Thoughts on high IQs

[Woodland Mist Academy]

 

Thinking about this some more, I'm not so sure. I think I am working more with Learning Disabilities. The kids I work with are trying to stay in the main stream, so when they work with me, I'm creating a separate program that runs concurrently with their school class. This means that they are doing 2 years math in 1 year, or even 3 years in 1. There is no way that a slow kid could accelerate like this. Typically for these kids, one or two intellectual skills are missing that I have to find a way around, which is why thinking in terms of subtests is so effective. Many people who have their kids take an IQ test find the subtests scores the most important rather than the global number because they explain why somethings are easy and some are not. This is what I found with my older boy that I posted about upstream.

 

So these kids come to me thinking they are just stupid, but I help them to understand that they just have a single deficiency that is causing the problem. And sure they pulled the short straw, but we can fix it.

If that's the case, I wouldn't view it as an IQ issue at all (as in needing more IQ). But that's just me. I don't view the world through that lens.

[Arcadia]

If that's the case, I wouldn't view it as an IQ issue at all. But that's just me. I don't view the world through that lens.

It does impact the FSIQ which might be why Ruth mentioned upthread that it would be nice if the kids have a few more IQ points.

The GAI would be less affected.

 

I do think of it as a LD issue though.

 

ETA:

The first group screening test hubby and I sat for was in end of 6th grade and timed. Hubby didn't finish while I had time to spare. We are the same birth year. So people who need more time to process is less likely to get into the gifted programme. He was also less exposed to logic questions so there was a slight social economic bias in the logic section of the screening test used.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

It does impact the FSIQ which might be why Ruth mentioned upthread that it would be nice if the kids have a few more IQ points.

The GAI would be less affected.

 

I do think of it as a LD issue though.

I would view it as a learning disability too. If they can do 2 or 3 streams of math with some tutoring to correct one or two issues, I honestly wouldn't lament IQ. Again, that's just me.

 

Eta: After further thought, I might not even call what she is describing a learning disability. I might be inclined to think of it as dealing with some glitches in learning. After reading through the posts again, I must confess to being completely unclear on exactly how much the students are struggling.

[lewelma]

 

ETA:

Which IQ subtest correlates with math? So far the "bad" math kids that I tutored for free has confidence issues rather than skills issues. Most can improve fast with just more drill and some encouragement. Comically more guys than girls and I only do it as favor to friends.

 

working memory

processing speed

spatial awareness

verbal comprehension

 

But there are a lot of other bits within intelligence/brain function that can help diagnose the underlying problem

dyslexia

dyscalculia

ADD

 

I think I'm starting to derail my own thread.  But it has been a nice detour....

[lewelma]

I would view it as a learning disability too. If they can do 2 or 3 streams of math with some tutoring to correct one or two issues, I honestly wouldn't lament IQ. Again, that's just me.

 

Sorry, I've got too many kids. I think I am talking about some generic kid that does not really exist. Some really are just slow. Those are the ones that can only do half of a year of maths per year and are working 3 years behind, so will only get further behind.

 

WMA: I'm not sure that I view it in terms of IQ either.  What I do is more subtle than that.  I think that by answering questions I'm very quickly backing myself into a corner that I am not in complete agreement with. :huh: How embarrassing. :tongue_smilie:    

[lewelma]

Metacognition. At long last, common ground. ;) My daughter and I spend vast quantities of time discussing and contemplating metacognition, just not in the same way you do. Very different approaches, but same overriding theory - thinking about thinking. :)

:hurray:   It is one of the long lasting skills that I give the kids.  Math skills they may forget, but thinking about thinking will stay with them. 

[lewelma]

If they can do 2 or 3 streams of math with some tutoring to correct one or two issues, I honestly wouldn't lament IQ. 

