Finding the Magic in the Middle with Dr. Jessica LaFollette

Finding the Magic in the Middle with Dr. Jessica LaFollette

Jessica LaFollette has been teaching gifted learners for over 25 years and serves on the board of directors for the National Association for Gifted Children [http://www.nagc.org]. She currently teaches gifted students at Piper Middle School in Kansas City and instructs graduate courses at the University of Missouri in differentiation. Dr. LaFollette is co-author of the LEAP Guidebook and Modules for Differentiating Instruction and recently authored the book, Magic in the Middle: Hands-on Challenges that Create Joy for Gifted Middle School Students. [https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Middle-Hands-Challenges-Learners/dp/104110863X/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1N8VN4A5R9I64&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WrHA36u1rFcdTRvpGaMjHLDNy4VUFB8-uCWFzxDwLV2ymgj58wymr0NEpUR89qhnaNOCmgMcQ24aBezJi6CE27TOa5Bg97QxKxeqOdlcyeJuc8ppHX3JPaz6r8H4rDA-7FHDXs9JKgRtKe2Dw1AfjH5EMIsU541CIMHpd8aNIuqVbTCb6IpnEJCuwFrQcTTqMJ3ri_nCjySRJyQhYoBYwjO9ucpsxpTD1iVM0LtasVo.G2PJvb1-k8BXBt6tJOBlDb8imXmdlc5fYJtxrrjdeaw&dib_tag=se&keywords=magic+in+middle+school&qid=1777670263&sprefix=magic+in+midd%252Caps%252C180&sr=8-4] She is a Past President of the Kansas Association for the Gifted, Talented and Creative and past Chair of NAGC’s Parent, Family and Community Network. When she is not teaching, she enjoys puzzles, reading, baking, and traveling with her husband and four children.

The Pod Squad: Gifted Ed Bestie Chat with Aritia Smalls, Lisa Pagano & Trinette Atri

Aritia Smalls brings nearly two decades of educational expertise to her role as Advanced Learning and Gifted Education Coordinator. A deep-seated passion for student potential defines her career; she works tirelessly to ensure that advanced resources and academic support are accessible to all students, empowering them to reach their full potential. Lisa Pagano currently serves as the Director of Advanced Studies for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Lisa brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in gifted education. Throughout her career, Lisa has been recognized for her contributions to education innovation, i Lisa holds advanced certifications and degrees in School Leadership, Gifted Education, and Curriculum and Instruction. An accomplished educator and published author, she has shared her insights on gifted education in various professional publications, including Parenting for High Potential. She is thrilled to work on and co-host the podcast, They’ll Be Fine. Lisa has worked as a Per Diem Consultant with Thinking Maps [https://www.thinkingmaps.com] for the past 8 years. She also works with schools and districts through her gifted education consulting business, bright & brilliant, LLC [https://brightbrilliantllc.com]. Trinette Atri is a National Board Certified educator with 21 years of experience and an AIG Instructional Specialist for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, supporting gifted education across 100+ elementary schools. She serves on the NCAGT Board as a Presidential Appointee and co-hosts the podcast They’ll Be Fine. Trinette is also the longtime Program Director of Spectrum of the Arts, a summer program for students gifted in the arts. She also taught AIG teacher licensure courses at Queens University of Charlotte and holds degrees from Boston College and the University of Bradford in the UK.

Gifted and Underachieving: Exploring the Paradox with Dr. Michael Matthews

Michael S. Matthews is Professor in the Cato College of Education of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Matthews has held leadership roles in the Research on Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent SIG of the American Educational Research Association, the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the North Carolina Association for the Gifted & Talented, and the Council for Exceptional Children’s Talented and Gifted division (CEC-TAG). He has co-edited both Gifted Child Quarterly and the Journal of Advanced Academics. At the local level he is also a founding board member and Board Chair for a public charter school that uses gifted education pedagogy to meet the needs of all learners. Dr. Matthews is widely published in the field, having authored or edited six books and over 60 peer-reviewed articles. His research addresses identification in gifted education; underachievement, parenting, and motivation among high-ability children, including those in homeschooling and those with dual exceptionalities; and open science and research methods in gifted education. Dr. Matthews’ recent recognitions in his field include the 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award from the National Association for Gifted Children and the 2026 James J. Gallagher Advocacy Award from the North Carolina Association for the Gifted & Talented. His research can be seen in his Google Scholar profile at https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=01ia7AIAAAAJ&hl=en [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=01ia7AIAAAAJ&hl=en]

Cultivating a Community of Thinkers with Chris Yeager

A graduate of Appalachian State University (1976), Chris Yeager went on to earn a Master’s degree in Education and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Beginning a career in education, Chris taught English at 71st High School, later serving as an Instructional Curriculum Facilitator for three years and briefly as an Assistant Principal at the elementary level. In 1996, Chris Yeager joined Thinking Maps, Inc. [https://www.thinkingmaps.com/], where they served as Director of Professional Development for nearly three decades, supporting educators nationwide. During this time, Chria also co-authored numerous textbooks and instructional resources, contributing significantly to the field of visual learning and instructional practice. 🔗Learn more about Thinking Maps here [https://www.thinkingmaps.com/].

Rerelease: Art of Problem Solving

Today, we're tackling a topic that can feel a bit intimidating when teaching gifted students: math. Well known by its acronym, (AoPS), Art of Problem Solving has a unique approach to teaching math, focusing not just on rote memorization but on deep conceptual understanding and creative problem-solving. It's a curriculum that challenges students to think outside the box and build a true foundation in mathematics. Grayson Maas joined Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) in 2015. He earned his PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of California Santa Barbara where he conducted research, wrote, and taught about the various factors contributing to underrepresentation in STEM education and in the workforce. He has spent the last ten years at AoPS working to deliver the most engaging and transformative educational experiences possible for hundreds of thousands of students. Art of Problem Solving [https://artofproblemsolving.com/?srsltid=AfmBOor1dRJg-jg6L3NwkXbbnO3STHPL8lOKsEV5MEEUDmUGOwmjyUDy]