Think Like A Genius: Behind the Brain

Ever wonder what it takes to get into Harvard? Brain Power student Sandro can tell you - this past spring, he was accepted to the class of '29 on a full scholarship. In the season finale, Sandro shares his experience, insights, and the unexpected things he's learned about earning a place in the Ivy League.

Building bridges across time and discovering deeper ways of knowing - Dr Jason's Journey from "fact-kid" to Poetry PhD. 

June's Journey: what she's learned about learning, and her lessons of love in the classroom. 

From junior astronomer to telescope maker, passionate post-doc, and enlightened educator, follow Marcelo's celestial journey from a Brazilian backyard to his Canadian classrooms. 

Dr Stacy Costa: puzzles, perseverance, and a pandemic PhD. 

" I think that everything that I have ever done was part of the journey that I needed to go on to figure out who I wanted to be as a teacher." With stops in Toronto, China, London, and elsewhere, find out how that journey turned Dr Jenn into the sought-after educator she's become.

Ryan Fics and the route he's run from running back to PhD in Comparative Lit to enlightened educator. 

Nataliya Portman and her path from Soviet daycare logic toys to doctor of applied mathematics and passionate educator of math. 

In which we explore (what can seem like) the duality of success - either chasing high achievement or finding meaning and purpose in our existence. Spoiler alert (and great news!): They are not mutually exclusive. We'll tell you how to help your bright, curious child find the path to their intersection. Music Credit:The Circle Game, Joni MitchellFrom: Joni Mitchell, Carnegie Hall 1972, The New York Broadcast  Show Credits:Written/produced/presented by Sarah Meehan, Brain Power Enrichment StudiosEpisode Idea-Honer, Sounding Board, and "Explainer Dude": Ilya KreyninSpecial Thanks: Mark Raspopov, scholar at CalState LA in the Early Entrance Program who'd planted the seed for this series and connected us to Dr Kidogo Kennedy as well as to his colleagues, Lori and Leslie.  For more information on Brain Power Enrichment Programs, click here. 

Why it matters more than you think, in more permutations than you might expect. 

Think bright and gifted kids need less unstructured playtime than other kids? Think again. Take a listen to find out why. 

"It feels like there is some sort of barrier between us that prevents us from really connecting." We explore why bright and gifted kids can find it tough to form meaningful friendships with peers, and how to help them forge the connections they crave.

Finding out that the world sees you as "smart" can have a big impact on a kid's identity, self-esteem, motivations, and pursuits. In this episode, we'll explore the impact of this realization, with an emphasis on perfectionism and the struggles of internalizing expectations and pressures - both real and constructed. 

One of the greatest myths about very bright kids is that they can figure things out and take care of themselves, when, in fact, they have significant needs. In this episode, we hear from kids about what it's really like to be 'the smart one,' and how to better understand - and discover - what they need to flourish. The Wonderkind is brought to you by Brain Power Enrichment Programs, and is written, produced, mixed, and presented by Sarah Meehan. Special thanks to Ilya Kreynin, Vanessa Iarocci, and Mark Raspopov.Links:Vanderbilt University's Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth⁠Early Entrance Program at CalState University⁠⁠Brain Power Enrichment Programs⁠

Dr Adam Richter, historian of science and member of the Brain Power faculty, challenges our ideas of what it means to be a genius, where that concept came from in the first place, and what Isaac Newton's apple has to do with it.

Why is it so easy to rhyme off a list male geniuses, but not so easy to name a woman or two? And how does that affect young girls with academic aspirations? Dr Cassandra Chapman talks confidence, community and coming to a new definition of genius.

The second and final portion of our conversation on the technological revolution provoking curiosity and concern in education right now. Sarah moderates a panel of fellow Brain Power educators and thinkers, Vadim Tyuryaev, Dr Joel Benabu and Ilya Kreynin. This episode was produced and hosted by Sarah Meehan Sirk.

Sarah moderates a panel of fellow Brain Power educators and thinkers -- Vadim Tyuryaev, Dr Joel Benabu and Ilya Kreynin -- on the technological revolution provoking both curiosity and concern in education right now.

Data scientist and Brain Power math instructor Vadim Tyuryaev shares his inside scoop on learning math, logic, and genius -- and why perseverance is key to not only thinking like a genius, but to thriving in the age of machine-learning. Brain Power boss Vanessa Iarocci weighs in, from personal experience. Episode Credits: Written, Produced and Hosted by Sarah Meehan Sirk. Music Credits:Arpanauts by Eric Skiff | Time to Move and Motivate by The Insider | Danse Macabre by Kevin MacLeod

"You do not have a future here." Those words, uttered by a friend in 1971, would not only change the life of mathematician Reuven Rashkovsky but, ultimately, the lives - and minds - of thousands of children. Through his struggles dealing with the oppression and anti-Semitism of communist Russia, Reuven developed a way of looking at problems big and small that led to his academic success, and his freedom. What he learned along the way would become the foundation of the enrichment program he created that has taught kids new ways to think, to approach problems, and to adapt to this ever-changing world. In subsequent episodes, you'll hear from the big thinkers to whom Reuven passed the Brain Power torch, who have been inspired by genius in many forms, and have found various ways to teach their students how to Think Like a Genius. You can click here for more information about Brain Power Enrichment Programs.EPISODE CREDITS: Produced, written, and hosted by Sarah Meehan Sirk.