Neurodiversity Podcast

Why is there a bright line between academia and the arts? Between cognition and creativity? Where should that line break down? Or should it? And, why do educators and others think of creativity only in terms of art or music, when it also applies to problem solving and cognition? We talk with Dr. Jennifer Fisher, who is both a university assistant teaching professor and an art education coordinator. We talk about how to bridge that gap, and hear from a gifted student’s struggle to be academic and artistic. About the guest - Jennifer Fisher, PhD, is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Coordinator of Art Education in the Department of Educator Preparation, Innovation and Research in the College of Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She is a joint faculty member in the Department of Art & Design within the College of Arts and Sciences.  She holds a teaching certificate in the state of Missouri, where she is certified to teach Art K-12, Gifted K-12, and English Language Arts 5-12. She received a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education-Art from Southeast Missouri State University in 2009. Dr. Fisher also earned a Master of Special Education-Gifted and Talented from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2011, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching and Learning Processes from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2016. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

On episode 50 we talk with Haley Taylor Schlitz, a 17-year-old first-year law student who began college at age 13. We discuss her education experience, some of the benefits and barriers of homeschooling, and we imagine what the perfect public school system would be like. About the guest - At age 17, Haley Taylor Schlitz has graduated from Texas Woman's University with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies, and has chosen to attend SMU Dedman School of Law, after being accepted to many prestigious law schools. Homeschooling allowed her to advance through high-school at her own pace, graduating at age 13, ready for college. Haley excelled as an honors student while representing the College of Professional Education as a Student Senator. Additionally, Haley has been actively involved in meaningful extracurricular activities such as The Representation Project, where she works to eliminate limiting stereotypes in the media, and serve as a catalyst for cultural transformation. Haley lives with her family in Fort Worth, Texas. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

As we move into the 2020s, we look back at some of the conversations we had in the two years of our podcast’s history. While we covered a variety of subjects, one seemed to pop up just above the fray. We’re revisiting some of our best conversations about twice-exceptionality, on this special 49th episode of Mind Matters. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

Shopping for the holidays can be a headache, but choosing the right gifts for high-ability kids is extra-challenging. Between meal planning and decorating, Jen Merrill found time to pop in with holiday stories and gift ideas, and Emily divulges her darker history as a “peeker.” Shopping for the hard-to-buy-for kids in your life, on this special holiday edition of Mind Matters. About our guest - Jen Torbeck Merrill is an Illinois-based writer and gifted family advocate. The mom of two teen sons, she homeschooled one and is happily watching her public schooler thrive. She is a music educator by trade, with degrees in Music Education and Flute Performance. Still, long before she picked up a flute as a child, Jen wanted to be a writer. She began that career in 2006, focusing on gifted families and advocacy. Her book, If This is a Gift, Can I Send It Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and Twice-Exceptional, struck a nerve with families who suspected Jen was living in their closet. Her second book, on the needs of gifted parents and self-care, is in progress. Jen has branched out into greater advocacy in gifted issues, particularly the needs of parents, personalized learning for gifted and twice-exceptional kids, and giftedness as wiring throughout life. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

Often, gifted kids feel isolated and unable to find like-minded peers, so they end up lacking opportunities to socialize and communicate. Dr. Jean Peterson joins us to talk about ways to bring gifted kids into the conversation, including tips on conducting gifted discussion circles and group counseling. Getting kids talking - on episode 47 of Mind Matters. About the guest - Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D., Professor Emerita and former Director of School Counselor Preparation at Purdue University, was a classroom and gifted-education teacher for many years and was involved in teacher education prior to graduate work in counseling at The University of Iowa. She is author of Get Gifted Students Talking, Gifted at Risk: Poetic Profiles, and The Essential Guide to Talking with Gifted Teens, as well as over 100 journal articles, books, and invited chapters. She is a former chair of the Counseling and Guidance Network and also served two terms on the NAGC Board of Directors. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

In this bonus episode, Emily Kircher-Morris talks about uncertainty and doubt. How can we help our kids be less afraid of uncertainty, and more comfortable with doubt? And for advocates of gifted kids, she explains why it’s better to say “I don’t know” than jump to conclusions from anecdotal evidence. This is a bonus episode of Mind Matters, as Emily shares her thoughts after the National Association of Gifted Children’s annual conference, where she found the topic of uncertainty trending. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

