Dr. Melanie Hayes, the founder and director of the Big Minds Unschool, shares her unique level of expertise in 2e. What is 2e? We dive right into this fascinating topic with an inspiring talk including how Melanie started her journey and what environment best suits the learning styles of 2e children. She also discusses why students should have the time and support to grow cognitively and creatively as they follow their interests. The passionate energy and attention she has brought to this alternative view of education is so inspiring! Melanie shares many bits of wisdom that you can bring into your own home to fortify your child’s resilience. If you would love to know more about how to channel this type of energy into your parenting style be sure to listen until the end!

Dr. Melanie Hayes is the founder and director of the Big Minds Unschool. Melanie is a 2e expert. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership, an MA in gifted education, a credential in elementary multiple subjects, and has 10 years experience teaching, mentoring, coaching, and advocating for 2e children. She also has a 2e son and daughter, so she experiences life with 2e children on an intensely personal level. She is intimately familiar with the joys and hardships of raising and educating exceptional children. You can read more about her work and family in her blog, “Life Among the Gifted."

Did you enjoy this podcast? Tell us what you took away from the show and leave a review here! 

Emilia has a master's degree in social psychology, and a master of applied positive psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a former student of Dr. Martin Seligman and pioneered the research on the Finnish construct of sisu (extraordinary determination in the face of adversity) under the mentorship Dr. Angela Duckworth.

She is a speaker and lecturer in both Finland and the United States and has given presentations at TEDx, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UPenn, the international world congress on positive psychology, as well as Accenture and Singularity University, among others. Her work has also been featured in Business Insider, Scientific American, Forbes and The New Yorker. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD at the Aalto University School of Science and Technology in Helsinki. In 2015 Emilia was selected for the Singularity University Graduate Studies Program at NASA AMES Research Center in Silicon Valley with full scholarship from Google.

Her life mission involves being a catalyst for human connection and compassion.