learners. The Habits of Mind are dispositions or thinking behaviors that are desirable attributes for learning and living productively in a complex world. 

We talk with Dr. Daniel Fried, a Yale-educated chemistry professor, who created curriculum that makes high-level chemistry and biochemistry fun and rewarding for kids of any age. We're blown away by what students can learn!

We chat with April Wells, a gifted educator, thought leader, NAGC Board of Directors member, and author.  She's inspiring and insightful about the essential task of working toward equity in gifted programs.  

We unlock our true creative potential (and so can you) in this episode. One of the global leaders in creativity, Drew Boyd, talks about his counterintuitive and powerfully effective approach to creativity called SIT (Systematic Inventive Thinking). It's an innovative and unconventional approach that embraces “inside the box” thinking. And it works!Plus we hear from Christy, who gave herself permission to be an artist at 47 years old!

We welcome Erica Whitfield to discuss the different ways parents think that they are listening but may actually be shutting down communication with their kids plus talk about a listening method that leads to tremendous success.  

The author of more than 250 articles and twenty books, Jim Delisle talks about underachievement, empowering students to find their true potential, and "making risks" not just taking them.

Season 3 starts off with a bang! The renowned author of "Kids These Days", Dr. Jody Carrington, joins us for a chat. She talks about (re)connecting, finding purpose and passion as we continue to deal with the aftermath of the global pandemic, and finding ways to build an empathic classroom to reach all students.

As we end Season 2, we continue our conversations about the upcoming summer and how to use it to grow, learn and, most of all, have fun! We talk with Dale Moberly, a veteran teacher who has taken middle schoolers to Costa Rica. These trips get students to step out of their comfort zones and take adventurous risks. We also talk with Jason Riggle, one of the more curious people we've ever met. He talks about being curious, knowing our limits, and embracing failure.

We're wrapping up Season 2 with two episodes about summer and balance. In this episode, we welcome Madaris Grant, owner of XAthletes Fitness & Performance, to talk about seeking balance with healthy habits when it comes to our bodies, and Michelle Krugh, licensed therapist and school counselor is back again to chat about mental health. 

We welcome, Ann Sheldon, the Executive Director of OAGC to talk about the issues Gifted Programs in Ohio and beyond are facing. For parents and teachers with gifted students, this is a MUST listen to episode!

We chat with Kelly Thomas, Innovation Sales Director at P&G, about her journey of finding her strengths through encouragement, mentoring, and curiosity.We also hear another montage of young girls talking about what they want to be when they grow up and why.

We welcome, Ping Sun, Ph.D., and a director at Proctor & Gamble, to talk about her journey as a gifted woman growing up in China and immigrating to the US. Ping shares the importance of having a mentor and surrounding yourself with people who bring out the best in you.We give the mic to our 3rd-grade gifted girls and ask them what they want to be when they grow up. We hope you enjoy their responses as much as we did!

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Nagla Abdel Karim, director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at Augusta University at the Georgia Cancer Center. While overcoming stereotypical obstacles of being a gifted girl and immigrating from Egypt, her message is strong- to stay positive and make a difference; give back to the community. We also hear from Leah in our student voice segment who is a gifted program alum and studying to be a doctor.

We're joined by the "Gifted Guru", Lisa Van Gemert, to talk about perfectionism in all its forms, amazing tips for teachers and parents as well as dealing with the personal experiences that shape every student's educational journey.Plus we talk with Meriele, a senior, who's trying to find out what the future holds.NOTE: In this episode, we talk candidly about abuse and how it affects gifted people.

We continue our conversations about acceleration with administrators, parents, and students. 

We talk with Dr. Ann Lupkowski Shoplik, one of the most important voices for acceleration in the education world, about the research behind grade and single-subject acceleration, and the research may surprise you.We also hear from two students and their personal experiences with acceleration.

We welcome renowned educator and prolific author, "The Gifted Guy", Todd Stanley, to talk about the need for advocates of gifted students both in and out of school.We also talk with Anna, a gifted program alumni, who talks about her gifted adventure.

Season 2 kicks off with Dr. Jenn Mott, an educator, assistant principal, and circus performer. As a grownup gifted kid, she talks about the untapped potential that was unlocked from saying YES to opportunities throughout her life. In Student Voices, we welcome, Lia, a very curious 3rd grader who also has 11 rabbits and 2 frogs.

In this episode, we talk with Abby, a freshman at Purdue University, who was identified as gifted in 2nd grade. She talks about the importance of parental support, overcoming perfectionism, balancing academics with the joys of high school, and how her adventures in being gifted continue to evolve. Plus we flip the script on "Student Voices" to hear from a parent of a gifted student.

We talk with Marc Smolowitz, the director and producer of the upcoming documentary "The G Word". The film is a mosaic of revealing stories told by children, adults, and elders who will explore giftedness, intelligence, and neurodivergent learners across the age spectrum and ask, “In the 21st century, who gets to be gifted and why?”Plus Aiden, from Episode 1, returns to talk about what a gifted program means to him.  Learn more about The G WordLearn more about G/T/N Awareness Week (Oct 25-29)

We've had the privilege mentoring several girls on Friday mornings for the past 2 years.  The "Girls in Leadership" group has had an impact on our school, our community, and, especially, the girls themselves.  We are convinced teaching leadership and mentoring unlocks amazing potential within a gifted program and empowers students. Join us for this fun conversation!

Being gifted can be a difficult journey but our guest, Principal Javaris Powell, talks about being ok with being different and enjoying the unique adventure each person goes through.  We also welcome Elle, a gifted alumni, who has started her own podcast.

Defining the word gifted is not an easy task. We talk with some of our students about how they define being gifted, and one of our gifted program's alumni about how mentors helped him pursue his gifted adventure.

What happens when we step out of the way and let students pursue their passions? In this episode, we welcome two sisters who are changing their community through their leadership and passion.  Their story is a call to all educators and parents to see the potential in students and let them lead.

The terms "twice exceptional" and "neurodiversity" are critical but often confusing terms to understand for teachers, parents, and students. We welcome author and therapist, Emily Kircher-Morris, to bring clarity and practical advice to this topic from her new book, "Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom".

Janet Willig, a GIS with over 35+ years of experience and a professor at Xavier University, shares practical, in-depth characteristics of being gifted and how knowing those characteristics can help immensely in the gifted adventure. In the "Student Voices" segment, Lindy, a high school freshman, shares what she would tell her 3rd-grade self about being gifted knowing what she does now.

We set New Year's Resolutions so why not set New School Year Resolutions?  Award-Winning Superintendent Jonathan Cooper discusses the importance of leadership, goal-setting and how it has changed his life and can change yours.

Episode #1 welcomes Michelle Krugh, a school counselor with over 20 years of experience, to share the hopes, stress, and anxiety of starting a new school year, especially after a global pandemic. The "Adventures in Being Gifted" podcast has been many years in the making! Experienced gifted teachers, Jill Hartsock and Jessica Mullen, talk with a variety of experts, educators, parents, and kids about living the gifted adventure.