Cultivating Curiosity

I had an amazing time last night meeting many of the delegates attending the International Board of Directors with Mensa*. I’m super excited about Saturday when I get to step into my volunteer role (National Gifted Children’s Coordinator- Mensa Australia) and speak to the Board about Mensa Youth in Australia. Then the Gala Dinner on Saturday night! What a weekend. * The International Board of Directors meeting (IBD) is the major official meeting of the world wide leadership of Mensa.

I had such a fantastic conversation with Joe Dimino on Friday night - listen to the podcast by filling the link. 'Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series .. On this episode, we talk with Educator, Advocate & Creator of Innovative Learning Amanda Rogers .. She is passionate about creating inclusive and innovative learning experiences for twice-exceptional, gifted, and curious kids. As a twice-exceptional (2E) individual and parent of 2E children, Amanda brings a deeply personal and insightful perspective to her work, driven by her commitment to supporting neurodivergent learners. With a background in education, disability support, and counselling, Amanda integrates her professional expertise with her lived experiences to make a meaningful impact. It’s an incredibly inspirational story. Enjoy.' https://lnkd.in/gFKq2AVY

Camp Curiosity: A Holiday Programme for 2E, Gifted, and Curious Kids (Grades 1-7) 💭 Why Camp Curiosity? As an educator and parent of 2E children, I’ve seen how traditional care often fails to meet the needs of gifted and 2E kids. These environments can feel stifling, leaving children misunderstood. Drawing on my teaching experience with 2E students, I saw the need for a space where kids could be their authentic selves. That's how Camp Curiosity was born - to create a supportive environment that nurtures each child's unique potential. 💭 A Space for 2E and Curious Kids Camp Curiosity is for 2E children—those who are gifted but also face learning or developmental challenges. We provide enriching activities, personalised instruction, and individualised support, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and innovation. We also welcome children who have not been officially identified as gifted, applying Passow's Guidelines to engage all participants. 💭 Mentorship Over Leadership We use mentors instead of traditional activity leaders, offering a more personalised approach that ensures every child feels valued, heard, and connected. 💭 Normalising Neurodivergence With a predominantly neurodivergent staff, Camp Curiosity celebrates differences and provides a safe space for children to embrace their uniqueness. 💭 Comprehensive Learning Opportunities We cover all gifted domains following Gagné's DMGT, catering to asynchronous learners by aligning activities with their cognitive abilities while ensuring age-appropriate content. Programmes like PHILOSO-BRICK® and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® stimulate creativity, critical thinking, and executive functioning. 💭 Maslow Before Bloom We prioritise the social-emotional well-being of our learners, ensuring their basic needs are met before challenging them with advanced cognitive tasks. This fosters a safe environment for growth. 💭 Supporting Moral and Ethical Growth Gifted children often have strong moral sensitivity. We provide age-appropriate moral reasoning opportunities that match their cognitive abilities, fostering their ethical understanding and identity development. 💭 Inspiring Lifelong Learners Our goal is to inspire lifelong learners who are adaptable, creative, and resilient. We foster a community of curious learners who are motivated, engaged, and excited about their place in the world. 💭 Building a Supportive Community At Camp Curiosity, we nurture each child's strengths and challenges, creating a community where they can find their tribe and thrive among cognitive peers. 🔎 Join Us at Camp Curiosity Embark on an extraordinary journey designed for gifted, 2E, and curious children in Grades 1-7. Our mission is to inspire a community of learners to embrace their curiosity, develop critical thinking, and cultivate resilience and creativity. Register here - https://lnkd.in/gmxkhh_k

When you meet your neurokin and you talk and talk and talk and they just get it. Thank you Tanya Hallett. I’m so excited about the work you’re doing with trauma informed practices.

What is the Dual Empathy Problem?

Back by popular demand - my "If I Had My Time Again and Knew What I Know Now" workshop.

🚀 Ignite your child's love for learning at Camp Curiosity - School Holiday Program! 🌟 Our fun-filled camp has been specifically developed for gifted, 2E and curious kiddos in Grades 1-7. Designed and led by our Educational Consultant, we offer a unique blend of engaging activities and advanced cognitive challenges. ✨ Registrations for our Winter program are open now! 🌱 NDIS (plan dependant) https://lnkd.in/dxBhvFRm

Come and join me for a fun and interactive PD! I’ll be presenting for Gifted WA on 1 May. We’ll be using LEGO as a learning tool as we explore using LEGO as a Thinking Tool. LEGO as a Thinking Tool PHILOSO-BRICK® is an innovative program that uses a multi-sensory approach to explore philosophical thinking. Created by Amanda Rogers, a gifted education specialist and certified facilitator of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method and materials, the PHILOSO-BRICK® workshops foster creativity, imagination, and social-emotional growth while developing critical thinking, abstract reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Using the Philosophy in School’s community of inquiry approach, your child will explore ethical and philosophical ideas in a supportive and psychologically safe environment. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is used by companies like Google, NASA, and Microsoft to enhance communication and problem-solving skills, providing your child with valuable skills for lifelong learning. Amanda Rogers, founder of Cultivating Curiosity and creator of Philoso-Brick®️, has focused her teaching career on enhancing education for twice-exceptional children. Driven by her personal experience of raising two gifted children with ADHD and her own late diagnosis of giftedness and ADHD, Amanda specialised in gifted education. She is a certified LEGO® Serious Play facilitator, with a deep understanding of disability and counseling. Her creation of Philoso-Brick®️ is her response to meeting the educational needs of twice-exceptional children. https://lnkd.in/g48ibi4d

At UWA’s EZONE on my way to present to the Girls’ Programming Network Tutors - all about 2E, gifted and ND girls. This place is amazing. #giftededucation #education #innovation #GirlsInSTEM #neurospicy #adhd #neurodiversity #neurodivergent

Cultivating Curiosity is turining 1! From a crazy idea while I was buliding LEGO to Philoso-Brick®️, Camp Curiosity and Charli - this year has been a wild ride. None of this could have been possible without your amazing support. To celebrate, we'd like to gift you a 10% discount on all Camp Curiosity bookings until midday on Wednesday. Just use the code BIRTHDAY We'd also love it if you could share the Cultivating Curiosity page with your family and friends. May this year be as bonkers and fun as our first - and may that never change. #perth #giftededucation #birthdayparty #CampCuriosity #lego