Episodes

  • In this episode, Sophia welcomes William Curb, the creator and host of the 'Hacking Your ADHD'
    podcast. They discuss the journey of discovering and managing ADHD from lived experiences, the
    importance of understanding, good strategies, tools and medication.

    William shares that recognition and acceptance of having ADHD, alongside building routines and
    accountability, are crucial for effective management. They explore the misconceptions around ADHD, the different ways it manifests in children and adults, and the strengths that can arise from well-managed ADHD.

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    We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard.

    If you’re feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support.

    Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness.

    Love the podcast? Leave a review, make a one time donation, become a patron or find out more about supporting the podcast.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids

    Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch!

    For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com

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    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Episode Resources
    www.hackingyouradhd.com

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    Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

  • In this episode, Dr. Joanne Foster, an expert in gifted education and author, shares her journey and insights into supporting the wellbeing of gifted children. Originating from a classroom experience that sparked her interest in gifted education, Dr. Foster dives into topics such as motivating gifted children, the importance of finding an optimal match between a child's interests and their learning tasks, and avoiding the potential pitfalls of labeling children with 'potential.'

    Dr. Foster discusses her books on procrastination and offers practical tips for parents to help their gifted children navigate their educational journeys while maintaining balance and resilience.

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    Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard.

    If you’re feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support.

    Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness.

    Love the podcast? Leave a review, make a one time donation, become a patron or find out more about supporting the podcast.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids

    Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch!

    For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com

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    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

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  • In this insightful podcast episode, Sophia welcomes Brianne Hudak, a seasoned educator and current doctoral student specializing in educational leadership, to discuss underachievement among gifted students.

    Brianne shares her extensive experience in various educational roles and her dedication to supporting gifted and talented students. The conversation explores the reasons behind gifted underachievement, its impact on mental health, educational strategies to address it, and the long-term effects into adulthood.

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    Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard.

    If you’re feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support.

    Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness.

    Love the podcast? Leave a review, make a one time donation, become a patron or find out more about supporting the podcast.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids

    Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch!

    For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com

    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

  • In this episode, host Sophia welcomes Dr. Heidi Lack, psychologist and registered art therapist with over three decades of extensive clinical experience.

    Dr. Lack shares her expertise in behavioural medicine, sensory sensitivities, and neurodiversity, discussing her personal journey and unique experiences with giftedness and misophonia.

    The conversation delves deep into the complex nature of misophonia, its impact, and effective interventions. Dr. Lack also explains how the condition intersects with empathy and sensory processing, offering valuable insights and practical strategies for managing misophonia in daily life.

    - - - -

    Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard.

    If you’re feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support.

    Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness.

    Love the podcast? Leave a review, make a one time donation, become a patron or find out more about supporting the podcast.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids

    Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch!

    For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com

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    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Episode Resources

    www.drheidilack.com

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    Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

  • Welcome to the New Season of Our Gifted Kids Podcast!

    Join Sophia Elliott as she kicks off a new season of the Our Gifted Kids Podcast. Reflecting on a challenging yet transformative 2023, Sophia shares her journey of personal growth and the balancing act of parenting gifted, neurodivergent children.

    Learn about exciting new updates, including upcoming episodes, and new course offerings. Sophia also extends heartfelt gratitude to her listeners and the gifted community for their unwavering support.

    Tune in for a year full of insightful collaborations, resources, and the relentless pursuit to help every gifted family thrive.

    00:00 Introduction to Our Gifted Kid Podcast

    00:39 A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community

    01:20 Reflecting on a Challenging Year

    04:12 New Beginnings and Future Plans

    06:33 Exciting Updates and Collaborations

    08:59 Closing Remarks and How to Connect

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    Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard.

    If you’re feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support.

    Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness.

    Love the podcast?

    Leave a review, make a one time donation, become a patron or find out more about supporting the podcast.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids

    Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch!

    For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com

    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

  • #087 Unpacking dangerous myths about gifted & 2E boys w/ Deborah Gennarelli

    In this episode, we’re talking to Deborah Gennarelli about gifted and twice exceptional (2E) boys. A great episode unpacking those dangerous myths about gifted boys, diving into what makes them different, and providing real hands-on strategies to walk away with.

