Those of you have read my blogs or the books know that there are certain aspects of this business (e.g., the over use of worksheets, lengthy IEPs that really aren’t individual, the way writing is taught, the rapid “diagnosing of ADHD, calling dyslexia a medical condition that only doctors can diagnose) that continually get under my skin no matter how much mindful meditating I do to work on reducing my “GQ (i.e., Grumpiness Index).”
One that raise my GQ off the charts is when I see kids struggling but not get services because their IQ is in the “Not-Good-Enough-Zone,” that is the dreaded portion of the bell-shaped curve, the low average range (between the 10 – 24th % iles).
To illustrate why my GQ rises with this issue, let’s look at two different children:
Child A, a seven year old second grader, Zachary, is below average in reading (15%ile in word reading skills and oral reading fluency). Zach obtained an IQ of 107 (68th percentile, but still in the average range). In addition, the school assessed Zach with a bunch of subtests that assessed his “phonological processing,” all of which clustered around the 20th percentile.
In short, Zach was struggling and he needed a lot of support and remediation. Zach was found to be eligible for special education services and started receiving small group remedial instruction.
Child B, Cameron, age 7, a classmate of Zachary’s, is in the exact same level of reading as Zachary (16th % ile). In contrast, though, Cameron received an IQ of 87 (the “Not-Good-Enough Zone”). With similar phonological processing scores to Zachary, she was clearly struggling across the board.
In spite of this, Cameron was found ineligible for any remedial services.
A closer look at Cameron’s IQ profile showed that she demonstrated above average functioning in nonverbal intelligence. Compromised by weaknesses in active working memory, processing speed and language functioning, Cameron’s FSIQ was compromised. The score of 87 did not represent her legitimate ability or potential.
If I had my way (which I almost never do), the FSIQ would be secondary, essentially ignored in a situation like Cameron’s, demonstrating at least average or above average potential in one major domain of cognitive ability.
Takeaway Point
My GQ is running high.
I need to meditate more.