| Most parents and children get nervous when the | | | | measure intelligence in some way. People with |
| word ‘test’ is mentioned. While tests | | | | high IQs are not necessarily the academic types. |
| may be useful in some ways to measure how | | | | They may or may not have a degree and they |
| well or not, a child is doing, it does have its | | | | are found in all walks of life, including but certainly |
| drawbacks. Too much emphasis on test results | | | | not only, academia. |
| can place an artificial age barrier on children’s | | | | |
| individual abilities. | | | | There is certainly more than one kind of |
| | | | | intelligence. In the 20th century, the research of |
| The idea that a child’s ability to learn is age | | | | Professor Howard Gardner, at the Harvard |
| dependent is a relatively new one in human | | | | Graduate School of Education questioned the |
| history. If, for instance, we go back to the | | | | established idea that intelligence came in just one |
| Middle Ages we see that age and ability were | | | | form that could be measured in an IQ test and |
| thought of differently at that time. Elizabeth I, | | | | that was that. Gardner’s theory of Multiple |
| one of the most famous and successful queens in | | | | Intelligences suggests that there may be at least |
| European history was an accomplished philosopher, | | | | seven different kinds of intelligences in humans, |
| historian, politician, and multi-lingual before her | | | | ranging from mathematical/logical to kinaesthetic |
| teens. There is absolutely nothing in research to | | | | (finely-tuned motor control and co-ordination). |
| say that children are not s capable today. | | | | For example, a successful footballer might have |
| | | | | kinaesthetic intelligence. A successful |
| Who then is best placed to say what a child is or | | | | entrepreneur might have mathematical/logical |
| is not capable of understanding or learning at any | | | | intelligence. You may know or be aware of |
| given age – us, armed with a bunch of | | | | someone who is a successful entrepreneur and |
| education statistics, or them? Any parent who | | | | footballer all at the same time. In which case, |
| has spent hours trying to sort out how the video | | | | they would have to have both kinaesthetic as well |
| recorder works only to have their five-year fix | | | | as mathematical/logical intelligence. |
| it for them in under 10 seconds, knows exactly | | | | |
| what I mean. A child does not know that | | | | Whatever kind of intelligence your child may be |
| something is too complex for them until we tell | | | | gifted in, it is always a good idea to start as soon |
| them that it is. If we pre-condition them into | | | | as possible to train his young brain. There are |
| thinking their abilities are somehow determined by | | | | home-based training programs available to help |
| their age, then we are putting the brakes on | | | | busy parents take just minutes a day to bring out |
| them before they even got started. We are | | | | the best in their children. The effects of which |
| presuming that we know the limits of what they | | | | are cumulative and the benefits will last a |
| are capable of, and when they will be able to | | | | lifetime. You can teach your child to read or |
| achieve it. Well-meaning or not, in a more | | | | learn math from as little as 2 months old (yes, |
| scientific way this is exactly what ability tests | | | | your baby can read). Early child education is now |
| do. If they were not based on preset | | | | more popular than ever and is gaining worldwide |
| expectations and markers on ability, what is | | | | recognition. The earlier your child starts learning, |
| considered simple or complex, they would not | | | | the better will be the effects of such early |
| function as tests at all. | | | | childhood development program, like learning math |
| | | | | or reading A child genius may be born, but who |
| One of the things to note is that IQ does not | | | | is to say you cannot develop your own child to |
| equate ability. The specific role of IQ tests is to | | | | be a genius? |