The Duke TIP Podcast

Meet the Wanns. They're a TIP family that has decided to take their homeschooling life on the road and live full-time in a renovated school bus.

Do you have questions about course selection, waitlists, or financial aid? A Duke TIP admissions officer joins us with lots of great advice on how to fill out the perfect Summer Studies Program application. Applications for the 2018 sessions of TIP's popular Summer Studies Program open January 22 for qualifying 8th-10th graders and March 21 for qualifying 7th graders.

Dr. Matt Makel, TIP's Director of Research, tells us about his new book, From Giftedness to Gifted Education, describing his research's impact on TIP's educational programs and diving into the benefits of ability grouping and academic acceleration.

Stuart Albright — decorated teacher, football coach, and author — opens up about his students' social media mindsets, the power of empathy in the classroom, and how creative writing can change lives. In his latest book, A World Beyond Home, Stuart delves into the struggles, transformations, and triumphs of two of his high school students.

It's back-to-school time! Tracy, Katy, and Michael sit down with Diana Lisle, former classroom teacher and current Elementary Programs Coordinator at Duke TIP, to talk about combatting perfectionism, emphasizing growth over achievement, and shopping for back-to-school accoutrements.

Dr. John Kane has been an instructor at Duke TIP's Summer Studies Program since 1987. Tracy sits down with him in this third episode of the Duke TIP Podcast. Among other things, John recalls his favorite TIP memory, compares his TIP courses to the college and graduate-level courses he teaches, and tells us just how many TIP t-shirts he's accumulated over the years. There's simply no better authority on what makes a Duke TIP classroom so special. Don't miss it!

On the second episode of The Duke TIP Podcast, Tracy and Katy talk with Skyla Woodard and her mom, April Bonds. Skyla is a very talented 10-year-old TIPster/actor/singer. This summer, she’ll be on an episode of the AMC television show “TURN: Washington’s Spies,” she’ll star as Mary Lennox in Raleigh Theatre’s production of The Secret Garden, and she’ll attend Duke TIP’s CRISIS program. April tells us all about raising an academically talented child as a single mom, Skyla describes her luxury trailer on the set of “TURN,” and Katy debriefs us on her t-shirt selling performance at TIP’s Grand Recognition Ceremony. Other topics of discussion: rambunctious puppies, digging for sand crabs, meditation, and being an "on-purpose" parent.

On our very first episode of The Duke TIP Podcast, Tracy and Katy talk with author John Claude Bemis about working with the parents of gifted students, finding age-appropriate reading for his 9-year-old daughter, and spurring creativity through travel. Tracy tells us about reading Jurassic Park at too young an age and poses a wedding-attire-etiquette dilemma to the group. Katy relives the Great Cake Pop Debacle of 2017 and mixes in some discussion on the evolution of surfboard engineering.