    Memorable quote… “

    “I've particularly noticed, with the boys that I worked with, the emotional intensity. So these students think and feel deeply and often differently than other children. This is especially true for 2E boys who are wrestling with the fact that they're gifted, but they also feel inadequate or shame or other negative emotions. And I saw that with all the boys that I wrote about. They knew they were really smart, but then they started questioning, "Am I really smart?” - Deborah Gennarelli

    Bio…

    An experienced educator and gifted intervention specialist, Deborah Gennarelli has a master's degree in gifted education and her passion has been recognised by Teacher of the Year awards in three different school districts as well as an “All-County Teacher” award.

    As a gifted intervention specialist, she developed gifted education programs in several districts and now also consults; providing professional development on topics relevant to gifted children and supporting parents and students. A national speaker on the identification and support of gifted and 2e children, Deborah has also written the newly released, ‘Twice Exceptional Boys: A Roadmap to Getting it Right’.

    She is currently co-writing a second book about neurodiversity in adults and is a member of NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children), OAGC (Ohio Association for Gifted Children, and SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted).

    - - - -

    Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    We get it, if you’re feeling seen join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support.

    Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness.

    Love the podcast? Leave a review, make a one-time donation, become a patron or find out more about supporting the podcast.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids

    Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch!

    For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com

    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Episode Resources

    Website: www.DeborahGennarelli.com

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgennarelli/

    Book: ‘Twice Exceptional Boys: A Roadmap to Getting it Right’.

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    Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

  • In this episode we’re talking to coach Meghann Birks about being gifted and having ADHD, late-in-life diagnosis, lived experience of ADHD, how we can manage from day to day, the challenges, the strengths, parenting and so much more.

    Memorable quote… “

    “I think that the flip side of this is that there are things I found challenging as an adult and as a mother, that when I started to really understand my brain, the perspective changed. And then there was another layer of perspective shift for me that came when I started to do the work on reparenting myself.

    My 10-year-old son is constantly doing cartwheels and running around and I used to get quite resentful, especially in public spaces. I'm like, don't run into people. Be quiet. You know? All those social norms that we all feel the pressure of…

    And when I realised, my therapist asked me, ‘what was something you needed as a child that you didn't have?’ And my answer immediately was, I needed someone who could keep up with me.

    And immediately I went, I get to be that for him. And I can't always physically keep up with him because he is 10 and I am in my mid forties. However, I can give you the space for that exuberance to exist.

    And there is a huge part of the work that I do, especially with women, which coincides with midlife… Where a lot of the work that women do in midlife is far from a crisis. It is a reclamation of who we were before the world stamped it out of us.” - Meghann Birks

    Bio…

    Meghann Birks, is an Embodiment Coach and Trauma Informed Professional Trainer based on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula where she lives with her partner and two highly spirited boys.

    “I'm a coach, writer, dancer, Steel Mace Flow Coach and wannabe surf goddess who loves creating, coffee, lifting heavy, movement and sleep. I also have a wonderfully neurodivergent brain that shows itself via ADHD and I'm passionate about helping women with this diagnosis create an incredible life where they can flourish.

    I am fascinated by the stories we tell ourselves, how they impact us and how we can, with proper support, change the narrative to move us toward a pure and joyful expression of who we are and why we're here.”

    She holds the designation of Certified Professional Coach from the International Coach Academy, one of the world’s leading training organisations. This intensive course covered an array of learning modules and she was required to coach both internal and external clients under supervision from a Master Coach before she received her certificate.

    She also holds: Cert III in Fitness, Cert IV in Fitness (Personal Training), Completion of the Wim Hof Method Fundamentals Course, Numerous qualifications in the area of program design and facilitation, Steel Mace Flow Coach Level 1, Certificate in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy from The Embody Lab, and ‘An Advanced Degree from the School of Hard Knocks, as some of my super fun eff-ups in life are the reason I am now so good at what I do.’

