Our Gifted Kids Podcast

In this episode, Sophia welcomes William Curb, the creator and host of the 'Hacking Your ADHD' podcast. They discuss the journey of discovering and managing ADHD from lived experiences, the importance of understanding, good strategies, tools and medication. William shares that recognition and acceptance of having ADHD, alongside building routines and accountability, are crucial for effective management. They explore the misconceptions around ADHD, the different ways it manifests in children and adults, and the strengths that can arise from well-managed ADHD. - - - - Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do! - - - - We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard. If you're feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support. Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness. Love the podcast? Leave a review or find out more about supporting the podcast. Subscribe to our newsletter. Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch! For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com - - - - Linktree: @ourgiftedkids Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine Free Facebook Group Instagram: @ourgiftedkids - - - - Episode Resources www.hackingyouradhd.com - - - - Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

In this insightful podcast episode, Sophia welcomes Brianne Hudak, a seasoned educator and current doctoral student specializing in educational leadership, to discuss underachievement among gifted students. Brianne shares her extensive experience in various educational roles and her dedication to supporting gifted and talented students. The conversation explores the reasons behind gifted underachievement, its impact on mental health, educational strategies to address it, and the long-term effects into adulthood. - - - - Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do! - - - - Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do! We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard. If you're feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support. Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness. Love the podcast? Leave a review or find out more about supporting the podcast. Subscribe to our newsletter. Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch! For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com - - - - Linktree: @ourgiftedkids Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine Free Facebook Group Instagram: @ourgiftedkids - - - - Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

Welcome to the New Season of Our Gifted Kids Podcast! Join Sophia Elliott as she kicks off a new season of the Our Gifted Kids Podcast. Reflecting on a challenging yet transformative 2023, Sophia shares her journey of personal growth and the balancing act of parenting gifted, neurodivergent children. Learn about exciting new updates, including upcoming episodes, and new course offerings. Sophia also extends heartfelt gratitude to her listeners and the gifted community for their unwavering support. Tune in for a year full of insightful collaborations, resources, and the relentless pursuit to help every gifted family thrive. 00:00 Introduction to Our Gifted Kid Podcast 00:39 A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community 01:20 Reflecting on a Challenging Year 04:12 New Beginnings and Future Plans 06:33 Exciting Updates and Collaborations 08:59 Closing Remarks and How to Connect - - - Enjoyed the podcast? Subscribe & leave us a review! 5 stars will do! - - - - We get it. Parenting gifted kids is hard. If you're feeling seen, join the Our Gifted Kids online community for more support. Access our Unpacking Gifted course for a deep understanding of giftedness. Love the podcast? Leave a review, make a one time donation, become a patron or find out more about supporting the podcast. Subscribe to our newsletter. Download your FREE ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting Gifted Kids Want to sponsor this podcast or be a guest? Get in touch! For ebooks, blogs, show notes and more go to www.ourgiftedkids.com - - - - Linktree: @ourgiftedkids Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine Free Facebook Group Instagram: @ourgiftedkids - - - - Stay quirky and see you again soon! - Sophia

In this episode we're talking to coach Meghann Birks about being gifted and having ADHD, late-in-life diagnosis, lived experience of ADHD, how we can manage from day to day, the challenges, the strengths, parenting and so much more. Memorable quote… " "I think that the flip side of this is that there are things I found challenging as an adult and as a mother, that when I started to really understand my brain, the perspective changed. And then there was another layer of perspective shift for me that came when I started to do the work on reparenting myself. My 10-year-old son is constantly doing cartwheels and running around and I used to get quite resentful, especially in public spaces. I'm like, don't run into people. Be quiet. You know? All those social norms that we all feel the pressure of… And when I realised, my therapist asked me, 'what was something you needed as a child that you didn't have?' And my answer immediately was, I needed someone who could keep up with me. And immediately I went, I get to be that for him. And I can't always physically keep up with him because he is 10 and I am in my mid forties. However, I can give you the space for that exuberance to exist. And there is a huge part of the work that I do, especially with women, which coincides with midlife… Where a lot of the work that women do in midlife is far from a crisis. It is a reclamation of who we were before the world stamped it out of us." - Meghann Birks Bio… Meghann Birks, is an Embodiment Coach and Trauma Informed Professional Trainer based on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula where she lives with her partner and two highly spirited boys. "I'm a coach, writer, dancer, Steel Mace Flow Coach and wannabe surf goddess who loves creating, coffee, lifting heavy, movement and sleep. I also have a wonderfully neurodivergent brain that shows itself via ADHD and I'm passionate about helping women with this diagnosis create an incredible life where they can flourish. I am fascinated by the stories we tell ourselves, how they impact us and how we can, with proper support, change the narrative to move us toward a pure and joyful expression of who we are and why we're here." She holds the designation of Certified Professional Coach from the International Coach Academy, one of the world's leading training organisations. This intensive course covered an array of learning modules and she was required to coach both internal and external clients under supervision from a Master Coach before she received her certificate. She also holds: Cert III in Fitness, Cert IV in Fitness (Personal Training), Completion of the Wim Hof Method Fundamentals Course, Numerous qualifications in the area of program design and facilitation, Steel Mace Flow Coach Level 1, Certificate in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy from The Embody Lab, and 'An Advanced Degree from the School of Hard Knocks, as some of my super fun eff-ups in life are the reason I am now so good at what I do.' - - - - More… Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do! - - - - Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast. Join the online Our Gifted Kids community Do the Unpacking Gifted Course Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids Subscribe to our newsletter - - - - Linktree: @ourgiftedkids Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine Free Facebook Group Instagram: @ourgiftedkids Sponsor this podcast - - - - Episode Resources Meghann's Sisters in Stoke Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Gcff5LbH1nQ45my0LqwSm?si=09ae450fc0aa4a84 "Sisters in Stoke is a podcast for women and those who identify as women to share their stories of how they found their stoke and to inspire others to pursue their passion and purpose. My guests have truly embraced the spirit of "Let's f**k around and find out!" when it comes to going all in on creating a life they love and they share the obstacles they have overcome, what keeps them going when times are tough and just how good it feels to live a life where they can truly express who they are." Meghann Birks Coaching: Website: www.meghannbirks.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghannbirkscoaching/ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MeghannBirksCoaching Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MeghannBirksCoaching Linktree: https://linktr.ee/MeghannBirks The book I couldn't remember - 'The Power of Different" by Dr. Gail Saltz - - - - Hit play and let's get started!

Join Dr Marnie Cumner to learn more about executive function in gifted, ADHD and autistic kids and adults and get lots of strategies and tips. Memorable quote… " "Executive functioning is that term that relates to the set of thinking skills that are responsible for things like planning, organisation, getting started on things, finishing things, regulating your own attention, regulating your own behaviours and emotions. So it's the overarching skills that help to organise us and organise our thinking." - Dr Marnie Cumner Bio… Dr Marnie Cumner is a Clinical Neuropsychologist on The Sunshine Coast, with specialised training in understanding how brain function affects our everyday thinking and behaviour. Paediatric Neuropsychology is a professional speciality, which focuses on understanding how the development of a child's brain relates to their cognitive (thinking), behavioural, social and emotional functioning. Marnie provides assessment services for children and adolescents to better understand their individual strengths and difficulties. She investigates thinking skills, such as, memory, attention, language and problem-solving, as well as social-emotional functioning, academic performance and behaviour. Marnie uses the child's individual profile of strengths and difficulties to provide tailored recommendations for improved learning, behaviour and emotion regulation. She uses a strengths-based model, which focuses on using a child's strengths to minimise their difficulties. - - - - 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 - - - - Episode Resources Dr Marnie Cumner's Website: Sunshine Coast Neuropsychology Dr Marnie Cumnres previous episode: #042 How can a Neuropsychologist help my gifted child? with Dr Marnie Cumner Book: Executive Function in the Classroom, Practical Strategies for Improving Performance and Enhancing Skills for All Students Author: Christopher Kaufman Book: The Smart but Scattered Guide to Success , How to Use Your Brain's Executive Skills to Keep Up, Stay Calm, and Get Organized at Work and at Home Authors: Peg Dawson, Richard Guare Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University: A Guide to Executive Function - - - - Hit play and let's get started!

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. - - - - 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 - - - - 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 - - - - Hit play and let's get started!

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 - - - - 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 - - - - 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 - - - - 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!

