Neurodiversity Podcast

Emily Kircher-Morris and Dr. Ellen Braaten discuss processing speed and why it's important. They also talk about when it's not so important, and why it varies so much from child to child. They discuss the impact it has on intelligence testing scores, and ways to help kids increase their processing speed. Dr. Braaten is coauthor of the book Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up. About the guest - Dr. Ellen Braaten is the Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Track Director of the Child Psychology Training Program at MGH/Harvard Medical School. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Braaten received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado, her PhD in Psychology at Colorado State University, and completed her internship training at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has been affiliated with Mass. General Hospital since 1998. Dr. Braaten is widely recognized as an expert in the field of pediatric neuropsychological and psychological assessment, particularly in the areas of assessing learning disabilities and attentional disorders. She is the co-author of Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up, and Straight Talk about Psychological Testing for Kids, a book that has become a classic for parents and professionals. She also authored The Child Clinician's Report Writing Handbook, which has been called "the most comprehensive child assessment handbook available." Her most recent book for parents is entitled Finding the Right Mental Health Care for Your Child, published by the American Psychological Association. 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.

When a child asks a question, do you just give them the answer? If so, you're missing an opportunity to help them develop critical thinking skills. On episode 52 we are joined by Colin Seale, founder of ThinkLaw, an organization committed to helping educators teach critical thinking. We talk about how kids learn the skill, and how teachers can better teach critical thinking. About the guest - Colin Seale is a critical thinking expert, achievement-gap educator, child welfare reformer, education-for-all advocate, and former attorney who founded ThinkLaw—an award-winning program that helps educators teach critical thinking to all students using real-life legal cases and other Socratic and powerful inquiry strategies. 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.

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.