The Thinking Center_The TRIPOD Assessment

What is the TRIPOD at The Thinking Center?

The alternative assessment process at The Thinking Center involves a team of professional educators, psychologists, pediatricians and other learning specialist clinicians. There are five different assessments to choose from to help best meet the needs of your child and family. Assessments are followed by consultations with each family. The consultation provides language to help families understand exactly what are the student's strengths and weaknesses.

WHAT IS THE TRIPOD ASSESSMENT?

The TRIPOD Assessment is a process that helps provide a balanced roadmap to your child’s learning;. balance giving focus and focus gives clarity. The clarity you gain from this assessment will provide understanding about your child’s strengths and weaknesses regarding his/her learning and what you and a team can do about those struggles. The TRIPOD is a Whole Child Interactive Assessment.

Our assessment process helps create a student’s learning profile as it relates to specific academic, cognitive, emotional and neurodevelopmental functions. The assessment focuses on attention, neuromotor skills, memory, language, higher order thinking, social thinking, sequencing, spatial ordering, visual processing, emotional, pediatric health and physical functioning, executive functioning and adaptive skills. By understanding a student’s profile, it is easier to understand the student’s struggles in the classroom and create a road map.

Who can benefit from a TRIPOD?

Children with low to high academic, cognitive, developmental language and emotional functioning will benefit from specialized assessments related to their needs.

Children who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, Mood Disorders, Dyslexia, Autism, Asperger’s, PDD, OCD, Learning Disabilities and other behavioral and/or emotional complexities.

Families who find themselves grappling with questions about their child’s performances in school will find the Interactive Assessment to be a roadmap to make better choices and to understand a child’s strengths and challenges.

How might this assessment differ from other testing my child may have had?

A neurodevelopmental assessment involves a team approach. Different clinicians meet with your family to provide insight to their learning strengths and challenges. The child and the clinician have time to interact through an interactive and innovative multi-disciplinary approach. The assessment includes standard testing as well as clinical interaction and most students enjoy this type of experience.

What will our days be like? How long does it take?

The first day begins at 8:30 a.m. Your child interacts with various clinicians approximately 1-2 hours. Families meet with the Clinical Coordinator to begin the process of interviewing and understanding the child form the parent’s view. Following the morning assessment your specific team conferences while you go to lunch from 12:15-2:00. You return at 2:15 to complete any assessments, education or interviews.

The second day is between 2-6 hours and it includes counseling, demystification, program planning, specific intervention programs, specific recommendations for home and school and any further recommended assessments. Two- four weeks later you will participate in an additional follow up with complete report and a 4 hours of support and implementation via phone, e-mail, or teleconferencing.

Should my child take prescribed medication? What if we have medical concerns?

Please move through your day as you would if your child was attending school. If your child typically takes medication on school days, he/she should do so for this assessment, in order to evaluate representative performance. Your medical concerns and questions as they relate to learning will be addressed with the Pediatrician. If your child wears glasses, make sure you pack them!

Is this type of evaluation appropriate for all children?

Our center focuses on learning problems within a general or ESE classroom. Our assessment model is suitable for children who are falling through the gaps and children with more severe needs as well. The TRIPOD does address significant emotional, behavioral and educational needs. We have a full staff of behavioral/developmental pediatricians, neurodevelopmental psychologists, social workers, learning specialists, art therapists, play therapists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, nutritional, sleep and exercise specialists and developmental nurse specialists.