Joanne Foster, Ed.D. has worked in the field of Educational Psychology, and also Gifted Education, for over 35 years. She has a Master’s degree in Special Education and Adaptive Instruction, and a Doctoral degree in Human Development and Applied Psychology. She taught for many years in the teacher training program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, where she also served as the gifted liaison, and provided broad-based community support and targeted expertise relating to learning, teaching, and high-level development. She’s the award-winning author of eight books. Her writing reflects her extensive experience as a parent, teacher, consultant, university instructor, and community advocate.
Dr. Foster’s most recent book is Ignite your Ideas: Creativity for Kids (August, 2023). She co-authored (with Dona Matthews) the multiple award-winning Being Smart series , including the fully updated 3rd edition entitled Being Smart about Gifted Learning: Empowering Parents and Kids Through Challenge and Change. (Fall 2021).
Dr. Foster also wrote ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids: Hundreds of Ways to Inspire Your Child (2019 Award Finalist, American Best Books), Bust Your BUTS: Tips for Teens Who Procrastinate (recipient of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s 2018 Silver Benjamin Franklin Award for teen non-fiction), and Not Now, Maybe Later: Helping Children Overcome Procrastination (2015).
She is co-author (with Dona Matthews), of Beyond Intelligence: Secrets for Raising Happily Productive Kids (2014).
Dr. Foster’s articles are featured in numerous publications, including online in her column at The Creativity Post, for First Time Parent Magazine, and in issues of Best Version Media’s Neighbours Magazines across many regional areas.
She offers a Master Class on Igniting Your Child’s Creativity—and Why It’s Important in association with BabySparks, an online parenting platform that is used by millions of parents around the world. She is also listed on the Writers Directory for Parenting Media Association.
Dr. Foster gives keynote addresses, offers presentations on a wide range of topics, and shares information and insights on podcasts, in interviews, and in interactive forums. Throughout her writing, and in the course of her work with parents, teachers, and other professionals across North America and beyond, she provides leadership in areas of learning, children’s well-being, and optimal educational processes for supporting gifted/high-level development. Dr. Foster also provides lots of resource material, listed here, which is updated monthly.