Opposition to Universal Grammar School Admissions: Insights from 'The Boss' Podcast - Not every child needs to pursue high school education.
By Isa von Heyl* - Approx. 2 Mins Read
This podcast episode hails from the stern archive, originally published in May 2024.
Professor Elsbeth Stern, an authority on learning and instruction research at ETH Zurich, graces the stern podcast "The Boss" to share her expertise on the concept of intelligence. The multi-board member and host, Simone Menne (BMW, Deutsche Post DHL, Henkel), moderates the discussion.
In the stern podcast "The Boss," prominent women converse about leadership, careers, and life. A fresh perspective on female leadership, including analyses, tips, and tricks, awaits you in the newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
Stern delves into the definition of intelligence and explains why empathy or social competence does not factor into her research: "When people discuss social or emotional intelligence, I'm not a fan. The measuring instruments in this area don't have the quality that the measuring instruments we use for intelligence have. Emotional and social competencies cannot be measured with the same statistical precision as cognitive ability," demonstrates Stern's stance.
According to Stern, approximately 70 percent of people fall within the average intellect. The remaining 30 percent, consisting of 15 percent above average and 15 percent below, she clarifies. In terms of gender and the distribution of intelligence, there are no differences in the average. However, research indicates that: "There are differences at the extremes. There are more men in the lower ranges, and there are also more men at the top. However, it's important to acknowledge that there are still women in the highest ranges."
Encountered with the aspirations of many parents to deem their child gifted and aimed toward grammar school, Stern comments:
"Considering that intelligence is typically distributed normally, it's already a perversion to state that half of the students should attend grammar school. Given that you'll automatically create an average where the peak is largest."
The new episode of the stern podcast "The Boss - Power is Female" discusses Stern's opinions on universities, her thoughts on the role of teachers and parents, and the consequences when your boss demonstrates a lower intellect than you.
"The Boss - Power is Female" features esteemed women in conversations: Host and multi-board member Simone Menne meets CEOs from diverse domains to discuss their lives and careers. "The Boss" is released every 14 days, regularly on Wednesdays, on stern.de and RTL, as well as on all major podcast platforms.
Note from the editorial team: Stern belongs to RTL Germany.
- Intelligence
- Grammar School
- Elsbeth Stern
- Simone Menne
- Podcast
- Intelligence Test
stern.de and RTL, as well as on all major podcast platforms.
- In the podcast episode of "The Boss - Power is Female," Professor Elsbeth Stern discusses her research on the concept of intelligence and why she does not include empathy or social competence in her studies.
- In the stern podcast, Elsbeth Stern clarifies that approximately 70 percent of people fall within the average intellect, with the remaining 30 percent being divided equally between those above and below average.
- During the podcast discussion, Elsbeth Stern comments on the aspirations of parents to label their child as gifted and enroll them in grammar school, stating that, given the normal distribution of intelligence, this creates an unfair advantage for some students.
- Simone Menne, the host of the podcast "The Boss - Power is Female," meets with esteemed women in various fields to discuss their lives and careers, including Elsbeth Stern's opinions on universities, the role of teachers and parents, and the consequences of having a boss with a lower intellect.