Or maybe I'm that good.  :D

 

But seriously, I'm not a homework helper.  I design a completely separate individualized program to clean up messes, and more than half of what I do is psychological. I require a full year commitment of two hours per week including holidays, plus the homework I give them. And I have a waiting list.  :001_smile:   This all started when my dh could not get a job after finishing his PhD, so I decided to make some money. And I love it. The kids are so interesting and so thankful. And when I'm done with this homeschooling gig, I've decided to tutor full time, privately and also through the Health School for kids with both physical and mental illness.  I like it, I'm good at it, and there is definitely a need for what I do.  

[Arcadia]

working memory

processing speed

spatial awareness

verbal comprehension

My hubby who seems to lack spatial awareness ace all his math exams even in engineering. My DS9 who has a lower PS score compared to DS10 is only impacted on the multiple choice portions of a timed tests when no prep is done. When it comes to long written questions like the iGCSE format, the impact is not obvious anymore even without prep. My dad and brother doesn't score well for comprehension (verbal and written) but have no problems with math word problems up to calculus. My dad is officially an ESL but he doesn't find the english in math hard.

 

Here the IQ testing cost so much that no way I could advice a friend to get their kid IQ tested just for tutoring purpose. It does make me curious what kind of sub-scores would be conclusive enough to warrant a 504/IEP here without additional testing. That's why I asked.

 

My two night owls are still awake at close to 3am. Too bad I can't blame that on IQ (just kidding).

[wapiti]

My hubby who seems to lack spatial awareness ace all his math exams even in engineering. 

 

FWIW, spatial awareness might refer to a number of different skills.  Proprioception, the awareness of where the body is in space, is a common type of sensory processing problem.  Visual-spatial skills for academics, especially regarding the abstract, are a completely different thing.

[deerforest]

working memory

processing speed

spatial awareness

verbal comprehension

 

But there are a lot of other bits within intelligence/brain function that can help diagnose the underlying problem

dyslexia

dyscalculia

ADD

 

I think I'm starting to derail my own thread.  But it has been a nice detour....

 

DD has diagnosed working memory and processing speed issues (part of her 2e specialness) and they don't impact her math abilities in terms of comprehension. They impact her ability to spend hours working on math or willingness to do rote procedural learning. She is advanced at math, not compared to many PG kids here, but starting pre-algebra in 5th is slightly outside of "normal." So, just for our family, those correlations don't lead to math struggles.

[Arcadia]

FWIW, spatial awareness might refer to a number of different skills. Proprioception, the awareness of where the body is in space, is a common type of sensory processing problem. Visual-spatial skills for academics, especially regarding the abstract, are a completely different thing.

I'm not sure but I guess a bit of both. He can get lost even with a GPS, can get lost even in a store or mall that we frequent. He also bad at estimating size and at CAD/CAM. He has a tough time buying furniture even if he use a tape measure at the store and has a detailed floor plan with him. He finds it hard even at Ikea or showrooms.

 

Is proprioception measured in any typical school assessments? I know visual-spatial skills for academics was indirectly assessed in some of the school assignments we had. I am just curious and I can google later after I catch up on sleep.

 

My perception might also be biased since my relatives might be above average in visual spatial.

[MBM]

A few books that have discussed some of the issues being brought up in this thread for anyone who might be interested:

 

Mindset by Carol Dweck

A former PhD student of hers, David Yeager, is doing some really interesting work with students, too.

 

The Emotional Life of Your Brain by Richard Davidson

 

Focus by Dan Goleman

 

How Children Succeed by Paul Tough

[MBM]

My 19 yos, 16 yod, and 13 yod are all very tender souls.  Our 19 yr old can calm his older brother out of his fits in a way no one else can.  He is starting to talk about priesthood after his PhD....which is definitely no surprise to me.  My 16 yr old is incredibly sensitive and scrupulous.  My 13 yod is an extreme introvert.  I often wonder what is going on behind her big blue eyes.   :)  She seems like an avg student if you just look at her academics, but she is an incredibly creative young lady and she is currently writing a novel which floors me every time I read a section.  She is an incredibly gifted fiction writer.  (Her academic writing, otoh, makes me cringe!)

