I worry about women dumbing down. I worry about our societal satisfaction with the superficial. I harp on our happiness habits not because I don’t believe in happiness, but because I do believe we shouldn’t avoid tough questions that require attention, as we turn to band-aids over solutions.
As a parent and a taxpayer, I worry about the state of our schools and the emphasis on test taking rather than love of learning. Call me an idealist, but I would like to live in a nation of individuals who can think for themselves.
Yet perhaps I should worry less. Data shows we’re getting “smarter.”
And let’s not forget – many would say the Internet furnishes so much information that educational opportunities are available 24/7. At the very least quick answers are provided to those with access. But is that really cause for celebration?
IQ Testing
An opinion piece in the New York Times addresses issues of worldwide rising IQ scores, and public policy that ought to dig a little deeper.
As a measure of intelligence, IQ has been in the hot seat for years, and tarnished not only by cultural bias, but as “emotional” intelligence (EI) joined the party suggesting that IQ is insufficient. Other abilities can lead to success in life.
According to Nicholas Kristof in “It’s a Smart, Smart, Smart World,”
The average American IQ has been rising steadily by 3 points a decade. Spaniards gained 19 points over 28 years, and the Dutch 20 points over 30 years. Kenyan children gained nearly 1 point a year.
The article proceeds with a discussion of various viewpoints on what this rise in IQ might mean, and eventually comes around to issues of public policy concerning education. EQ is not mentioned.
Defining our Smarts
According to Dictionary.com, “smart” is defined as (summarized):
quick or prompt in action; having or showing quick intelligence; shrewd or sharp… dealing with others or as in business; clever, witty, or readily effective…
Wiki explains IQ and its usage, reflecting on the same “Flynn Effect” to which Mr. Kristof refers throughout his column. IQ is (summarized):
… a score derived from one of several standardized tests designed to assess intelligence…
IQ scores are used as predictors of educational achievement, special needs, job performance and income… The average IQ scores for many populations have been rising at an average rate of three points per decade since the early 20th century, a phenomenon called the Flynn effect.
So what might a “smarter” global population mean? What about a “smarter” nation? Would this lead to healthier populations? Greater innovation? Does intelligence matter if you’re living in poverty and your life is a daily battle for survival?
EQ Definition
For the sake of discussion, Wiki defines Emotional Intelligence as:
… the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups. Various models and definitions have been proposed… Ability EI… has stronger relationships with traditional intelligence, whereas trait EI… has stronger relationships with personality.
In our success-driven society, don’t we laud and applaud those who make money? How many of these individuals are capitalizing on personal magnetism and other traits that fall into the EQ category more than IQ?
To what extent should we put store in the nuances of IQ at all?
The difference between 70 and 130?
Sure. But 125 and 130? Or 100 and 105?
More importantly, if we value intelligence – emotional or otherwise – even if we’re getting smarter, if we’re not enhancing opportunities to use those smarts – so what?
Getting Smarter About Questions… and Answers
Despite the data on rising IQ, Mr. Kristof points out:
None of this means that people today are born smarter. While I.Q. measures something to do with mental acuity, it’s a rubbery and imperfect metric.
He continues by providing perspective relative to early childhood education, and programs like Head Start.
Indirectly, Mr. Kristof highlights the fact that our educational systems reflect our national values, as he goes on to recommend both foreign aid and domestic programs that focus on education. He refers to “human potential,” and addressing the early learning needs of children currently being neglected.
I find these statistics especially compelling:
… Some 61 million children around the world still don’t attend even primary school,…
The even greater challenge… at home at a time when funding for schools is being slashed, about 7,000 high school students drop out every day, and there are long waits to get into early-childhood-enrichment programs like Head Start… a single F-35 fighter could pay for more than four years of the Reading Is Fundamental program in the entire United States.
Putting Children First
If we cared more about early childhood education, what might the impacts be on the eventual high school drop out rate? The crime rate? Our national health care costs? Our productivity as a nation? And possibly – our “happiness” quotient after all?
Should we be spending more time concerned with conditions in which families and children struggle, and consequently doing a better job in the later years when school systems could foster curiosity, creativity, not to mention basic skills like literacy?
