speed in comprehension

I hate to admit it. I feel like I’m hiding something. But I think I believe in IQ tests. They can tell you so much about a student.

And I fight myself about it. “It’s just a number!” I swear it’s only a number.

But you stand in front of them and keep repeating the same thing over and over while the same people don’t get it. The system had ME brainwashed and looking at old reports from cranky PHDs on my planning day. But I could’ve told you the 130s from 100s before I even looked.

I wish it wasn’t this way. But that fucking number seems to correlate well with success in school. Maybe it doesn’t mean you can’t write a Hollywood blockbuster or you won’t be amazingly rich or successful or happy. It doesn’t automatically slam the door in your face…but that number seems to mean a great deal in how quickly you understand something. Prove me wrong world.

I’m glad I waited until the year was more than half-way finished to check some scores. But I think teachers have the right to that sort of info…I’d never tell the little buggers the score or even make oblique references to it. But there’s always the fear I’m going to treat them differently knowing some are nearer to genius than others.

Of course a test can’t measure how curious about the world one is. You can play the game with a high IQ and never learn a fucking thing. You can take all the test preps and, there goes another phony!

BUT I have a little surprise for the thinkers in my classes tomorrow. In an effort to eliminate all those pesky books in the bookroom they are THROWING THEM ALL OUT TOMORROW. For some reason schools that have books sitting for 40 years get this “deadline” and then tell the teachers at the last minute in a rush to get the “good books.” Basically I discovered wonderful, wonderful philosophy books which were NEVER USED! I am writing nice messages in them and going to give them out tomorrow.

This might be the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life! I’m so happy with myself for distributing books that were going to be destroyed! I’ve found my calling!!!