 

My other kids are just your typical go with the flow kind of people.

 

A friend of my brothers' became a priest after leaving the Air Force Academy and finishing college elsewhere. He's a wonderful, caring priest.

[SarahW]

Sorry, I've got too many kids. I think I am talking about some generic kid that does not really exist. Some really are just slow. Those are the ones that can only do half of a year of maths per year and are working 3 years behind, so will only get further behind.

 

WMA: I'm not sure that I view it in terms of IQ either.  What I do is more subtle than that.  I think that by answering questions I'm very quickly backing myself into a corner that I am not in complete agreement with. :huh: How embarrassing. :tongue_smilie:    

 

 

Your last few posts made me remember this blog, which I browsed a few months ago. He's a high school math teacher and sometimes discusses IQ. I think most of his posts on that are under the category "Voldemort."

 

I'm not saying I agree with or endorse everything he says, but he brings up interesting things to think about.

[sportsmom]

Quark,

 

I agree that emotional intelligence and empathy is different. I am thankful I am not born an empath. Volunteer work is already emotionally draining at normal levels of empathy. I can cry reading news headlines of fatal accidents, that is "bad enough" for me.

 

I did find this 1999 article that Miraca Gross wrote which is really sad.

"It is time both the American and Australian communities reviewed and analyzed, with honesty and rigor, their attitudes to childhood precocity. Both nations abhor racial, social and religious bias. We teach our children that every member of our society has the Right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" regardless of race, color or creed. Yet we do hold a pervasive, insidious bias when it comes to talent development. All gifts are equal, we seem to say, but some gifts are more equal than others.

 

We recognize that for a child with unusual sporting or athletic ability who longs to fulfill her potential, "the pursuit of happiness" implicitly involves her right to strive to develop her talent to the fullest possible extent. Our bias becomes apparent, however, when the child's precocity is sited in the cognitive domain. Intellectually gifted young children are much less acceptable to the general and educational community than are their physically gifted age-peers, and their efforts to develop their talents are too often greeted with apathy, lack of understanding, or open hostility. It is time that we acknowledged and addressed this bias so that all our small poppies may lift their heads to the sky."

 

It is possible for emotional intelligence to be cultivated.

 

 

Not to spiral this off in (yet another) different direction, but I'm not so certain that I fully agree with that statement.  Yes, people can learn what is the "correct" social reaction and learn to react properly, and even do it quite well.  However, that doesn't mean that they have emotional intelligence.

 

I'll use DH as an example.  He has 2 emotions - happy and angry, any other "normal" emotion comes out in one of those 2.  He understands that other people feel sadness, disappointment, hurt, etc. and he has learned what to say to people who are feeling those emotions and even how to comfort, but he does not UNDERSTAND the emotion.  That can't be taught or learned, even though he knows how to appropriately respond to be a functioning member of society.

 

All that despite an extremely high IQ, clearly his EQ is extremely low.  Has he learned how to adapt?  Yes, but that doesn't mean that he has any firsthand knowledge to understand what people are feeling.

 

My EQ is far higher than my IQ.  DS is high IQ, and probably moderate EQ.  Based on observations, DD is extremely high IQ and EQ - she feels more than any of us, which shows in more of her OE's.

 

And I would say the same is true with IQ, many people can learn things and "overcome" (for lack of a better term) a lower IQ, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they have made the same connection that a higher IQ person would have.  Just because I can apply the Pythagorean theorem  and correctly work a problem in no way indicates that I understand it. 

[MBM]

Here are a few articles from Dan Goleman, who wrote the book Emotional Intelligence, and another from Harvard Business Review that explain EQ can be developed/changed if a person is motivated enough to do it.

 

http://www.danielgoleman.info/enhancing-emotional-intelligence/

http://www.danielgoleman.info/developing-emotional-intelligence/

https://hbr.org/2013/05/can-you-really-improve-your-em

 

I think the problem is understanding what EQ really means.

