All too many people believe that the I Q is a measure of innate intelligence that remains pretty much the same all through life. Originally the I Q was thought to be an absolute, unchanging measure of innate intelligence.
Because the I Q plays such an important role in a child's life in school and afterward, parents should know that—
—We do not have an adequate definition of intelligence; psychologists differ widely on what it is and where it comes from.
—Since it is uncertain what intelligence is, there is widespread disagreement over what intelligence tests measure.
—To a large extent the I Q is a measure of what a child has learned.
—Because of the way the IQ is used by schools, a few points more or less in a critical range can make a dramatic difference in the quality of education a child receives.
—The evidence shows that the I Q can be raised.
—The average parent has the ability to raise his child's I Q.