Neurodiversity Podcast

The history of the term "twice-exceptionality" is not a long one. On episode 65 Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Dr. Susan Baum about her early experience with "green" kids, and how the term twice-exceptional was born. They also discuss ideas for parents and educators that will help them guide 2e kids to success. About the guest - Dr. Susan Baum is co-director of the International Center for Talent Development and Director of the National Institute for 2E Research and Development at Bridges Academy. Professor Emeritus from The College of New Rochelle, and an international consultant, Susan is published in a multitude of books, chapters, and articles in the areas of twice-exceptional students, primary-aged gifted students, social and emotional factors affecting gifted students, and multiple intelligences. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children and is past president and co-founder of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students. She is recipient of the Weinfeld Group's Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in educating the twice-exceptional child. 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're talking about creativity on episode 64. We define it, because there are some misconceptions, and we discuss ways to foster creativity in your kids or students. Are there connections between neurodiversity and creativity? We have Dr. Todd Kettler from Baylor University, author of Developing Creativity in the Classroom, to share what he's learned. About the guest - Dr. Todd Kettler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in the School of Education at Baylor University. He teaches courses in gifted education and talent development, creativity, and the history and systems of psychology with educational applications. Dr. Kettler conducts research on access to advanced academic learning opportunities in schools. His book, Modern Curriculum for Gifted and Advanced Academic Students won the Legacy Award for the best scholarly book in the field of gifted education in the United States in 2016. He also wrote Developing Creativity in the Classroom: Learning and Innovation in 21st Century Schools, which explores systematic development of creative capacity in learning organizations. Currently Dr. Kettler serves as editor of the Journal of Advanced Academics, and he is the chair of the Texas Commissioner of Education's Advisory Council for Gifted Education in 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.

Dr. Joy Lawson Davis, a seasoned educator and expert in gifted education, sheds light on the concept of 3e learners—twice-exceptional students from diverse backgrounds. She discusses the unique challenges these individuals face in navigating inequities within educational systems. Joy highlights the importance of cultural competency in teaching and shares inspiring success stories of diverse students. She emphasizes family and community engagement to empower these learners, advocating for inclusive practices that respect and celebrate cultural diversity.

Social norms, diverse personalities, and power dynamics, are some of the most valuable lessons of childhood. When children better understand bullies and how to stand up to them, they also better understand themselves. Amanda Morin joins Emily to talk about diverse personalities and power dynamics, and helping neurodiverse kids understand bullying, on episode 62. About the guest - Amanda Morin worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She has been working as an education writer since 2007 and played an integral role in launching Understood.org in 2014. As an educator and parent of kids with learning issues, she has been an active member of numerous Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams and believes strongly in the importance of educators partnering with families. Morin received a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Maine and special education advocacy training from the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. She is the author of four books, including What Is Empathy: A Bullying Storybook for Kids. 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.

College admissions in a post-Covid-19 world have changed, and many universities have stopped requiring SAT and ACT scores, at least for 2020-2021. We discuss testing and test prep with Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley, who help students prepare for testing and understand how it works. They are the hosts of the Tests and the Rest podcast, and are guests on episode 61 of Mind Matters. About the guests - Mike Bergin is an education industry expert who has designed, developed, or delivered instruction to countless students over the last 25 years. Mike started as a test prep teacher for Kaplan Test Prep, and became Center Director overseeing seven New York counties. Since then he's worked for Huntington Learning Center, revising its test prep curriculum and systems, and in 2009, Mike founded Chariot Learning. Mike is a co-host of the Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Industry podcast. Amy Seeley is a certified and licensed secondary-education teacher, receiving her degree from John Carroll University. She began her career in test preparation over 26 years ago working for Princeton Review, and went on to work for Townsend Learning Centers. In 2006 Amy began Seeley Test Preparation Services in Cleveland. As demand for her services grew, she founded Seeley Test Pros in 2012. Amy is the founder and co-host of Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Industry 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.

Depending on what happens with Covid-19 this summer and fall, it's likely there will be some influence on plans for the 2020-2021 school year. Whether it's a delayed start, more online learning from home, or a different classroom setup, it looks like we'll be writing more new rules for education. On episode 60, Emily Kircher-Morris talks with FlexSchool's Jacqui Byrne about the future of online learning. About the guest - Jacqui Byrne is the founder of FlexSchool, a learning community for gifted and 2e students. She has a background in education, teaching, counseling, and writing. She is the co-founder of the widely respected Ivy Ed college preparation and counseling firm. Jacqui developed her own verbal test prep curriculum and also wrote a test prep book for McGraw-Hill. She has provided services for school district guidance counselors, spoken at college parent nights, and presented at professional conferences. Prior to founding Ivy Ed, she taught creative writing to gifted students at Milton Academy. Jacqui earned a B.A. from Yale, and has twice-exceptional children of her own. 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.