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    More…

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    Join the online Our Gifted Kids community

    Do the Unpacking Gifted Course

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    Subscribe to our newsletter

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    Episode Resources

    Meghann’s Sisters in Stoke Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Gcff5LbH1nQ45my0LqwSm?si=09ae450fc0aa4a84

    “Sisters in Stoke is a podcast for women and those who identify as women to share their stories of how they found their stoke and to inspire others to pursue their passion and purpose. My guests have truly embraced the spirit of "Let's f**k around and find out!" when it comes to going all in on creating a life they love and they share the obstacles they have overcome, what keeps them going when times are tough and just how good it feels to live a life where they can truly express who they are.”

    Meghann Birks Coaching:

    Website: www.meghannbirks.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghannbirkscoaching/

    Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MeghannBirksCoaching

    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MeghannBirksCoaching

    Linktree: https://linktr.ee/MeghannBirks

    The book I couldn’t remember - ‘The Power of Different” by Dr. Gail Saltz

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    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • In this episode, we’re talking to the vibrant and dynamic Dr. Victoria Waller about how to use creativity and a gifted child's interests to work on learning differences or practice executive function skills. An episode full of great ideas.

    You can find Dr. Waller's ebook “If you can Dream it, You can do it!’ here.

    Memorable quote… “

    “So any parent that thinks, but I'm not creative, forget it. I've never met a child that can't build something.” - Dr. Victoria Waller

    “Every child wants to learn and it's hard for them, some of them, and it looks like they don't want to, but they do want to. I think the children with differences are geniuses of our time.” - Dr. Victoria Waller

    Bio…

    For over 40 years, Dr Victoria Waller has been a reading specialist and educational therapist. She helps children ages 5-11 who have trouble reading and writing, can't sit still in class, don't feel like they can participate—children whom teachers have all but given up on.

    Her book, Yes! Your Child Can - Creating Success for Children with Learning Differences, is #4 in Amazon’s New Releases in Children’s Learning Disorders. Every child can succeed in school and life, but some children need more help than others. She is here to help.

    Dr Waller holds a B.S in Education from Wayne State University, an M.Ed., is a certified reading specialist, and an Ed.D. focusing on reading and learning differences from the University of Cincinnati.

    She has been awarded the University of Cincinnati’s Distinguished Alumna College of Education Award, was one of three finalists for the L.A. Music Center’s Bravo Award for Outstanding Teaching.

    Her articles on creative reading and writing projects for children have been widely viewed on U.C.L.A.’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior website, and the award-winning Grandparentslink.com. She speaks about learning differences in children to many groups all over the United States.

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    Leave a review, leave a tip or become a Podcast Patron.

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    Join our community and share the ups and downs with other parents of gifted kids.

    Find everything you need to know in our Unpacking Gifted Course.

    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids and more.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

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    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Episode Resources

    Instagram: @DrVictoriaWaller

    FaceBook: @DrVictoriaWaller

    Twitter: @DrVickiWaller

    Website: http://www.drvictoriawaller.com

    Amazon: Yes! Your Child Can: Creating Success for Children with Learning Differences

    Mr Doodles

    Andy Griffiths Books

    ‘The Week Junior’ magazine

    Encanto Movie

    #013 Screen time, help! Jocelyn Brewer talks Broccoli & Digital Nutrition

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  • Join Dr Marnie Cumner to learn more about executive function in gifted, ADHD and autistic kids and adults and get lots of strategies and tips.

    Memorable quote… “

    “Executive functioning is that term that relates to the set of thinking skills that are responsible for things like planning, organisation, getting started on things, finishing things, regulating your own attention, regulating your own behaviours and emotions. So it's the overarching skills that help to organise us and organise our thinking.” - Dr Marnie Cumner

    Bio…

    Dr Marnie Cumner is a Clinical Neuropsychologist on The Sunshine Coast, with specialised training in understanding how brain function affects our everyday thinking and behaviour.

    Paediatric Neuropsychology is a professional speciality, which focuses on understanding how the development of a child’s brain relates to their cognitive (thinking), behavioural, social and emotional functioning.