How can educators, counselors, and parents help neuro-diverse kids learn executive functioning skills? Gifted and twice-exceptional kids often lag with this skill development, so we’ll talk about tools and techniques you can use to help kids grow. Our guest is Brendan Mahan, an ADHD/executive functioning consultant and speaker, a veteran educator, and the host of a podcast called ADHD Essentials. Executive functioning, on episode 45. About the guest - Brendan Mahan, MEd., MS, is an ADHD/executive function consultant, coach, and speaker. As a veteran educator, he is skilled at teaching people how to effectively manage the challenges they face. He and his twin sons have ADHD, and he enjoys helping others with ADHD meet the challenges they face. Brendan is also host of the ADHD Essentials podcast. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

We’ve had mixed results in our efforts to identify 2e kids. It’s a complicated process, and many of the assessment tools used to identify ASD and other disorders need to be utilized differently when working with gifted individuals. Megan Foley-Nicpon joins us on episode 44 to tell us what she’s learned through various research projects about identifying the elusive 2e child. About the guest - Megan Foley-Nicpon is an Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology and Associate Director for Research and Clinic at the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, both at the University of Iowa. Dr. Foley-Nicpon’s research and clinical interests include assessment and intervention with twice-exceptional students, particularly gifted students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and emotional/learning difficulties, and the social and emotional development of talented and diverse students. She has over 35 referred articles and book chapters in the areas of gifted, counseling psychology, and twice-exceptionality. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

School counselors wear a variety of hats, but “giftedness expert” often isn't one of them. On episode 43, Jean Peterson and Susannah Wood, authors of Counseling Gifted Students: A Guide for School Counselors, join us to talk about ways school counselors can better meet the needs of their gifted students. About the guests - Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D., Professor Emerita and former director of school counselor preparation at Purdue University, was a classroom and gifted-education teacher for many years and was involved in teacher education prior to graduate work in counseling at The University of Iowa. She is author of Gifted at Risk: Poetic Profiles, and The Essential Guide to Talking with Gifted Teens, and is co-editor of Models of Counseling Gifted Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, among over 100 journal articles, books, and invited chapters. She is a former chair of the Counseling and Guidance Network and also served two terms on the NAGC Board of Directors. Susannah Wood, Ph.D., is currently an Associate Professor at The University of Iowa, where she teaches both doctoral students and students who are pursuing their master’s in school counseling with an emphasis in gifted education in partnership with The Connie Belin and Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talented Development. Susannah received her M.Ed. in School Counseling and Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from The College of William and Mary. She’s co-author of the book Counseling Gifted Students: A Guide for School Counselors. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

Advanced Placement is a good way for many kids to get a head start on college. On episode 42, Andrew Scanlan and Chester E Finn, Jr. of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, answer questions about the history of AP, where it’s going, and where kids may encounter difficulties. About the guests - Chester E. Finn, Jr. is Distinguished Senior Fellow and President Emeritus at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and a Senior Fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution. He served as Fordham’s President from 1997 to 2014, after many earlier roles in education, academe and government. Over the years he has served in various capacities, including Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and Staff Assistant to the President of the United States. Finn currently serves on the National Council on Teacher Quality, the Core Knowledge Foundation, and Maryland’s Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education. Author of over twenty books, Finn is co-author with Andrew Scanlan of Learning in the Fast Lane: The Past, Present & Future of Advanced Placement, which has just been released, and Failing Our Brightest Kids: The Global Challenge of Educating High-Ability Students, co-authored with Brandon L. Wright. Andrew Scanlan is a research and policy associate at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Growing up in Ireland, he graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a B.A. in European Studies before spending two years living in Honduras as a second grade classroom teacher and school administrator for Bilingual Education for Central America (BECA). He earned an M.A. in International Child Studies from King's College London, with a focus on children’s rights, education, and child migration. He is co-author, with Chester E. Finn, Jr., of Learning in the Fast Lane: The Past, Present, and Future of Advanced Placement. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters.