In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Gwen Cooper, Middle School Head and Secondary Placement Director at Avery Coonley School, to unpack the process of evaluating secondary school options for gifted students.

We explore how families can thoughtfully navigate public, private, parochial, and boarding school choices—while keeping the individual needs, passions, and social-emotional development of gifted learners at the center of the conversation.

Dr. Gwen Cooper holds a doctorate in education and serves as the Middle School Head and Secondary Placement Director at Avery Coonley School. She works closely with families to guide them through the high school selection, application, and registration process, helping identify environments where gifted students can truly thrive.

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss. 

In this episode, we welcome back Lisa Wiltz and Eric Youngquist, who explore the essential role of play, simulation, and gamification in supporting gifted learners of all ages. This episode reframes play—not as downtime, but as developmentally essential, academically rich, and socially transformative.

Lisa Wiltz - With 39 years of experience, Lisa has taught preschool through early elementary and specializes in early childhood development and gifted education. She holds degrees from Illinois State University and National Louis University, has presented nationally on play-based learning, and currently teaches Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4. Her passion: helping young learners build the social-emotional and cognitive skills that form the bedrock of future learning.

Eric Youngquist - Eric is in his 22nd year of teaching middle school social studies. With degrees from NIU and St. Xavier University, he brings learning to life through strategy, debate, and simulation. He coaches both a strategic gaming club and a debate team and is committed to using games to build communication, reasoning, negotiation, and empathy.

Listeners will explore:

• Why play is the foundation of learning

• How games and playful learning support creativity, problem-solving, cognitive flexibility, and emotional development

• What empathy development really looks like from preschool through middle school

• How educators can balance academic demands with meaningful play

• Real examples of simulations and games that deepen learning, engagement, and rigor

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

In this episode, we welcome Lisa Wiltz and Eric Youngquist, who explore the essential role of play, simulation, and gamification in supporting gifted learners of all ages. This episode reframes play—not as downtime, but as developmentally essential, academically rich, and socially transformative.

Lisa Wiltz - With 39 years of experience, Lisa has taught preschool through early elementary and specializes in early childhood development and gifted education. She holds degrees from Illinois State University and National Louis University, has presented nationally on play-based learning, and currently teaches Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4. Her passion: helping young learners build the social-emotional and cognitive skills that form the bedrock of future learning.

Eric Youngquist - Eric is in his 22nd year of teaching middle school social studies. With degrees from NIU and St. Xavier University, he brings learning to life through strategy, debate, and simulation. He coaches both a strategic gaming club and a debate team and is committed to using games to build communication, reasoning, negotiation, and empathy.

Listeners will explore:

• Why play is the foundation of learning

• How games and playful learning support creativity, problem-solving, cognitive flexibility, and emotional development

• What empathy development really looks like from preschool through middle school

• How educators can balance academic demands with meaningful play

• Real examples of simulations and games that deepen learning, engagement, and rigor

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

In this episode, we welcome Allison Yunkun, a doctoral candidate and an elementary educator and from The Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove, Illinois. Allison shares insights about the Leadership Academy, a program designed to develop authentic leadership skills in gifted students from grades 2–4.

The conversation explores how the academy helps young learners understand leadership beyond titles—focusing instead on empathy, collaboration, and purpose-driven action. We also discuss the intentional design behind this initiative, how it supports diverse leadership styles (including introverted leaders), and how social-emotional learning (SEL) connects deeply to leadership development.

Later in the episode, a student participant from the Leadership Academy joins to offer a firsthand perspective on what it’s like to learn and practice leadership as a gifted student.

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Maha Zayed and Lora Dudek of The OCD and Anxiety Center to discuss the many ways anxiety can show up in children and adolescents. Together, we explore a scale of intensity to help distinguish between healthy anxiety and clinical anxiety. We also highlight why it’s so important for parents and teachers to understand anxiety—recognizing the signs early can make a critical difference in supporting children’s emotional well-being, learning, and development. Listeners will also gain practical strategies to help students manage anxiety more effectively in both home and school settings.

www.theocdandanxietycenter.com

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

In this episode, we welcome Darrell Maskell, who shares how he teaches writing to his gifted students. We explore his instructional techniques and process, the executive functioning skills embedded in his approach, and some of the remarkable outcomes that have emerged in his classroom.

Darrell Maskell has taught third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students for twenty-seven years in both the UK and the US. He began his career as an electrical engineer before transitioning into education at the age of twenty-eight. He started teaching in London public schools and has since worked in three private schools for gifted children. In 2007, he was recognized with both the Positive Promotions Midwest Teacher of the Year and the Sam’s Club Teacher of the Year awards.

Teacher Resource: Darrell Maskell’s Fantasy Writing Planner

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/class-project-inspires-palatine-fifth-grader-to-publish-her-own-book

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

In this episode, we sit down with Erin Vanek, founder of The Gifted Perspective, to explore the often misunderstood world of underachievement among gifted students. Erin shares insights into the behavioral and emotional profiles of gifted learners who aren't meeting their potential and helps us unpack the why behind their struggles.

From classroom engagement to parent support, she offers practical strategies educators and caregivers can use to reconnect these students with learning and motivation. Whether you're a teacher, parent, or advocate, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways to help gifted students thrive.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Common traits of underachieving gifted students
• The myths surrounding giftedness and motivation
• Tools and techniques to reignite engagement in gifted learners
• How The Gifted Perspective serves as a bridge between educators and gifted kids' unique needs

Learn more about Erin's work:

https://thegiftedperspective.com/

https://www.instagram.com/the.gifted.perspective/

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

In this episode, we welcome Krista Genovese to explore how giftedness, dyslexia, and hyperlexia intersect. As a first-grade teacher at Quest Academy—an independent school for gifted students in Palatine, Illinois—Krista specializes in foundational literacy skills to ensure that all learners receive the support they need.

A certified Orton-Gillingham dyslexia practitioner with a master’s degree in teaching and interdisciplinary arts, Krista shares valuable insights into the unique challenges gifted students with dyslexia and hyperlexia face. She highlights the importance of individualized instruction, one-on-one support, and fostering a classroom environment where students feel safe to take risks in their learning.

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

How can we design a curriculum that both challenges gifted learners and builds essential skills? In this episode, we welcome educators Sunshine Echevarria and Jennifer Marvel-Gillono to share their expertise on crafting curricular units that foster deep engagement and meaningful learning. They discuss their approach to balancing rigor with foundational skill development while ensuring lessons resonate with gifted students. Tune in for practical strategies and fresh insights on curriculum design that will empower and excite learners.

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.

In this episode we welcome content specialists Stephanie Butler, Alissa Prestwich, and Elizabeth Foran. Together, we dive into the critical role content specialists play in schools, exploring how they collaborate with educators to enhance learning experiences for all students. Learn how these experts adapt their approach to meet the unique needs of gifted learners and navigate the complexities of the gifted profile.

Host: Meghan McCarthy

Co-Producers: Adam Metcalf and Jeff Westbrook

Original Music by Adam G-F

How you can be involved:

Subscribe to The Gifted Ed Podcast

Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Submit a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the podcast team to let us know of any topics that you would like discussed. Additionally, you can use this form to let us know that you would like to appear on an episode as a guest and what topic(s) you would like to discuss.