In episode 2 of Parents Guide to Gifted Kids' First Year of School Series, we're talking to gifted educator and differentiation coach from Nashville, Tennessee, Stephanie Higgs. We talk about… where is the best place to send my gifted child to school and what kinds of qualifications educators might have, when is the best time to start school for gifted kids? What are the misconceptions about gifted learners? Memorable quote… " "One of the norms that we've established in my class is to lean into struggle. And again, if we wait until these kids are older to identify them or to serve them, it's really uncomfortable for them to lean into struggle because they have been set on cruise control for all this time in class. And so, it's really nice and powerful and we can start that at a young age because not only can we challenge them academically, but we can really pair that with some social-emotional support for how to handle challenges, how to lean into struggle, how to develop that stamina and that perseverance what that says about us as learners. Because I think sometimes it becomes almost an affront on who we are as a person when so much of our identity is in our intellect and in schooling, and all of a sudden it's challenging. What does that say about me if I can't do this? What if someone finds out that I don't know how to solve this problem? If we normalise that from the very beginning, we can teach those in tandem all the way." - 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 honored 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. - - - - 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 - - - - Episode Resources Stephanie Higgs: Instagram: @littlemissgifted TikTok: @littlemissgiftedteacher YouTube: @littlemissgiftedteacher Linktree: @littlemissgifted Tennessee Association for the Gifted AAEGT - State Associations #028 Why is Self-Concept so crucial for gifted 2E students in the early years? James & Susie - An allegory about what happens to smart kids who skate through elementary school, and don't get opportunities to develop persistence, grit, and the true self-confidence that comes from knowing how to tackle a genuine challenge. - - - - Hit play and let's get started!

Today we start our Parents Guide to Gifted Kids' First Years of School Series with Emily. Emily is a mum navigating those big questions with her gifted child who has just started reception (prep). This two-part episode covers when our gifted kids should start school, where they should go to school, what expectations we should have and much more… Memorable quote… "The big question that I had [for the educational psychologist] was, do you think he should be going to school next year? Do you think he's ready for school next year? And she actually flipped that question on me and said, 'it's not about when it's about where. Now that you know that he's gifted, you now need to make a really considered decision about where you send him to school'. And I thought that this day, this assessment was going to almost close the chapter and be like, okay, you've got your answer now get on with your life. But it was just the beginning of everything." - Emily More… Enjoyed the podcast? Leave us a review! 5 stars will do! - - - - Subscribe to our newsletter Free ebook: Top 10 Parenting Hacks for Parenting GIfted Kids - - - - Love the podcast? Find out how to support the podcast. - - - - Join our community - - - - Facebook: @ourgiftedkidsonine Free Facebook Group Instagram: @ourgiftedkids Linktree: @ourgiftedkids Support this podcast with a donation Sponsor this podcast - - - - Episode Resources AAEGT Early Entry to Primary Article #028 Why is Self-Concept so crucial for gifted 2E students in the early years? - - - - Hit play and let's get started!

In this episode, we're daring to re-imagine what Christmas might look like for our gifted families and giving parents permission to make it easier! Enjoyed the podcast? then subscribe or get your show notes, free eBook or course at ourgiftedkids.com If this episode inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about it in our Facebook group or Instagram or feel connected & supported in our community, the Our Gifted Kids Hub. Please leave a review on your podcast player and help parents find us! Memorable Quote "And so by this time of year, our kids are also tired and frazzled. We all are. So then, I dare say what we don't need to add to that mix is a lot of stress and the demand of a hectic Christmas. Over the last couple of years, my husband and I and our family have made different decisions around Christmas. And they have been decisions in response to… Where are we at? How are we feeling right now? What do we actually need?" – Sophia Elliott Resources A Very Gifted Christmas Ebook #038 Top Secret Santa Talk for Parents of Gifted Kids Hit play and let's get started!

