In Search of Poets
Many people think of assessment as science. I think of it as poetry. This week, my friend, Michael Piechowski, gifted me with a wonderful book, Chasing Chopin, by Annik LaFarge. Two quotes in the Introduction struck a chord with me (pun intended):
But there were those who, like his friend and student Wilhelm von Lenz, understood exactly what Chopin was doing. Lenz was in the room when Chopin played the work [Opus 35], and of this unconventional, two-part funeral march he observed: “It is a touchstone for recognizing whether the performer is a poet or merely a pianist; whether he can tell a story or merely play the piano.” (p. xxvii)
In the end, virtually every experience I had…was in one way or another a lesson about listening. If Chopin offers anything to a modern reader, it is how to attend in a more perceptive, intimate, even holistic way. (p. xxviii)
An IQ test is a standardized instrument designed to be played in the same manner by all examiners. The difference is in the interpretation, just as it is in the performance of a beautiful piece of music. Is the child reduced to a set of numbers or does the child feel really seen?
For nearly 44 years, Gifted Development Center has been a beacon of child-centered assessment. We are seeking gifted poet/examiners to continue our work who can “attend in a more perceptive, intimate, even holistic way.” We need assessors who excel at listening, who can tell a story of who this child is, what are this child’s needs, and why we should care.
