This is Kodi, and he wrote our second and last entry on chapter 6. "The picture I sent is me with my dog Joey," he wrote. "I was in my backyard and I was probably 6, maybe 7 -- I can't remember -- but he was one of my favorite dogs, and I loved playing with him everyday." I think you'll enjoy reading Kodi's thoughts about IQ.
The authors in the beginning of this chapter talk about a fictional town called Lake Wobegon, Minnesota where “all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average” (p.126). Like the author and many others this sounded like a great place to me, but we get fixated on trying to make our children geniuses. Parents have tried different ways to fabricate or increase their child's IQ. I was shocked to hear about the mother who faked her child's IQ to be 298+, and later the child became suicidal and was put into foster care. There are also supplements and formulas that you can buy to increase your child's IQ so that they will become a “genius.” All of this reminded me of the old method of a mother listening to Mozart while she's pregnant to increase IQ. All of this brought up questions: Do these parents even know what intelligence is? What are the effects of focusing so much on this test score? Does IQ even matter?
What is intelligence? Is it a high test score? Is it the ability to memorize ABC's and your 123's at an early age? The authors of the book gave the commonly accepted definition as “The ability to learn or cope with new situations and challenges or to think abstractly” (p.127). Looking at this definition and what the IQ test really measures, these are completely different intelligences that we’re talking about. The IQ test seems to be how much you can memorize or remember, such as vocabulary. Don't get me wrong, memorization is not the easiest thing for everybody. If I can memorize a 2500 word speech in a week’s time, this doesn't necessarily make me a genius; it means I have a good memory. These parents who use flash cards so the child can memorize words do not help them think abstractly or use their coping abilities.
The effects of focusing too much on IQ are that we start to focus more on test scores and the child's creativity and enthusiasm about learning decrease. Shakespeare said, “How my achievements mock me!” and this is what I feel many parents will be saying about their children when they are focusing too much on a test score. Yes their child will achieve high test scores and that will be a great achievement, but what does that really do for them? We need to look at the reality of what the children are losing by this and what we are taking away from them.
IQ doesn't mean a thing to your child's intelligence. Everything that we want our children to learn at early ages they will learn through life and at the proper stage. A 6 month old child does not need to know 100 different vocabulary words. A child's vocabulary, as the authors point out, will increase with everyday talk. In this time we are a very technological society so even babies have touch screen toys and little computers to play with and help them learn. A child learns about the world through tangible objects, not a touch screen. A child cannot learn physics by dropping blocks in a game screen. They need to hold the block in their hands and throw and drop them.
In conclusion, this chapter showed me how pointless the IQ test really is. Parents need to stop worrying about being “above average” on test scores and just let the child be exactly that, a child. Many great minds such as Piaget believed in a stage approach. When I read about all of these IQ “enhancers” it seems like companies are telling you that your child can skip stages. This is impossible. Stages cannot be skipped and we need to stop trying to change the natural course of things. The natural, original way of raising our children is the best way. Our intelligence is not what a piece of paper says, and the number of words, numbers, signs, etc. you can remember does not determine who or what you can be in life.
And I think that part of the irony here is that, in our efforts to make children geniuses through things like computer software for infants, we're cheating them of the REAL play opportunities that will foster their intelligence in meaningful ways. We need to do things for children that are develpmentally appropriate, and lapware?...isn't.
ReplyDeleteI also think that the school system worries too much about test scores that measure a child’s intelligence of school subjects. IQ tests and standardized tests do not take into account the variety of intelligence. The fact that schools and parents are so focused on a child’s score on a test truly bothers me. I feel that people need to look at a child and see that their intelligence is a complex thing that encompasses many different types of intelligences. It is crucial to take into account the entire child and their influences to fully understand the best way to challenge their cognitive development.
ReplyDeleteKylie Riddle
I really like your picture Kodi, it is very cute. I agree with your perception on this topic. Everything that a child needs to learn, will be taught through real life experiences. My baby can read videos or spelling and comprehension tests are not giving the children the opportunity to explore and learn from their mistakes. In my opinion I feel that IQ tests put children into a box, restricts their abstract thinking, and in some forms creates low self esteem. When I think of childhood, I think of play. I think of dolls, cars, bicycles, paint, and so forth. Erikson and Vygotsky both agreed that play helps a child with connectivity to the world. Our world is technologically advanced, yes, but our children are not. Our children can not be programmed like a computer to where you can exit out a window. So yes Kodi, I agree that stages of development can not be skipped or replaced. Good Stuff!
ReplyDelete~Monique
I totally agree with you Kodi, the best way to raise our children is the natural, traditional way without all of these technological enhancements. Parents need to understand that you can’t rush your child’s learning; pushing them will only discourage them more. I remember my friend’s mom use to put on a movement video for her little brother every time we got in the car. This video was made to stimulate the three year old mind, to help increase his intelligence level. Looking back I recall wondering if this type of learning would really help a child become more intelligent later on in life. Now I understand that this method really doesn’t help.
ReplyDelete-Kasandra Martinson
Children’s IQ should not mean anything to parents. I am starting to despise modern day toys because they are taking the parenting factor out of learning. I actually started my Christmas shopping and I was overwhelmed with all of the laptop type of games that they have for children today. Children are not getting the attention that they need from their parents anymore. Children are only interacting with talking machines. I also really liked how the authors of this book went into detail about IQ tests not readily capturing the child’s ability to learn and cope with new situations. I was amazed when I discovered the IQ testing has been done on babies and toddlers.
ReplyDelete-Ally Loucks-
I completely agree that a child’s IQ has no impact on their intelligence. Parents want their children to be the smartest and brightest and because of this we are seeing parents trying to increase their children’s chances of a higher IQ. I believe that children have their own pace when it comes to learning. I don’t want to see a parent focusing on their child’s IQ when there are more important things. Parents need to understand that a child will learn best through social interaction with others (especially with their parents), exploration, and play.
ReplyDelete-Hnou Moua
I really like your entry. It is very interesting. I agree with your ideas on this issue. I believe that most parents want to have a perfect child. Also, I believe that it is important to mention than in order to be perfect, it is not necessary to be a brilliant kid and master all the intellectual subjects by having a great IQ. I was also shocked to read that a mother changed her son’s IQ, and later he was put into foster care. That it is a sad thing. That also made me thinks about the stress that children are suffering because of the adult’s ideology. One example is that now, preschool kids are required to pass a test in order to be accepted, when it is time for them to play and do other activities that will help them to learn by themselves.
ReplyDelete-Susana Magana-
I agree with Kodi’s opinion on parents focusing too much on their children’s intelligence. Parents need to understand that children will increase their intelligence over time and not at a certain age. Children learn at different levels, so putting pressure on them will not matter.
ReplyDeleteAnother aspect that was mentioned in the book that is relevant, is the relationship between the school system and children’s IQ. I cannot disagree that IQ is great to define children’s school performance. However, what irritates me is when they relate academic failing to children’s IQ. Many schools believe that the reason for children’s failing is they’re not being intelligent. Yet, they ignore that one of the primary factors that contributes to children failing is their environment or home. For instance, the book mentions that part of the reason behind children failing was not being motivated enough at home. I strongly believe that the environment plays an important role in children development. Therefore, it is my belief that the school system should not only look at children’s grades and intelligence; they should focus more on the reason for their failing.
Belinda Gutierrez Ornelas