It's our final BONUS episode for Gifted, Talented & Neurodiversity Awareness Week; and we've been Bringing Joy & Equity in Focus all week with seven podcasts! As a proud partner of The G Word, Our Gifted Kids is delighted to raise awareness once again as we talk about #gifted joy & equity! Enjoyed the podcasts? Our online communities are currently open until midnight Thursday 3 November! Find out more here! Or subscribe, join our online community or get freebies, say thanks at ourgiftedkids.com Please leave a review on your podcast player and help parents find us! Resources Subscribe to Our Gifted Kids Sign up for Our Gifted Kids Online Communities Marc Smolowitz & The G Word Bio Marc Smolowitz Marc Smolowitz is a multi-award-winning director, producer, and executive producer who has been significantly involved in 50+ independent films. The combined footprint of his works has touched 250+ film festivals & markets on 5 continents, yielding substantial worldwide sales to theatrical, television, and VOD outlets, notable box office receipts, and numerous awards and nominations. His credits include films that have screened at the world's top-tier festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Venice, Tribeca, Locarno, Chicago, Palm Springs, SF FILM, AFI Docs, IDFA, DOC NYC, CPH: DOX, Tokyo, Melbourne, Viennale, Jerusalem, among others. In 2009, Marc founded 13th Gen, a San Francisco-based boutique film and entertainment company (see: https://www.13thgenfilm.com/) that works with a dynamic range of independent film partners globally to oversee the financing, production, post-production, marketing, sales, and distribution efforts of a vibrant portfolio of films and filmmakers. The company has successfully advanced Marc's career-long focus on powerful social issue filmmaking across all genres. In 2016, he received one of the prestigious Gotham Media Fellowships to attend the Cannes Film Festival's Producers Network marking him as one of the USA's most influential independent film producers. In 2022, Marc is currently in post-production on THE G WORD -- a feature-length documentary that aims to be the most comprehensive film ever made on the topics of gifted, talented, and neurodiverse education across the United States. The film asks the urgent equity question -- In the 21st century, who gets to be Gifted in America and Why?. Learn more at: https://www.thegwordfilm.com/ Hit play and let's get started!

It's Gifted, Talented & Neurodiversity Awareness Week; and we're Bringing Joy & Equity in Focus with this year's theme. As a proud partner of The G Word, Our Gifted Kids is delighted to raise awareness once again with a whole week of podcasts. Actually, 6 episodes! Where we talk about #gifted joy! Podcast Line Up Marc Smolowitz introduces the week with - #064 Gifted Talented & Neurodiversity Awareness Week does #giftedjoy Monday #065 Gifted Joy & Gifted Play; Why it's Different w/ Kate Donohue Tuesday #066 Why Gifted Folk Need Board Games! w/ Justin Ratcliff Wednesday #067 How to Express Your Gifted Self with Digital Music & Art w/ Johannes Dreyer Thursday #068 A Higher Skate of Mind for Gifted Kids w/ Josh Smith Friday #069 Why Dungeons & Dragons is Gifted Bliss w/ Sam Young Enjoyed the podcasts? Our online community is currently open until midnight Thursday 3 November! Find out more here! Or subscribe, join our online community or get freebies, say thanks at ourgiftedkids.com Please leave a review on your podcast player and help parents find us! Our GTN Awareness Week Links Sign up for free virtual events at Gifted Talented Neurodiverse Awareness Week Subscribe to Our Gifted Kids Sign up for Our Gifted Kids Online Communities Marc Smolowitz & The G Word Kate Donohue & Dynamic Parenting Justin Ratcliff's Favourite Board Game Links: boardgameoracle.com boardgamegeek.com Johannes Dreyer & Beat Frequency Mentoring Josh Smith & Free Mind Skate School Sam Young & Young Scholars Academy Bio Josh Smith Free Mind Skate School was founded by Josh Smith, a local skateboarder who has been skating in Adelaide for 20+yrs. Josh has become well known in the skate community and to local councils over the years due to his constant involvement in the facilitation of skate-related events and competitions, as well as being a competition judge with the Australian Skateboard Federation. On top of that, for nearly half a decade Josh has been seen at skateparks across Adelaide coaching beginners to help boost the next generation of Adelaide skaters. What started as a part-time job while studying full-time all those years ago, has turned into a way of life. As well as being an avid skater, Stigma Stall mentor Josh also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Behavioural Science and has vast experience in youth mentoring/engagement. Using positive mentorship through skateboarding to build a trusting and informal relationship, this serves as the foundation that positive change can be built upon. Skateboarders are incredibly resilient, which comes from years of mastering their craft. In life we must get back up when we fall, and although falling is inevitable at times, this does not have to mean failure. Through progression in their skating, clients see within themselves that positive change is possible in their life. This inherently promotes clients to willingly take responsibility for their own future, whilst continually building confidence and developing resilience. Hit play and let's get started!