Wouldn’t you trade a single F-35 fighter jet for four years of Reading is Fundamental – for every child in the United States?
If we funded learning programs for the critical first years, wouldn’t that be smart?
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Oh my, yes. If I look deep enough into ANY problem, I can trace its roots back to education…or lack thereof. And I think it goes far beyond early childhood. Education needs to improve at every level.
Woo-hoo! I going to get a hundred percent… (pregnant pause) … Wait. You mean one hundred doesn’t mean a hundred percent? … It means… *slaps forehead and does a Homer Simpson* D’oh! I.Q. stands for “I Quit”.
I’m reading. Wait. Do I know how? *looks at you sternly*
Hey, I’m not illiterate. I’ll have you know my parents were married! wb 🙂
Standardized testing is problematic, if you ask me, but our system is so dependent upon it that I don’t see it going away. I think it is good intentions gone awry. A program of testing meant to help evaluate students has negatively shaped curriculum to meet the tests. Teachers and schools are evaluated on how well their students measure up against other schools across the nation based on the standardized tests. As the educational system fails students, states have started adopting changes to the standards based on racial IQ scores. Are you kidding? Dumbing down expectations for entire groups of students is demoralizing and dehumanizing.
Early childhood education? Yes. It is invaluable and ever so important. If we don’t reach our children when they are young, it will be too late by the time they are old enough to legally drop out.
Demoralizing and dehumanizing. I agree, Robin.
What timing! I just finished an article in our local paper sharing the depressing results of last night’s school board meeting. Because our school district’s renewal levy failed to pass in November, the board had to make $250K in budget cuts mid-year. (They’ll make another $2.5M by the fall.) On the chopping block: Chinese language, arts, music, gym, sports, library – and a cut to all specials for the lower elementary grades. A focus on test prep will, naturally, remain. I guess the voters and the board haven’t read Kristof’s work, nor kept up on the research that points to a well-rounded early education being central to productive adults.
Harrumph. 😉
Another $2.5M, Kristen? To reduce taxes or channel that money elsewhere – as if there’s something more important than the education… um, unless we’re talking healthcare?
I have taught high school for 13.5 years. The majority of my students begin at PreK-4. The problems I see with teens which began maybe five years ago is the dependency on technology has killed their desire to read. They would rather stay up late into the night texting and tweeting rather than read a book for school or enjoyment. It is concerning to me how they will accept anything online as truth and not desire to research it. I have seen them rapidly become lazy and non-academic. My students have had the best educational facilities available to them since early chlldhood. They are intelligent and attend top colleges…but they have lost their hunger and thirst to learn and work. The younger generation is rapidly becoming lazier academically and hold a low work ethic. They want it given to them rather than work for it. All of the teachers I work with are concerned about the trends we see in our students and it has little to do with how much education they received. This is a very complex issue on many levels. You are doing a good work to get these discussions going.
You’re in the trenches, Pam. And you’ve raised so many issues – losing the love of reading, losing the love of learning, work ethic.
Technology has such power to connect and inform and yes, educate – but how do we stem the tide of the other bad habits it can encourage, and how much is the unwinding effect (or even a dopamine spike?) that comes from an online “jolt” to be mitigated by parents or others?
I agree with what Pam says about screens. Every day I feel them making me dumber and dumber. The problem is we’ve reached our capacity to take in information. Beyond that it’s all stress.
Yes, I agree, Wolf.
I spent the past 6 hours “unconnected” – with some folks 70+ and 80+ and had the BEST time… No cell phones, no laptops, no tablets… just people and conversation and food and coffee and even some dancing.
I now feel smarter…
I totally agree with Wolfie and Pam. I guess Tiger Moms have proved something. Their approach since very early child’s age turned to be productive. Chinese students strive and persevere and beat all the scores. They are taught to learn, to work, to earn. And emotionally they seem to be more attached and connected to their families than rather spoiled and academically lazy kids. The motherly love projects differently, based on background, upbringing, traditions.
I’m not sure if it’s the screens or the pressure on teachers to “teach to the test” and not be able to really engage students in an authentic manner. When I taught high school, I just wanted to show up to work, close my door, and teach my kids…and all of the administrative bullshit made that impossible.