    Marnie provides assessment services for children and adolescents to better understand their individual strengths and difficulties. She investigates thinking skills, such as, memory, attention, language and problem-solving, as well as social-emotional functioning, academic performance and behaviour.

    Marnie uses the child’s individual profile of strengths and difficulties to provide tailored recommendations for improved learning, behaviour and emotion regulation. She uses a strengths-based model, which focuses on using a child’s strengths to minimise their difficulties.

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    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

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    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

    Sponsor this podcast

    - - - -

    Episode Resources

    Dr Marnie Cumner’s Website: Sunshine Coast Neuropsychology

    Dr Marnie Cumnres previous episode: #042 How can a Neuropsychologist help my gifted child? with Dr Marnie Cumner

    Book: Executive Function in the Classroom, Practical Strategies for Improving Performance and Enhancing Skills for All Students Author: Christopher Kaufman

    Book: The Smart but Scattered Guide to Success , How to Use Your Brain's Executive Skills to Keep Up, Stay Calm, and Get Organized at Work and at Home Authors: Peg Dawson, Richard Guare

    Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University: A Guide to Executive Function

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  • In our GAW episode, we’re talking to Dr Deborah Ruf about the 5 Levels of Giftedness and her new book which follows those original children who are now all grown up.

    Memorable quote… “

    “So, those are the five levels and you really can find lists of those with lots of details and early milestones and that's how I created it. It was after I looked at the milestones of children over the years and what they were like when they were born and what they were like when they were three months old and six months old, and then a year and then two years, and see what they are like.

    And then later we have scores and we see how those fit or don't fit. And it really is rather amazing how well the scores are in the range you would predict from those milestones.” - Dr Deborah Ruf

    Bio…

    Deborah L. Ruf earned a Ph.D. in Tests & Measurement with a minor in Learning & Cognition at the University of Minnesota.

    She worked as a private consultant and specialist in gifted assessment, test interpretation, and guidance for the gifted for 30 years.

    She is the author of the award-winning book Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind (2005) and retitled 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options in 2009.

    In 2023, Dr. Ruf will release her follow-up longitudinal book study of the now-adult children from the original book and how they are doing now. Her focus has now progressed toward the social and emotional health of the gifted adults who parent gifted children.

    For more than 40 years, Dr. Ruf has served as a keynote speaker, workshop, and conference presenter, and written chapters for 5 textbooks, more than 12 peer-reviewed journal articles, and 100 plus articles and handouts for newsletters, magazines, and websites.

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    Episode Resources:

    Dr Deborah Ruf Facebook

    Dr Deborah Ruf Instagram

    Dr Deborah Ruf Website: 5LevelsofGifted

    Her first book - 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options

    Article by Dr Deborah Ruf about personality types in school

    Personalitypage.com

    Medium - Dr Ruf Articles

    Unleash Monday Episode 16. Designing 145+ IQ tests for hyper gifted children with Femke Hovinga

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    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • In this episode we’re talking to one of our favourite gifted educators and differentiation coach, Stephanie Higgs, about how we can all grow our creativity muscle, especially in our gifted kids.

    Memorable quote… “

    “When we broaden that definition of what creativity even looks like, I think a lot more of us fit under that umbrella than we would initially think. And then even those of us who don't feel like it comes as naturally - that's one of the things I'm here to share today, is how we can grow and refine that area of talent.” - Stephanie Higgs

    Bio…

    Stephanie Higgs is a passionate, energetic, and engaging educator whose colleagues describe as radiating contagious joy. She has devoted her entire professional life to education, teaching in two of Tennessee’s three grand divisions.

    Stephanie earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she then taught for six years at a museum magnet school and helped students achieve up to three years’ growth in reading in a single year.

    After relocating to Middle Tennessee, Stephanie became a fourth-grade teacher, which had been her dream since she was a fourth grader herself! In 2019, Stephanie became a gifted educator and differentiation coach, where the staff quickly named her their Teacher of the Year before being named a region-level semi-finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Soon after, Stephanie was honoured with the TAG (Tennessee Association for the Gifted) Horizon Award, which is given to a gifted educator demonstrating promise and leadership in the field.