 

[lewelma]

Here the IQ testing cost so much that no way I could advice a friend to get their kid IQ tested just for tutoring purpose. It does make me curious what kind of sub-scores would be conclusive enough to warrant a 504/IEP here without additional testing. That's why I asked..

 

No, I would not recommend IQ testing.  I use the *concept* that intelligence can be broken down into parts to help me both understand *how* to remediate and to help the kids understand that they are not globally stupid. I do not use any IQ tests and I do not have some straightforward correlation between subtests and math ability.  

 

I've been hesitant to use any specific examples on a public board as these are not my kids, but I am comfortable discussing one kid.  He has diagnosed dyslexia which gives him 10 extra minutes per hour on any exam.  When I first saw him he was at the end of 9th grade, which here is mixed math of algebra, geometry, and statistics.  He was failing. Badly.  In one of my early analyses, I asked him how many half pizzas go into 7 1/2 pizzas.  He drew 7 1/2 pizza, cut them all in half, and counted 1,2,3,4,5,6,7...up to 15.  So what does that tell me ?  1) he does not know his times tables, 2) he is still in the conceptual stage and cannot abstract, 3) he has problem solving strategies and did not just say 'I don't know.' So, I'm not thinking: ok, he needs to work on fractions. Its bigger than that.  I see intellectual strengths and weaknesses, and know how to move forward.  So I do some research on dyslexia and find that a lot of kids can't learn their times tables when they are young, but some can gain them in their teens.  So I talk to this boy about dyslexia and how it does and doesn't affect math (the metacognition WMA was discussing), and he is willing to try again on the times tables.  Overtime, I come to understand that he has slower processing speed, so often when he starts a algebra problem with many lines of working, he can take so long that he looses track of the big picture and where he is going. I can't speed him up, so we begin to automate steps, 'subtract 2, subtract 2, cancel'  that is one step, you don't subtract 2 from one side and then think about it. He needs to think about the decision as a holistic step.  This is not a he's bad at algebra, but more he loses tract of what he is doing because his thinking is too slow.  It is how his brain works, not just he can't manipulate equations.  And by explaining this to him, it is empowering. Linking a math struggle to brain function brings it out of the shadows, let's him see it for what it is.  It reduces FUD: fear, uncertainty, and doubt. 

 

So really I think I'm talking about something more subtle than what some of you are.  Some of you seem to think that I am describing a direct correlation between IQ subtests and math ability, and I'm not.  I'm talking about using the concept that intelligence can be broken up into lots of different intellectual traits, and that there is huge variability in humans not just in global intelligence but in *each* trait. I work to find strong traits that I can use to shore up weaker ones.  This is not about math skills, it is about intellectual traits.  I never say 'let's fix your algebra', I say 'how are we going to fix your algebra.'  With this approach, the boy I described above is working to jump stream and go into preCalculus next year.  A year ago he did not know that 1/10th = 0.1. He was considered by his friends and family (who I know) as being 'slow.' He still  has slow processing speed, but we have found ways to overcome that and the dyslexia to allow him to do well in math.  It is all about metacognition, I help students recognize his/her intellectual strengths and weaknesses, how they affect different parts of mathematics, and how they can use their strengths to shore up their weaknesses.  

[lewelma]

 

 Just because I can apply the Pythagorean theorem  and correctly work a problem in no way indicates that I understand it. 

 

Just as an interesting aside, about 10 years ago NZ changed their grading system away from percentage marks.  Now you can 'achieve' if you can do algorithmic work, you get at 'merit' if you have relational thinking, and you get an 'excellence' if you have insightful thinking.  So you can get a lower percentage score than someone with a merit, but still earn an excellence if you can show insightful thinking.

 

I am of two minds on the system, but overall I think it has encouraged/required the entire secondary school system to adopt higher ordered thinking in their classrooms.  This is across all classes from math to geography.

