Services

Assessment

Great Minds of New Mexico offers educational, psychological, and school neuropsychological evaluations for individuals aged 5 to 25. The assessments aim to better understand how a child learns, behaves, and/or feels about him/herself. While the prospect of testing may be anxiety provoking for parents and children initially, at Great Minds of New Mexico, it can be a fun and informative way to learn about your child. Everyone has areas of strengths and weaknesses (e.g., better at swimming than running or better at talking than writing) and learning what those differences are can help parents and educators better match their efforts to their child’s needs. The more closely parenting and teaching styles are matched to a child’s style, the more the child will learn and the less stress for all!

Each evaluation is customized to meet the needs of your family.

Here are some examples of questions that could be answered through the evaluation process at Great Minds of New Mexico:

Why is my smart son struggling in reading?
Is my child an “absent minded professor” or does she have difficulties with attention?
My son is having a hard time making friends and is getting into fights at school despite receiving help to support him. Are we missing something?
My daughter seems more disorganized and can’t keep up with her classmates this year. We are all frustrated. Can you help us understand why she is struggling?
Should my child receive accommodations during standardized testing (e.g., more time, use assistive technology, etc.)?
My daughter just does not seem to understand more advanced mathematics. Could she have a learning disability in math?
On tests, my son only answers a few math questions but the teacher says he seems to understand the concepts during lessons. Does my son have some test anxiety or is he not remembering the math lessons?
My daughter was sick the day her school tested her for gifted and she did not qualify. Could she be re-tested privately to see if she qualifies?

What does an evaluation consist of?

After a free consultation where you will speak directly with Dr. Gutow, you will schedule the following meetings:

Intake meeting:
During this one-hour meeting, Dr. Gutow and the primary caretaker(s) will discuss all relevant background information, clarify the area of primary concern, and determine the assessment plan.
Testing sessions:
Formal testing consists of completing familiar tasks such as putting puzzles together and reading sentences, and an interview with your child about his/her perceived strengths and difficulties. Some tasks will be easy while others will be challenging for your child. However, most children report that they enjoy the testing process. The specific tests used and the time needed to conduct the testing will vary based on your question and other factors such as your child’s age. In general, cognitive functioning (e.g. problem solving, memory, attention, focus), academic achievement, and/or social-emotional functioning are assessed over two-to-three testing sessions ranging from one to three hours in length.
Feedback meeting:
In approximately three weeks, a feedback meeting is held to discuss the results of the evaluation and to discuss the recommendations developed. A final report is given to the caregiver(s) that details the results and all relevant recommendations. Families often find it helpful to share the report with their child’s school, pediatrician, and other service providers (e.g., counselor or occupational therapist). If a family is interested, Dr. Gutow is often able to attend school-based meetings to discuss the results and recommendations which can greatly help the school team in developing a plan for meeting your child’s needs.

Dr. Gutow conducts all parts of each assessment personally.

Consultation

Dr. Gutow also offers consultation for individuals and families who need to access resources in educational settings or who may need guidance when considering schooling options. The process of requesting accommodations can be complicated, and many families find that an experienced, objective viewpoint can be very helpful.

Consultation services are individualized but can include office meetings, document review, classroom observations, or attendance at IEP/school meetings. Please note that Dr. Gutow will not recommend specific schools or colleges to consider but will discuss the types of educational settings that might be good matches for you and your child. Contact Dr. Gutow directly to discuss your specific needs.

Dr. Gutow also offers consultation services to schools and non-profit organizations that may need support when modifying academic materials or developing appropriate behavioral or social-emotional programs. Dr. Gutow collaborates with stakeholders to design and implement research-based programs for non-profit organizations and schools.

Program Evaluation

Great Minds of New Mexico can help schools and non-profit organizations systematically collect and analyze data related to program effectiveness and efficiency. Dr. Gutow has over twenty years of experience developing and evaluating both educational and social service programs. Contact Dr. Gutow today to learn more!

Services

Assessment

What does an evaluation consist of?

Consultation

Program Evaluation

Contact Dr. Gutow

About Dr. Gutow