TILT Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children
TPP 190a: Dr. Melanie Hayes Talks About Her Big Minds Micro-School and Educating 2e Children
Apr 4, 2025
Dr. Melanie Hayes, founder of Big Minds micro-school, shares her journey of creating an educational haven for twice-exceptional learners. She discusses the unique challenges these students face in traditional schools and the importance of fostering self-advocacy. The conversation highlights a shift to a strengths-based approach, promoting creativity and social skills in learning. Listeners will gain insights into building nurturing environments and supporting neurodivergent children, along with valuable resources for advocacy and community connection.
47:43
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Dr. Melanie Hayes discusses the necessity of creating supportive educational environments for twice-exceptional (2E) learners to meet their unique needs effectively.
- The Big Minds micro-school model emphasizes fostering nurturing relationships and community among students, helping alleviate social isolation often faced by 2E children.
Deep dives
The Journey to Founding Big Minds
Dr. Melanie Hayes shares her transformative journey from being a public school teacher to founding Big Minds, a micro school tailored for twice exceptional (2E) learners. After facing challenges with her own neurodivergent children in traditional educational settings, where they experienced bullying and were not allowed to advance academically, she realized a drastic change was needed. This realization led her to create an enriched learning environment that acknowledges the unique needs of 2E students, focusing on their strengths rather than deficits. Ultimately, her dedication to provide a supportive community for these students drives her vision for Big Minds, which has now expanded to multiple campuses.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