    Later, Stephanie was named the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) Teacher of the Year. Stephanie recently graduated with an additional graduate degree from Tennessee State University in Instructional Leadership and now serves on the executive board as secretary for the Tennessee Association for the Gifted.

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    Sponsor this podcast

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    Episode Resources

    Stephanie Higgs:

    Instagram: @littlemissgifted

    TikTok: @littlemissgiftedteacher

    YouTube: @littlemissgiftedteacher

    Linktree: @littlemissgifted

    Todd Sampson TV Series called Redesign My Brain

    Carly & Adam STEM Teachers Club

    Creativity Calendar: Weekly Activities to Encourage Creativity by Laura Magner.

    Bob Eberle - Scamper: Creative Games and Activities for Imagination Development (Combined ed., Grades 2-8)

    The book I love but couldn’t remember - POWER OF DIFFERENT: The Link Between Disorder and Genius by Dr Gail Saltz

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    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • In this episode, we’re talking to the vibrant and dynamic Dr Victoria Waller about teaching gifted kids with learning differences. Author, with over 40 years of experience, Dr Waller found the secret to engaging these awesome gifted kids!

    Memorable quote… “

    “Look at Anderson Cooper, Richard Branson, astronaut Scott Kelly. They call them learning disabilities, but they're not. They're learning differences. They learn differently and they use their strengths and passions to learn. And that's what made them successful.” - Dr Victoria Waller

    Bio…

    For over 40 years, Dr Victoria Waller has been a reading specialist and educational therapist. She helps children ages 5-11 who have trouble reading and writing, can't sit still in class, don't feel like they can participate—children whom teachers have all but given up on.

    Her book, Yes! Your Child Can - Creating Success for Children with Learning Differences, is #4 in Amazon’s New Releases in Children’s Learning Disorders. Every child can succeed in school and life, but some children need more help than others. She is here to help.

    Dr Waller holds a B.S in Education from Wayne State University, an M.Ed., is a certified reading specialist, and an Ed.D. focusing on reading and learning differences from the University of Cincinnati.

    She has been awarded the University of Cincinnati’s Distinguished Alumna College of Education Award, was one of three finalists for the L.A. Music Center’s Bravo Award for Outstanding Teaching.

    Her articles on creative reading and writing projects for children have been widely viewed on U.C.L.A.’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior website, and the award-winning Grandparentslink.com. She speaks about learning differences in children to many groups all over the United States.

    - - - -

    More…

    Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

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    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

    Subscribe to our newsletter

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    Join our community

    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

    Sponsor this podcast

    - - - -

    Episode Resources

    Instagram: @DrVictoriaWaller

    Facebook: @DrVictoriaWaller

    Twitter: @DrVickiWaller

    Website: http://www.drvictoriawaller.com

    Amazon: Yes! Your Child Can: Creating Success for Children with Learning Differences

    Mr Doodles

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    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • In this episode, our host Sophia Elliott takes us through the big 5 things you need to know about a gifted kids' first year of school.

    When should my gifted child go to school?

    Where should my gifted child go to school?

    How do I work with the School?

    What do I need to know about the academic journey?

    How do we get through the year looking after their social and emotional well-being?

    Memorable quote… “

    “What are the top five things that we really need to know as parents?

    This episode is kind of like the cliff notes, and maybe that's showing my age. Anyone born after the seventies may not know what Cliff notes are, but back in the day, if you had to do an assignment on a book, but you didn't have time to read the book you would buy a tiny little book called Cliff Notes, which just told you about the book.

    They were great. So this episode's like the Cliff Notes on the previous episodes and all the great things that you need to know about that first year of school and a bunch of extra tips.

    So thank you so much for joining us on this.” - Sophia Elliott

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    Sponsor this podcast

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    Episode Resources

    Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School Series:

    #074 Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School Series #1 Part 1 w/ Emily

    #075 Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School Series #1 Part 2 w/ Emily

    #076 Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School Series #2 Part 1 w/ Stephanie Higgs

    #077 Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School Series #2 Part 2 w/ Stephanie Higgs

    #078 Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School #3, Part 1 w/ Jess Farago

    #079 Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School #3, Part 2 w/ Jess Farago

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  • We're talking to Jess Farago, a provisional psychologist, and mum of a gifted child this week and today Part 2 of that conversation goes out.

