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.