 

And it brings up some interesting problems.  I have a boy who will only be able to do algorithmic work if he goes into precalculus, but could do relational and insightful thinking if he goes into statistics.  Which to choose?  A high level class at an algorithmic level, or lower level class at an insightful level?

[sportsmom]

Here are a few articles from Dan Goleman, who wrote the book Emotional Intelligence, and another from Harvard Business Review that explain EQ can be developed/changed if a person is motivated enough to do it.

 

http://www.danielgoleman.info/enhancing-emotional-intelligence/

http://www.danielgoleman.info/developing-emotional-intelligence/

https://hbr.org/2013/05/can-you-really-improve-your-em

 

I think the problem is understanding what EQ really means.

 

Perhaps my post was misunderstood.  This all confirms precisely what I was saying.  One can learn the behaviors that come naturally with EQ, but that by no means guarantees that the person's actual emotional response changes.

 

Again with DH.  After spending a great deal of time trying to learn how to respond in an empathetic manner when I am upset, he now knows how to react in a manner that is comforting, but he still is completely baffled as to why I can get so upset/hurt that I cry.  

 

If he saw someone who was upset, he could comfort them, and unless they knew him very well, they would never know that he thought that they were overreacting and he actually has very little empathy.  It's happened before.

 

It's a learned behavior not an emotional response.  

[MBM]

Sportsmom, Goleman talks about the brain's empathy triad and how it affects people if all three parts are not working together. It's explained in more detail in his book Focus. He talks about how some people might cognitively understand another person's feelings but they can't resonate with another person's feelings. They tell themselves about feelings but don't feel them. Maybe that is what is going on with your husband. Here's another little article but the bit in Goleman's book is better.

 

http://www.danielgoleman.info/empathy-whos-got-it-who-does-not/

[sportsmom]

Sportsmom, Goleman talks about the brain's empathy triad and how it affects people if all three parts are not working together. It's explained in more detail in his book Focus. He talks about how some people might cognitively understand another person's feelings but they can't resonate with another person's feelings. They tell themselves about feelings but don't feel them. Maybe that is what is going on with your husband. Here's another little article but the bit in Goleman's book is better.

 

http://www.danielgoleman.info/empathy-whos-got-it-who-does-not/

 

Very interesting.  I will look into the book.

 

I think fundamentally, we agree.  Some people can learn (including feeling) to be more empathetic, just as some people can learn (including understanding) things in an academic setting that they instinctively know.  Others cannot, for whatever reason.

 

I think it all comes down to the fact that brains are weird.   :lol:

[sportsmom]

Just as an interesting aside, about 10 years ago NZ changed their grading system away from percentage marks.  Now you can 'achieve' if you can do algorithmic work, you get at 'merit' if you have relational thinking, and you get an 'excellence' if you have insightful thinking.  So you can get a lower percentage score than someone with a merit, but still earn an excellence if you can show insightful thinking.

 

I am of two minds on the system, but overall I think it has encouraged/required the entire secondary school system to adopt higher ordered thinking in their classrooms.  This is across all classes from math to geography.

 

And it brings up some interesting problems.  I have a boy who will only be able to do algorithmic work if he goes into precalculus, but could do relational and insightful thinking if he goes into statistics.  Which to choose?  A high level class at an algorithmic level, or lower level class at an insightful level?

 

That's very interesting.  I always struggled in math, because I don't understand it.  Even if I know what formula to apply (which is a feat in and of itself sometimes) I can honestly say that I do not understand the reasoning and practicality of it.  It's why the fact that DS loves math is terrifying to me - I limped my way through Algebra 2 and don't UNDERSTAND a single thing - unless I can find a way to use it IRL.  It's why I have always been significantly better at science than math - at one point, at the same time I had a 98 average in Chemisty and a 42 average in Algebra 2 - and not for lack of trying.

