Posted by special_k on March 23, 2006, at 4:23:33
In reply to Re: Subject close to my heart, posted by special_k on March 23, 2006, at 4:04:41
the test doesn't mean so much as what people choose to interpret because of it.
did you need a test to believe in his ability?
what difference does the test make?
how would you feel differently if he had scored below average?
aka... what difference does the test make?
studies have been done on how teachers treat classes very differently depending on whether they have been told they are 'smart' or 'stupid'. people perform differently depending on whether people believe in them or not.
there may seem to be no harm when people do well (like your son)
but having faith in it when it tells you something you want to believe...
is to preserve the status quo...
and there is one half the population who come up below average...
is the harm...
counterbalanced by the good?
i don't think so...
but typically the people who design these things score well...
hence there is some motivation to convince others...sigh.
and do we really want to know how much money has gone into this process...
while poor children have trouble getting enough to eat and getting access to a reasonable education...
poster:special_k
thread:622738
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20060322/msgs/623576.html