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Formerly known as the Engineering Education Advocate
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Books by Celeste Baine
Is There an Engineer Inside You?: A Comprehensive Guide to Career Decisions in Engineering
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Engineers Make a Difference: Motivating Students to Pursue an Engineering Education
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Sustainable Energy Engineering Teacher's Guide
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Roller Coaster Engineering Teacher's Guide
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Teaching Engineering Made Easy: A Friendly Introduction to Engineering Activities for Middle School Teachers
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The Musical Engineer: A Music Enthusiast's Guide to Engineering and Technology Careers
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The Fantastical Engineer: A Thrillseeker's Guide to Careers in Theme Park Engineering - Second Edition
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High Tech Hot Shots: Careers in Sports Engineering
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My IQ Test
Our high school had an IQ test day. I remember the fanfare leading up to the day. Special people were coming to the school to administer the test, the principal offered free pizza after the test, and students were joking with each other about the scores they might or might not get.
As the day got closer, everyone seemed to get excited – the promise of pizza for lunch was like a beacon in the night for many students. When the day finally arrived, I did what any self-preserving, blue-sky thinking student would do - I skipped school. I knew I would get in trouble but the trouble I would face if I took the test was worse. I saw an IQ test as life changing and not for the better.
At the time, I wanted to be an engineer but thought I wasn’t smart enough. I wasn’t getting A’s in science and math and most teachers and guidance counselors said I wasn't meant to be an engineer. I could also tell that my parents thought I might not be able to do it even though they never said that. It seemed to me that an IQ test could prove that everyone was right. It was an opportunity to have my dreams squashed and equated to a living nightmare. I couldn’t agree to help "the system" put me in a box or define my potential with a test.
What kind of world would we have if everyone simply believed they could be anything they wanted? If we didn’t measure ourselves by test scores but instead by our accomplishments, what we did well or liked to do, or our innate ability? I especially enjoy and promote hands-on learning for the chance to develop and explore parts of yourself that no written test could ever measure.
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Posted by Celeste Baine on September 28, 2011
Talkback
From Louise Roberts - I absolutely want to encourage each student to take responsibility for working hard and being productive....at whatever station/level they find themselves. I want their efforts to always pay off. I'm pretty sure you'd find most of my students and parents think I am extremely supportive. HOWEVER, the truth is that everyone CANNOT simply be whatever they want. At least someone who does work for and get a high score can be considered as much as the student whose parents own the company. Being successful is simply not simple, and it is unfair to make kids think so. In my opinion, the kids who score "high" on tests, in achievement or IQ, almost always have valuable skills. Folks never complain about being "cut" from the basketball team if they miss free throws during tryouts, but they are quick to complain about a "bad" score. It may be politically correct to criticize them, but in many ways they also level the playing field.
Posted on September 28, 2011 at 8:09 am PST
Celeste's answer: Good points Louise. If a student doesn't become an engineer it doesn't mean that they aren't successful. Success is relative. I think we all agree that a square peg won't fit into a round hole but students who take their strengths and weaknesses into account when deciding what to do with their lives have an opportunity to dream big and set challenging goals.
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