[Lawyer&Mom]

Denial of reality? Hostile?

 

fwiw, hostility goes both ways when views(such as mine) are implicitly suppressed, by calling my posts hostile or suggesting that my PoV has created an unsafe environment.

 

The majority of voices of this forum are extremely vocal about their gifted children and receive enormous amount of support.

It befuddles me that a few opposing perspectives can prompt words like 'unsafe', 'hostile' and 'denial of reality' from parents (such as you and dmmetler) who already have exceptional children.

 

btw..IQ is a concept. It is not a law (like the law of gravity). nor is there mutual agreement, even within the gifted circles, on the definition of giftedness and 'high IQ'.

 

You questioned how someone could feel unsafe reading these threads. I tried to explain why *I* have an emotional reaction to these threads. It is absolutely not my intention to suppress your perspectives. My emotional reactions, based on my own childhood trauma, should in no way limit the discussion.

[Arcadia]

- I limped my way through Algebra 2 and don't UNDERSTAND a single thing - unless I can find a way to use it IRL.  It's why I have always been significantly better at science than math - at one point, at the same time I had a 98 average in Chemisty and a 42 average in Algebra 2 - and not for lack of trying.

 

The Cambridge GCE format has changed since I took it in the 80s but still have the same topics.  What was good though is that is possible to have half the math exam being applied math questions depending on which options were chosen by the student during the exam itself.  Paper two was choose between pure math, mechanics or statistics.

 

The science section of the ACT is actually applied math.

[mathwonk]

Here is a nice story about a presumably high IQ kid, Ken Ono, who struggled to find his place and earn it.  We apparently missed out on him at UGA by not offering him a tenure track job before he was famous.  But since he is apparently happy now where he is, I am happy for him.  He seems to be a great mentor, and has some comments on the importance of recognizing talent that may not be apparent from test scores (his own grades were not that good from lack of effort and motivation), and then nurturing it.  There may be some lessons on how to motivate a bright kid who does not necessarily want to follow what seems to the parent like his obvious path.

 

http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_MAGAZINE/issues/2015/summer/index.html

[lewelma]

I've been reading this off-shoot of the thread with much interest. Initially, I thought you didn't understand kids like my dd, as she has a very high IQ, but struggles mightily in math (dyslexia and slow processing speed). So, to come to this later part of the thread and see you're actually very familiar with kids who have similar struggles to my dd is really interesting (although perhaps you're not aware some of those kids have high IQs? I can't tell that part). At this point though, with this post and the couple preceding, I'm fascinated with what you are doing with these kids. I dearly wish you lived somewhere near me so you could tutor my dd or I could learn more about whatever it is you're doing with these kids! To read you've managed to overcome this has me very intrigued. My dd has extremely high scores (like ceiling scores) in some of the areas that should correlate with high math ability, yet these other things that are holding her back. I don't know that I have a question here, I'm just really wishing I understood more how you're tackling things with your tutoring students. It makes me think it could be possible for my dd and I to be working together in a way that makes more of a difference than what we're doing now.

 

Well there are a few specific things that I have done with this boy

 

1) Automating steps.  I'm not talking about memorizing your way through math, I'm saying that a single decision needs to be worth more.  It is the decisions that take so much time, so once one is made, this boy needs to act on all the implications of it.  So for example yesterday we were working on factoring.  He needed to factor 2x^2 + 8x + 6.  So he identifies that there are 4 possibilities because there are 2 ways to make 6 and 2 ways to combine with 2x.  So now he writes (2x +  )(x+  )  4 times.  Then he goes back and fills in 1&6, 6&1, 2&3, 3&2. He does this quickly and in an automated way. Only then does he start calculating them out to see which one is right.  I will even have him do this when there are 12 possibilities because once the decision is made and we automate the steps, he can write them quickly and not lose track of what he is doing.  If instead he writes one and then works through that one before moving to the next possibility, it is so much slower because he needs to *think* again and *decide* what he is supposed to do next, which is incredibly time consuming. So even if the 2nd one out of 12 happens to be correct, this is still faster than working them out one by one.   So we automate a lot.

