Lesson 14: Aptitude for School: Intelligence and Exceptionality


Attention

Some people have a "gift" for going to school. IQ is highly correlated with doing well in school, but what other skills and/or experiences contribute to success in school?

Click HERE to view a website about an ONLINE school called Khan Academy...seems very interesting.


Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Identify the relationship between IQ and scholastic ability
  • Identify how previous scholastic experiences impact self-efficacy

Teaching

Intelligence

We won't go too deeply into intelligence theory here, but understand that the first IQ tests were developed to differentiate those who could benefit from special education from those who do not need it.

Intelligence testing is purposeful and must be understood in light of what the test is actually trying to show. Aptitude testing shows what you are good at (school, math, reading, jumping, etc.). These should not be seen as tests that measure the entirety of the personality. Thus, individuals with low aptitude are still "smart" in other ways.

Scholastic Ability

Now that schools are involved, we become interested in what kids are good at and what they are not good at. Some are so good or so "not good" at certain things that we have names such as "gifted and talented", "disabled", and/or "retardation".

Just like Intelligence, these are domain specific. Because someone is "not good" at one thing does not mean that they are not good at other things.

Subject matter related to Scholastic Ability include the following:

  • Giftedness
  • Creativity
  • Mental Retardation
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Academic Skills (reading, writing, math)
  • Effective teaching and effective schools

KVCC and Scholastic Ability

Being a college teacher I think often about the approach to scholastic ability that is a part of the KVCC community and culture. As a "Community College" KVCC has a mission to assist students who wish to excel at college level work and to be more "open" to working with a variety of people with a diversity of academic ability.

This gives us a very rich culture at KVCC. We have students that are good at many things, and many students are also good at "school type" work...others may need assistance with learning how to be good students.

We might even have a number of students who really struggled with school before, either due to a "learning disability" or due to poor teaching, poor curriculums, or low motivation or role-modeling for schoolastic behavior.

Although all colleges have a diversity of students, we specialize in it!

While we are trying to keep the college open to a diversity of learners we are also mandated to keep our classes at the "college level". The courses are SUPPOSED to be hard! While it might seem like we are making things unnecessarily difficult, your faculty are actually providing you with the opportunity to learn, grow, and expand your abilities.

KVCC's small class sizes, faculty dedication to teaching, and special services, make it a great place to go to school regardless of your ability.


Assessment

Lesson 14 Discussion

Self-efficacy is the degree to which we have confidence about doing something. It is RELATED to self-esteem, but very different. Share stories of your early school experiences (good and/or bad) that have impacted your confidence (self-efficacy) for school now as an adult.