"What we measure is not truth, it is merely what we measure. We measure only what we value and are in danger when what we value is measurement itself." Artful Work
Despite the imperfections, current tests of intelligence, creativity, and academic progress can serve to assist professionals and educators in developing academic success plans that are specific and individualized.
Intellectual assessments are generally given to determine a current measure of intellectual capacity. There is much debate among professionals as to whether this capacity is fluid and can be developed or whether it is determined for life at a certain age. Our
professionals at Bay Centre proceed from the fundamental belief that what we measure is a current reflection of many factors, some of which can and should be developed. We are passionate in our belief that each and every child has the right to be
evaluated, initially, to establish an intellectual baseline and then throughout their academic life so that progress can be measured and gaps minimized. This should, of course, be compared to their academic performance, as well, to ensure that progress can be verified against state and national norms for their chronological age.
Children who have been determined to fall within the gifted range of intelligence are generally recommended for gifted services within the school district they attend. It should be noted that intellectual ability is only one criteria considered for the gifted program. Other measures of gifted achievement can include specific academic aptitude, creative or productive thinking, leadership ability, visual or performing arts, and psychomotor ability. IQ is a composite of several different aspects of "intelligence." It is possible for a child to be gifted in one area and not another. It is also quite common to have a gifted child who displays a disability in one or more areas.
We believe that a key to supporting our children is to find out what we are working with and then to design a specific and
targeted plan to promote academic and life success. It is sad, but true, that we generally know more about how our cars work than how our children's neurology works: their processing ability, learning preference,
learning style, etc. These things can be measured and plans created to truly help our children be the best student and person that they can be.