 

2) Memorizing. I have had him go back and learn the times tables at age 15, and memorize the squares, cubes, and primes.  I would not have most kids do this, but if he has to *think* about if something is a prime it could take him 15 minutes.  He understands primes and how to calculate/find them, so we are not memorizing our way out of mathematical thinking, but we are memorizing stuff to allow him to work at a higher level more often.  He also memorizes vocabulary and strange details like x^0=1.  We make flashcards and he drills.

 

3) Categorizing.  We categorize lots of stuff and I drill him on the categories.  This allows instant recognition.  The key is seeing the big picture: there are 8 types of xxx, which is this? We make visuals with lots of colours and drill orally.  So for example, what types of factoring can you do? (1 bracket, 2 bracket, special cases), so which one is this?  How do you know?  We keep a list and reference it and memorize it.  We also categorize word problems.  There might only be 10 kinds.  We keep a list and I ask him how to recognize which is which. How can you tell?  What words are you looking for?  Are there subcategories within each kind?  

 

4) Making visuals.  This boys draws a lot of number lines to deal with negative numbers. It is just too time consuming to have to *think* about how far it is between -4 and 6.  Yes, drawing a number line takes 15 seconds, but if he just does it in his head it takes way longer, he forgets what he is doing it for, and he gets it wrong half of the time. He draws pizzas for word problems, graphs for algebraic questions, stuff like that, even if the problem is typically done without them.  It just is faster.  If he is writing, he is less likely to lose his place than if he is *thinking*. 

 

5) Keep the end in mind.  Once he has read and understood the question, I get him to write a possible answer at the bottom of the question box, with units and maybe a statement.  So if ever he loses track of where he is going he can reference it.  Also, for all teaching I always give him the global picture of where the material fits into the whole and drill those ideas before giving him details of how to do the work.  

 

6) Test taking skills.  He won't finish, ever.  So how do you make the determination as to what to skip?

 

7) Metacognition.  We talk talk talk about where he can use his skills.  He is cautious so accurate, he is a concrete thinker so we use drawings, he is a global thinker so we focus on the whole, he is logical so I stress that the problem is not the algebra but the calculating, he is a problem solver so willing to give it a go with very creative means, he is a hard worker so willing to memorize even if it is time consuming.  We can use these skills to shore up the fact that he can't calculate, he can't make decisions quickly, he can't read the questions and understand them easily, and he regularly loses track of the goal.  He knows his skills and his weaknesses, and this builds confidence.  He is not just slow.  This is more there than a one-dimensional situation, and now he knows it.

 

8) Pride.  I work in subtle ways to make sure he feels pride in his accomplishments.  Hard to describe details because I do it intuitively, but not praise.  He needs to own it. 

 

A lot of this is similar to what any tutor would do, but I make sure the *kids* know what I am doing and why it works for *them.*

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Well there are a few specific things that I have done with this boy

 

1) Automating steps.  I'm not talking about memorizing your way through math, I'm saying that a single decision needs to be worth more.  It is the decisions that take so much time, so once one is made, this boy needs to act on all the implications of it.  So for example yesterday we were working on factoring.  He needed to factor 2x^2 + 8x + 6.  So he identifies that there are 4 possibilities because there are 2 ways to make 6 and 2 ways to combine with 2x.  So now he writes (2x +  )(x+  )  4 times.  Then he goes back and fills in 1&6, 6&1, 2&3, 3&2. He does this quickly and in an automated way. Only then does he start calculating them out to see which one is right.  I will even have him do this when there are 12 possibilities because once the decision is made and we automate the steps, he can write them quickly and not lose track of what he is doing.  If instead he writes one and then works through that one before moving to the next possibility, it is so much slower because he needs to *think* again and *decide* what he is supposed to do next, which is incredibly time consuming. So even if the 2nd one out of 12 happens to be correct, this is still faster than working them out one by one.   So we automate a lot.

