Kristen Hamling: Different ways to look at ability

I bombed my first ever intelligence test in 1999. I was applying to join the Australian Army Reserve and was told by the recruitment psychologist that my score was so out of kilter with my university grades that they had to 'waiver' my test result.

Despite getting pretty good grades at university, I took this slight against my IQ to heart - I thought that this meant I was unintelligent and it was a real knock to my confidence at the time.

I see similar reactions in some young people nowadays. Youth who flunk their maths exams or can't quite get their essays right feel that they are dumb and not at all academic. It frustrates me, because there are a variety of ways of looking at ability.

For instance, instead take this question from an intelligence test: "John's mother sent him to the store to get 9 large cans of peaches. John could only carry 2 cans at a time. How many trips to the store did John have to make?"

Instead of figuring out the answer, I would wonder what John's mother was making with the peaches - perhaps a peach cobbler - and whether I could help John to carry the cans. My husband on the other hand would be far more capable and interested in simply stating the answer - 5.

People have so many different types of intelligence, ability levels, talents and strengths that are often missed in IQ or school testing.

According to the Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory, there are a number of ways in which people are intelligent. Although academics don't give multiple intelligence theory much chop, there are lots of people who do, including educators.

Supporters of multiple intelligences would say that people who are successful in life are able to use their unique blend of intelligence to carry out different tasks, solve diverse problems and learn.

The range of intelligence include: visual-spatial (great with spatial challenges like reading maps); bodily-kinesthetic (athletes); musical; inter-personal (great social skills); intra-personal (great levels of self-awareness and insight); linguistic (great with language); logical (great with maths); and naturalistic (great in nature and with animals).

With the current educational system still emphasising English and math as a mode of assessment, you can see how certain students might feel that they are not bright. Maths and English may not be their strengths.

Wouldn't it be great if children were helped to understand their unique strengths and how they could deploy these skills in their life ... to their learning, relationships, challenges, etc.

Sadly, although they can (www.viacharacter.org), we don't seem to have this as standard practice in our educational system. Hopefully, as the evidence grows, the education system that we see today will transform, and all children will understand their unique blend of ability and talents, helping them to set and achieve their goals.

There is so much uncertainty in our future, and many occupations that we see today are quickly becoming antiquated. Best we crack on in transforming our educational system to prepare our kids for this changing tomorrow.

-A registered psychologist with a masters in applied psychology, Wanganui mother-of-two Kristen Hamling is studying for a PhD in wellbeing at Auckland University of Technology.