How to assess intelligence?

Many experts in the field of education believe that people have multiple intelligences, or essentially they have strengths and weaknesses in different areas of their knowledge and abilities. According to Howard Gardner, there are nine different types of intelligences: language, math, music, spatial, body movement, social, self-understanding, nature, and existential. According to his theory, people have some ability in all nine intelligences, but are usually stronger or weaker in some areas. Understanding Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences can help educators understand a child's learning style better and adjust teaching strategies accordingly (Berger, 2012). I believe people are all smart in different ways, just like Howard Gardner explains with his theory on multiple intelligences. It is difficult for a test to measure a child's intelligence, when that intelligence is so complex.

Since 2002, with the creation of George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind Act" standardized testing in the United States has increased drastically. The law first required each state to test students on a yearly basis. Now students are tested in multiple subjects at different times throughout their formal education, and some of the tests are beginning to have very high consequences, such as a high school student not receiving a diploma or closing down schools that aren't testing high enough (standardizedtestsprocon.org). I believe that the standardized testing required by states is too expensive and too time-consuming. It takes away from other important subjects and areas of development. It creates a lot of pressure on teachers and students to do well on the test and many students experience test anxiety or just aren't good test-takers. The best way to test a child's knowledge and abilities is to let the child's individual learning style determine how he/she should be "tested."  "According to late education researcher Gerald W. Bracey, PhD, qualities that standardized tests cannot measure include 'creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline. leadership, civic-mindedness, courage, compassion, resourcefulness, sense of beauty, sense of wonder, honesty, integrity'"(standardizedtestsprocon.org). If I were to hire someone for a job, I would want to know about the things that Gerald W. Bracey describes, not how high the person scored on a math or reading test. Measuring the individual progress of a child is important so that we know if the child is learning and we can provide supports when necessary, but a standardized test is not the answer.

When thinking of testing, the first country that comes to mind is China because we have compared ourselves over the years to China by using test scores of the students in China, linking this information to "quality of education." When researching the topic, I found it surprising that The Chinese Ministry of Education is working to reduce the use of standardized testing in their schools. The reform prohibits testing in the early grades and creates more limits on testing for 4th grade and up. Furthermore the test scores are not allowed to be used for a quality rating of the school. Although they are working to change education policies it will take time for the changes to occur. The public overall is in support of the reform, but many may not believe that it will change things. "After all, many similar policies had been issued before with very little effect because ultimately students still have to compete for college admissions with test scores in Gaokao or college admissions test. More importantly, test scores have been so deeply rooted as the measure of educational quality and have been used to make significant decisions in education that it is impossible for parents, teachers, schools, and government officials to accept other measures" (Strauss, 2013).

References:
Berger, K.S. (2012). The developing person through childhood (6^th ed.). New York, NY: Worth 
          Publishers

ProCon.org. (2013) Standardized Tests: Is the use of standardized tests improving education in America? Retrieved from http://standardizedtests.procon.org/?print=true

Strauss, V. (2013, Oct.). China's 10 new and surprising school reform rules. Washington Post. Retrieved from www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/30/chinas-10-new-school-reform-rules-reduce-standardized-testing-homework/