 

2) Memorizing. I have had him go back and learn the times tables at age 15, and memorize the squares, cubes, and primes.  I would not have most kids do this, but if he has to *think* about if something is a prime it could take him 15 minutes.  He understands primes and how to calculate/find them, so we are not memorizing our way out of mathematical thinking, but we are memorizing stuff to allow him to work at a higher level more often.  He also memorizes vocabulary and strange details like x^0=1.  We make flashcards and he drills.

 

3) Categorizing.  We categorize lots of stuff and I drill him on the categories.  This allows instant recognition.  The key is seeing the big picture: there are 8 types of xxx, which is this? We make visuals with lots of colours and drill orally.  So for example, what types of factoring can you do? (1 bracket, 2 bracket, special cases), so which one is this?  How do you know?  We keep a list and reference it and memorize it.  We also categorize word problems.  There might only be 10 kinds.  We keep a list and I ask him how to recognize which is which. How can you tell?  What words are you looking for?  Are there subcategories within each kind?  

 

4) Making visuals.  This boys draws a lot of number lines to deal with negative numbers. It is just too time consuming to have to *think* about how far it is between -4 and 6.  Yes, drawing a number line takes 15 seconds, but if he just does it in his head it takes way longer, he forgets what he is doing it for, and he gets it wrong half of the time. He draws pizzas for word problems, graphs for algebraic questions, stuff like that, even if the problem is typically done without them.  It just is faster.  If he is writing, he is less likely to lose his place than if he is *thinking*. 

 

5) Keep the end in mind.  Once he has read and understood the question, I get him to write a possible answer at the bottom of the question box, with units and maybe a statement.  So if ever he loses track of where he is going he can reference it.  Also, for all teaching I always give him the global picture of where the material fits into the whole and drill those ideas before giving him details of how to do the work.  

 

6) Test taking skills.  He won't finish, ever.  So how do you make the determination as to what to skip?

 

7) Metacognition.  We talk talk talk about where he can use his skills.  He is cautious so accurate, he is a concrete thinker so we use drawings, he is a global thinker so we focus on the whole, he is logical so I stress that the problem is not the algebra but the calculating, he is a problem solver so willing to give it a go with very creative means, he is a hard worker so willing to memorize even if it is time consuming.  We can use these skills to shore up the fact that he can't calculate, he can't make decisions quickly, he can't read the questions and understand them easily, and he regularly loses track of the goal.  He knows his skills and his weaknesses, and this builds confidence.  He is not just slow.  This is more there than a one-dimensional situation, and now he knows it.

 

8) Pride.  I work in subtle ways to make sure he feels pride in his accomplishments.  Hard to describe details because I do it intuitively, but not praise.  He needs to own it. 

 

A lot of this is similar to what any tutor would do, but I make sure the *kids* know what I am doing and why it works for *them.*

 

Thanks for the detail and context.

 

Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts about the situation now? Do you still view it as the student needing more IQ or as needing some skills and tools to make the most of his IQ? Or perhaps you view it as something else entirely now...  Just curious!

 

I would argue that by teaching him the skills and giving him the tools, you have helped him work at a higher level of his genetic IQ range, which could possibly show in subsequent IQ testing.  It seems to me his IQ range is quite adequate as it is, he just needs a bit of help in moving up the range and using his IQ more effectively.

 

I'm curious to know your thoughts now that you've given the situation further contemplation.

[lewelma]

Hey WMA, I'm not ignoring you; I've just been super busy.  The mock exams are this week and one of the real exams is next week, so I've been super busy with tutoring.  I've been thinking about this question while meeting with the kids, and I'll try to write up my thoughts this weekend. 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I thought you might be swamped this week. Thanks for the note. I've been thinkng of you and your students and will continue to do so. I wish them all the best on the exams!