Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Recommended tester? We live in Berkeley/SF

Hi! A while ago I posted looking for a tester who was familiar with bilingual gifted children (my daughter's first language is Spanish). I didn't get any responses, so I'm now trying to find a recommended tester near my area who other folks had a good experience with? Or maybe further away if highly recommended. It is still early-- my DD is 2.8 and I would be looking at Davidson if she's at that level. Whoever we find would have to be good with sensitive/intense kids who can be slow to warm up (like my DD and maybe understanding of the ESL thing? We were playing with magnets a few days ago and she, without prompting or my saying the word, started talking about polarity and showing it to me with the magnets (correctly). We're not sure where she got it from--we didn't teach her nor did her preschool (we checked). We hang around the Lawrence Hall of Science a lot, so she must have picked it up there. A digression, but she's startling sometimes.

Maybe look at http://parents.berkeley.edu/

We went to the Exploratorium just last year with DS15 and he loved it, although it is noisy. Perhaps they have quieter times for younger kids? If not maybe there is a 'toddler playgroup' that organizes out of there to meet other local gifted parents who will know the local lay of the land.

www.exploratorium.edu/

Back on task - did this link have any good suggestions?
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/psychologists.htm#uca

Also I would suggest you call Mika Gustavson,http://www.mika-mft.com/
I've met her in person and she is wonderful.

I don't know if she does testing herself, but if not she could let you know what's local.
Good luck and let me know how it's going, ok?
Grinity

Thanks for reaching out! I will check Mika out and yes, I have looked at Hoagies. I was hoping to hear from people who actually had experiences with some of the folks listed there or elsewhere, since it seems like the tester/testee "match" is important. It is just such a confusing process, and it's more complicated in my daughter's case since she's ESL originally (now a balanced bilingual Spanish/English)-- but she still likes to respond in whatever language she feels like! I just can't imagine what she would look like if tested and I suspect she's very bright. She's a poster child for the early giftedness identification signs, I've gotten a ton of feedback from her teachers, doctors, etc. that she's likely gifted and her oral language development was SUPER early and advanced. I will check out the Exploratorium, too! The Lawrence Hall of Science is our second home!

Thank you!

I don't think there are quieter hours at the Exploratorium. It's been dark and noisy for at least 30 years. Also, most displays are not at a height that a under 3 year old can reasonably explore, so it might be a place to remember in a year or two.

Is there a reason to look at testing now? I understand that the bilingual issue of responding in the convenient language dampens out significantly with age.

There's not a reason to test now, no. I'm just trying to get a handle on this, since parenting my DD has been kind of a surprise so far, and I'm so desperate that her schooling experience not be like mine. I should probably post on a looking for general support thread as well.

Hi - Since you're in the Berkeley area, I wanted to mention the bilingual school there. (http://www.ebinternacional.org/en/index.php/site/staff/17) I know the Head of School who is phenomenal and might be of help. We're bilingual French-English, and and we send our kids to a French-English school.

Good luck!

PS - Our tester is in SF - she is also bilingual so might be a good fit. We had our son tested a couple of years ago.
PATRICIA WEISS, Ph.D.
PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST
Preventive Psychiatry Associates, Medical Group Inc.
2105 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
phone (415) 292-7119 fax (415)749-2802

Hi! I hadn't checked the thread in a few days, just saw your post now! That's so funny about EBI-- my daughter will be starting there in the fall! I'm nervous about the transition. I'm glad that you've heard good things about the head. I'm wondering if being back in a Spanish immersion environment will tip our daughter back into Spanish dominance, thereby throwing off the tests more. Right now, she's balanced bilingual.

Is Patricia Weiss bilingual English/Spanish? What testing did you have her do, if I can ask? Is she familiar with gifted kids?

Lovely to find someone else in my area! Thanks for the reply.