    In this episode Jess shares how the second half of her son's first year of school went and all the tips and tricks she's discovered along the way.

    Memorable quote… “

    "I like to do things with people and socialise and hang out with friends but I also found when we spent our holidays with more downtime than social time, it was so much better for him.

    I saw a different child starting one term when spent the last week of holidays doing nothing.

    We just hung out at home. Took the dog for a walk, hung out with family, and caught up with a couple of friends, but it was a really low-key break.

    He went back so refreshed." - Jess Farago

    Bio…

    Jess Farago is the mum of a gifted son; a 5-year-old who has recently completed his first year of primary school.

    In addition, Jess is a provisional psychologist who has a passion for neurodivergence and understanding the gifted and neurodiverse brain and behaviour.

    Jess observed differences between her son and other children when her son was a baby, and it was drawn to her attention by professionals, that her son might be gifted and to monitor it. Therefore, the journey of extensive gifted research, reading, understanding and ongoing observation began.

    Jess has found the path of being a mum to a gifted child filled with so much joy, however, it has not been easy and is exhausting.

    Some of the most challenging parts for Jess over the last 5 years has been with the stigma attached to the word 'gifted'. For years she felt isolated and that there was little to no support out there. But that didn't stop Jess from ensuring her son received as much support as possible wherever he went and that she advocated for him. This is where Jess found navigating the mainstream school system a challenge.

    Jess has good knowledge of the education system having worked in the school system and has been faced with some very positive experiences, however, there have been some big challenges in the mainstream school setting concerning her son.

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  • In this episode, we’re talking to Jess Farago, a provisional psychologist, and mum of a gifted child who is at the end of their first year of schooling. She shares with us their journey over the year and the tips and tricks she's discovered along the way.

    Memorable quote… “

    “There's a stigma attached to it, which I found really hard dealing with. And I still do. I'm getting a lot more confident about it.

    But my heart races if someone says, ‘oh wow… look at [his] writing, look at his reading… you should have him assessed’. ‘Oh, I have, actually, he's gifted…’

    But my heart's racing. I'm so used to the eye roll…

    It's really challenging… We are like a little team. It's definitely been difficult but it's also been amazing.” - Jess Farago

    Bio…

    Jess Farago is the mum of a gifted son; a 5-year-old who has recently completed his first year of primary school.

    In addition, Jess is a provisional psychologist who has a passion for neurodivergence and understanding the gifted and neurodiverse brain and behaviour.

    Jess observed differences between her son and other children when her son was a baby, and it was drawn to her attention by professionals, that her son might be gifted and to monitor it. Therefore, the journey of extensive gifted research, reading, understanding and ongoing observation began.

    Jess has found the path of being a mum to a gifted child filled with so much joy, however, it has not been easy and is exhausting.

    Some of the most challenging parts for Jess over the last 5 years has been with the stigma attached to the word 'gifted'. For years she felt isolated and that there was little to no support out there. But that didn't stop Jess from ensuring her son received as much support as possible wherever he went and that she advocated for him. This is where Jess found navigating the mainstream school system a challenge.

    Jess has good knowledge of the education system having worked in the school system and has been faced with some very positive experiences, however, there have been some big challenges in the mainstream school setting concerning her son.

    - - - -

    More…

    Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast.

    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    - - - -

    Join our community

    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

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  • Today we finish our conversation with gifted educator and differentiation coach Stephanie Higgs, in part 2 of episode 2, in the Parents Guide to Gifted Kids' First Year of School Series.

    We talk about… where is the best place to send my gifted child to school and what kinds of qualifications educators might have, when is the best time to start school for gifted kids? What are the misconceptions about gifted learners?

    Memorable quote… “

     ”A lot of our listeners are going to be parents, but I'm coming from the educational side, so I love partnering and saying we are a team. First and foremost, we are a team. You as the parent are your child's biggest advocate and you know them best.

