Our Gifted Kids Podcast Sophia Elliott

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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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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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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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.
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Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids
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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
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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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Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids
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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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More…
Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do!
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Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast. 
Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids
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- - - -
Linktree: @ourgiftedkids
Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine 
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Hit play and let’s get started!

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 
Free Facebook Group
Instagram: @ourgiftedkids
Sponsor this podcast  
- - - -
Hit play and let’s get started!