Dyslexia is often misunderstood, and educators and parents sometimes mistake it for a simple reading deficit. Dr. Dan Peters joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about dyslexia, as well as dysgraphia, and dyscalculia; their indications, where to go for diagnosis, and ways to help your child adapt. The basics of, and the often stealth nature of, dyslexia, on episode 59. About the guest - Dr. Dan Peters is a psychologist, author, co-founder and Executive Director of the Summit Center. Dr. Peters has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families, specializing in overcoming worry and fear, learning differences such as dyslexia, and issues related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality. Dr. Dan is also co-founder of Parent Footprint, an interactive parenting education community and website. He is host of the Parent Footprint Podcast with Dr. Dan and is a contributor to The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Dan is the author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child's Fears, its companion children's books, From Worrier to Warrior, and the Warrior Workbook. He is co-author of Raising Creative Kids, and many articles on topics related to parenting, family, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, dyslexia, and anxiety. 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 part of our series on the coronavirus pandemic, on episode 58 we're delving into the trauma aspect. How will we respond to the pressure to venture out? How will the human species be affected, changed, challenged? What will we tell our grandchildren about the experience? We'll use Christine Fonseca and her new book, Healing the heart: Helping Your Child Thrive After Trauma, as a template for this compelling conversation. About the guest - Christine Fonseca is a licensed educational psychologist, critically acclaimed author, and a nationally recognized speaker on topics related to educational psychology, mental health, giftedness, and using storytelling to heal past wounds. Christine has written for Psychology Today, the parenting blog Parenting for A New Generation, Parents.com, Johnson & Johnson, and Justine Magazine. Her critically acclaimed books include her newest, Healing the Heart: Helping Your Child Thrive After Trauma. Other works include The Caring Child: Raising Empathetic and Emotionally Intelligent Children, Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, Raising the Shy Child, Letting Go: A Girl's Guide to Breaking Free of Stress and Anxiety, and the Young Adult series, The Solomon Experiments. 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.

It's no secret that gifted kids often see the world differently than neurotypical peers. They also see the coronavirus pandemic differently, and experience stress and anxiety in different ways. We talk with Dr. Edward Amend about life in a pandemic, how to talk with kids about this event, things we can do to minimize anxiety, and how counseling and therapy sessions are adapting to meet the requirements of quarantine. It's all on episode 57 of Mind Matters. About the guest - Edward R. Amend, Psy.D., is a Clinical Psychologist at The Amend Group in Lexington, KY. He has worked in both private practice and community mental health settings, as well as in consulting positions with clinics, hospitals, schools, and other organizations. Dr. Amend is co-author of A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children, and Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders. Dr. Amend has held various positions, including on the Board of Directors of Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted (SENG); President of the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education (KAGE) and Chair for the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Counseling and Guidance Network. He has been a consultant to the Davidson Institute for Talent Development and a Contributing Editor for Roeper Review, a peer-reviewed journal for gifted education. 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.

The world is at the same time both together and necessarily apart. We're all going through the same pandemic, and most of us are practicing "social distancing." How does that affect us? Some believe it can be a time for growth, and that's the subject of episode 56. Our guest is author and family therapist Chris Crutcher, and this is a conversation you and your family won't want to miss. About the guest - Chris Crutcher is a native of Cascade, Idaho. He spent the 1970s as a teacher, then as director of a K-12 alternative school in Oakland, California. The following 20+ years he was a therapist specializing in child abuse and neglect. Those years largely inform his thirteen novels and two collections of short stories. He has also written what he calls an ill-advised autobiography titled King of the Mild Frontier, which was designated by Publisher's Weekly as "the YA book most adults would have read if they knew it existed." Chris was awarded the American Library Association's Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as two Intellectual Freedom awards, one from the National Council for Teachers of English and the other from the National Coalition Against Censorship. Five of his books appeared on an American Library Association list of the 100 Best Books for Teens of the Twentieth Century (1999 to 2000). 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.