    I have more experience on the education side and I have some background and some expertise and years of experience there. But you know your child the best. But the best part is we're both huge strong advocates for your kids. So we are a team.

    And so I think that kind of frees up some of that, ‘am I overstepping?’ ‘Am I saying too much?’

    But you do know your kid best and you've had… four or five or six years of every minute, every day with this kiddo and a teacher is new to that picture. And so we do have to partner, we have to link... we really have to work together.” - Stephanie Higgs

    Bio…

    Stephanie Higgs is a passionate, energetic, and engaging educator whose colleagues describe as radiating contagious joy. She has devoted her entire professional life to education, teaching in two of Tennessee’s three grand divisions.

    Stephanie earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she then taught for six years at a museum magnet school and helped students achieve up to three years’ growth in reading in a single year.

    After relocating to Middle Tennessee, Stephanie became a fourth-grade teacher, which had been her dream since she was a fourth grader herself! In 2019, Stephanie became a gifted educator and differentiation coach, where the staff quickly named her their Teacher of the Year before being named a region-level semi-finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Soon after, Stephanie was honoured with the TAG (Tennessee Association for the Gifted) Horizon Award, which is given to a gifted educator demonstrating promise and leadership in the field.

    Later, Stephanie was named the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) Teacher of the Year. Stephanie recently graduated with an additional graduate degree from Tennessee State University in Instructional Leadership and now serves on the executive board as secretary for the Tennessee Association for the Gifted.

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    More…

    Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

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    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    - - - -

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    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

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    Episode Resources

    Stephanie Higgs:

    Instagram: @littlemissgifted

    TikTok: @littlemissgiftedteacher

    YouTube: @littlemissgiftedteacher

    Linktree: @littlemissgifted

    Tennessee Association for the Gifted

    AAEGT - State Associations

    #028 Why is Self-Concept so crucial for gifted 2E students in the early years?

    James & Susie - An allegory about what happens to smart kids who skate through elementary school, and don't get opportunities to develop persistence, grit, and the true self-confidence that comes from knowing how to tackle a genuine challenge.

    Andy McNair Resource for Educators

    - - - -

    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • In episode 2 of Parents Guide to Gifted Kids' First Year of School Series, we’re talking to gifted educator and differentiation coach from Nashville, Tennessee, Stephanie Higgs.

    We talk about… where is the best place to send my gifted child to school and what kinds of qualifications educators might have, when is the best time to start school for gifted kids? What are the misconceptions about gifted learners?

    Memorable quote… “

     ”One of the norms that we've established in my class is to lean into struggle.

    And again, if we wait until these kids are older to identify them or to serve them, it's really uncomfortable for them to lean into struggle because they have been set on cruise control for all this time in class.

    And so, it's really nice and powerful and we can start that at a young age because not only can we challenge them academically, but we can really pair that with some social-emotional support for how to handle challenges, how to lean into struggle, how to develop that stamina and that perseverance what that says about us as learners.

    Because I think sometimes it becomes almost an affront on who we are as a person when so much of our identity is in our intellect and in schooling, and all of a sudden it's challenging. What does that say about me if I can't do this? What if someone finds out that I don't know how to solve this problem?

    If we normalise that from the very beginning, we can teach those in tandem all the way.” - Stephanie Higgs

    Bio…

    Stephanie Higgs is a passionate, energetic, and engaging educator whose colleagues describe as radiating contagious joy. She has devoted her entire professional life to education, teaching in two of Tennessee’s three grand divisions.

    Stephanie earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she then taught for six years at a museum magnet school and helped students achieve up to three years’ growth in reading in a single year.

    After relocating to Middle Tennessee, Stephanie became a fourth-grade teacher, which had been her dream since she was a fourth grader herself! In 2019, Stephanie became a gifted educator and differentiation coach, where the staff quickly named her their Teacher of the Year before being named a region-level semi-finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Soon after, Stephanie was honored with the TAG (Tennessee Association for the Gifted) Horizon Award, which is given to a gifted educator demonstrating promise and leadership in the field.

    Later, Stephanie was named the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) Teacher of the Year. Stephanie recently graduated with an additional graduate degree from Tennessee State University in Instructional Leadership and now serves on the executive board as secretary for the Tennessee Association for the Gifted.

    - - - -

    More…

    Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast.

    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    - - - -

    Join our community

    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

    Sponsor this podcast

    - - - -

    Episode Resources

    Stephanie Higgs:

    Instagram: @littlemissgifted

    TikTok: @littlemissgiftedteacher

    YouTube: @littlemissgiftedteacher

    Linktree: @littlemissgifted

    Tennessee Association for the Gifted

    AAEGT - State Associations

    #028 Why is Self-Concept so crucial for gifted 2E students in the early years?

    James & Susie - An allegory about what happens to smart kids who skate through elementary school, and don't get opportunities to develop persistence, grit, and the true self-confidence that comes from knowing how to tackle a genuine challenge.

    - - - -

    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • We continue our conversation today, in Part 2 of Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School Series with Emily. Emily is a mum navigating those big questions with her gifted child who has just started reception (prep).

    This two-part episode covers when our gifted kids should start school, where they should go to school, what expectations we should have and much more…

    Memorable quote…

    “I think at the beginning of the year for us, we did think it was as simple as, do we go to our locally zoned government school, which we could walk to, or a local private school, which we could also walk to. And we thought that it was as simple as that. They were the two choices.

    And then suddenly, we were considering relocating and just anything became an option. But you're also, considering logistics and working, how are you supposed to do drop-offs and pickups whilst working and everything else?

    It felt like our whole life was kind of thrown up in the air and everything was an option, but then so many options were taken away as well.” - Emily

    More…

    Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

    - - - -

    Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast.

    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    - - - -

    Join our community

    - - - -

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

    Sponsor this podcast

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    Episode Resources

    AAEGT Early Entry to Primary Article

    #028 Why is Self-Concept so crucial for gifted 2E students in the early years?

    Homeschooling - GHF

    #032 Unpacking Homes Schooling (& Maths) with Barry Gelston

    Young Scholars Academy - #071 Unpacking Strength-Based Learning w/ Sam Young

    Biochemistry Literacy for Kids - #059 College level science for kids?! w/ Dr Daniel Fried

    State Gifted Associations - AAEGT - Australia

    Burnout in Gifted Children - Davidson Institute

    Born to Soar

    Mensa

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    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • Today we start our Parents Guide to Gifted Kids’ First Years of School Series with Emily. Emily is a mum navigating those big questions with her gifted child who has just started reception (prep).

    This two-part episode covers when our gifted kids should start school, where they should go to school, what expectations we should have and much more…

    Memorable quote…

    “The big question that I had [for the educational psychologist] was, do you think he should be going to school next year? Do you think he's ready for school next year?

    And she actually flipped that question on me and said, ‘it's not about when it's about where. Now that you know that he's gifted, you now need to make a really considered decision about where you send him to school’.

    And I thought that this day, this assessment was going to almost close the chapter and be like, okay, you've got your answer now get on with your life.

    But it was just the beginning of everything.” - Emily

    More…

    Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!

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    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

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    Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast.

    - - - -

    Join our community

    - - - -

    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

    Free Facebook Group

    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Support this podcast with a donation

    Sponsor this podcast

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    Episode Resources

    AAEGT Early Entry to Primary Article

    #028 Why is Self-Concept so crucial for gifted 2E students in the early years?

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    Hit play and let’s get started!

  • In this episode, we’re celebrating reaching the 100,000 downloads milestone and reflecting on what a big two years it has been!

    Join our host, Sophia Elliott as we look back and look forward.

    Memorable quote… “an absolutely massive thank you to everyone who listens and shares the podcast, all of the guests that we've had, and of course, my family and friends for supporting me in doing this.” - Sophia Elliott

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    Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review!

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    Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids

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    Do the ‘Unpacking Gifted’ course

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    Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine

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    Instagram: @ourgiftedkids

    Linktree: @ourgiftedkids

    Support this podcast with a donation

    Sponsor this podcast

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