What is intelligence? Psychologists have theorized about the nature of intelligence for hundreds of years, and until recently it was considered to be a one-dimensional, fixed quality. You were intelligent or you weren't, and by taking Alfred Binet's Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test, you could easily determine the magic number that defined your own level of intelligence. Fortunately, about 40 years ago Dr. Howard Gardner challenged this view of intelligence, and in 1983 he published his ground-breaking book, Frames of Mind, in which he proposed an entirely new way of looking at intelligence. Gardner proposed that humans are intelligent in many different ways, and each type of intelligence is correlated to a specific area of the brain and corresponds with certain personal skills and preferences. He explored many possibilities for the different types of intelligences, and after many years of research and study, he settled on eight multiple intelligences: Verbal-Linguistic Visual-Spatial Mathematical-Logical Musical-Rhythmic Bodily-Kinesthetic Naturalist Interpersonal Intrapersonal Educators quickly embraced his ideas and began to search for practical applications in the classroom. Teachers have always intuitively known that kids learn in different ways, and Gardner's Multiple Intelligence (MI) Theory supported their own classroom observations and experiences. Traditionally, schools have been designed for students who are mathematical and linguistic, while students who were artistic, musical, or kinesthetic learners were out of luck. Fortunately, educators now recognize that there are many paths to understanding, and students learn best when they are able to engage in activities that involve their strengths. So how will I take this information and apply it to our classrooms? I have found that teaching my students about MI theory will enable them to understand their own learning preferences. When students are able to identify their own strengths and needs, they can take responsibility for their learning. In addition, understanding that people are smart in many ways can also lead to a greater appreciation of different points of view. We naturally tend to think that others learn and process new information in the same way that we do, and it's important to understand that people think differently, and that's okay. Please ask your child about their two strengths. When studying with your child this year, try to incorporate their MI into your study session. Here are some pictures of the posters students made describing each intelligence. Then students took a SILENT Gallery Walk to add to others' posters.
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April 2015
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