Submitted by noteveryonesgifted, Mar 12, 2008 08:38

"'The basic reasoning skills they're asking for are way beyond most children,' said Ms. Lilienthal..."
That's the idea. Gifted children will do fine on these tests. However, not all children are gifted. If your kid scores at or below the average on an IQ test, by the accepted academic definition, he isn't gifted. Now, I'm sure he's smart and great and whatever. In fact, he could be a star athlete or artist or something someday, but he's not gifted. His brain works at the same level as everyone else's. That's nothing to be upset about.
Now, if your child is gifted, being identified early can help put him into a program better suited for his learning. This makes such tests worthwhile for kids who have shown signs of giftedness. That is, kids who pick things up on their own without outside coaching, who likes talking with adults about ideas, and who are extremely concerned with justice.
There are differences between bright kids, high achievers, and gifted kids. This test identifies the gifted ones. If you, even with your degree, can't answer the questions, that doesn't mean there doesn't exist a child who can. That child's IQ will probably be higher than yours. After all, a college degree isn't an indication of a high IQ.
I don't think all children should take this test. For the average thinker, it won't achieve anything. But for the kid who seems really to be ahead of the rest in the way he thinks, this test isn't a bad idea.

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