Chapter 12: MI and Cognitive Skills

This chapter emphasizes encouraging students to embrace and develop their strong intelligences, while at the same time working to heighten their intelligences which may have once seemed weaker. In understanding the strengths and weaker areas of my students, I will be able to help them in their studying habits, whether encouraging already strong areas or helping students to overcome worries of weaker areas. It is possible to enhance each student’s primary intelligence through positive methods of teaching regardless of what the intelligence may be. Rather than encouraging memorization, teachers should work toward mastery in all areas. While memory is essential, memorization should not be the primary focus.

Chapter 11: MI and Special Education

This chapter was very interesting to me as I am very interested in special education as well as how to incorporate special education students into my mainstreamed classroom. Rather than looking at students with special needs as different, the teacher should instead focus upon incorporating them into the classroom and focusing upon their strongest intelligences. A big portion of beginning this process is to focus on positive aspects of student learning rather than negative, then working from this point. Along these lines, students who generally have strengths in certain areas generally have a difficult time in other areas. If these weak areas are focused upon, they can be developed into areas of great strength and students will be able to use them in the future.

Chapter 8: MI and Classroom Management

This chapter discusses methods of grasping and holding the attention of students who have various strong traits in multiple intelligences. In addition, the teacher can use knowledge of student intelligence throughout the course of the class as well as in creating groups and understand student behavior. Using this chapter, I can consider methods of classroom management. This was a nice reminder that not all students respond to the same courses of classroom management, but that the traditional response of speaking to the class in an effort to regain attention will work the most effectively with verbal learners, yet other methods should be used to obtain the interest of other students. Another great aspect of this chapter was the idea of transition cues so automatically recognize when they should change activities, without the classroom becoming chaotic. For example, to capture the attention of a musical learner, playing music to signal a transition is an excellent method of showing students that it is time to change what they are doing. While this is primarily focused upon musical learners, all will understand the expectation when the music begins.

Chapter 14: MI and Existential Intelligence

The final chapter of this book deals with Gardner’s defense of his assertion that the existential should be considered the ninth intelligence. Rather than viewing this as a religious matter, he merely reflects that we must be capable of coming to terms with our external existence. This potential intelligence deals within the realm of philosophy and the way in which we exist within our universe. A look at the criteria through which a concept becomes intelligence shows that existential fits the criteria of cultural value, developmental history, symbolism, savants who have displayed the intelligence, psychometric studies, evolutionary plausibility and brain research. While there are questions of controversy surrounding existential intelligence, these can be quieted by assurance that the topic does not cover religion, but instead world meaning. In addition, it has proven itself applicable to all topics, thus we as teachers will probably be looking at existential intelligence in the future!

Chapter 13: Other Applications of MI Theory

This chapter discussed three new methods of incorporating multiple intelligences into the classroom. The three topics were computer technology, cultural diversity, and career counseling. While the computer section seemed mildly outdated as we have become a very technologically advanced society, it was still important to see the roles the computer could play in the classroom. Multiple examples are provided, showing that each of the intelligences can be incorporated in a number of ways by using computers. Another interesting aspect of using computer technology is that students can from here research multiple intelligences and recognize their own. I really enjoyed the point this chapter made when it reminded the reader that we are trying to pass on matters of societal importance, not information which will vacate the student’s brain as soon as they encounter it. Therefore, cultural diversity is important to consider when looking at the application of multiple intelligences as we must assess its ongoing value within society. The example of the Puluwat people shows that they must be spatially and naturally inclined as these traits are required for survival. This points to an important aspect of the theory of multiple intelligences as it is easy to accept the intelligences as something merely to be applied in school, yet it truly does need to apply back to real life and thus survival. The final application method discussed in this chapter was career counseling. By encouraging students to contemplate the ways in which they might apply their knowledge, we are helping them to build upon their skills and work towards a successful future. Given this confidence, they will be able to work toward a career driven by their strong intelligence while still capable of balancing each of the others.

Chapter 7: MI and the Classroom Environment

Chapter 7 focused upon the environments which foster the best learning results. Rather than merely listing the criteria of the most effective learning environments, the book instead divides the chapter by the eight intelligences, and then provides examples of both effective and ineffective learning methods. For example, to show the positives and negatives of musical intelligence, the book questions “how does the teacher use her voice? Does it vary in intensity, inflection, and emphasis, or does it have a dull monotone quality that puts students to sleep?” (MI 68). This continues throughout the course of the chapter, showing that it is easy to make simple classroom mistakes, yet a compilation of simple mistakes takes away from the overall classroom experience of the student. This is an important concept to remember as a new teacher as no matter how interested a student may be upon entering my class, if I am incapable of incorporating each of the intelligences into my classroom, the students will lose their drive to learn the material. However, if I am able to master this concept, I may be capable of engaging students who have never before showed an interest in the topic. Therefore, I must work to ensure that I am constantly evaluating myself and incorporating all learning styles at all times.

Chapter 6: MI and Teaching Strategies

This chapter offers a wide array of teaching strategies which suit the multiple intelligences. Although many of them are widely used, the book offers solutions which help to recapture the interest of the students. While writing on the board and raising hands are methods used in many classrooms, it is nice to consider the many ways that we can restructure these ideas. For instance, instead of having students raise their hands, a great method is to have them instead raise fingers to rate their understanding. If a student does not understand a concept, they may raise one finger, yet if they feel they have mastered the concept, they would hold up five fingers. Not only does this allow the teacher to gain an idea of where the student stands, but it also shows the student that the teacher cares where a student stands in regards to a topic. The chapter encourages branching out beyond their own comfort zone and considering methods of incorporating all intelligences into every content area. We are given the statistic that “up to 95 percent of adults lack a fundamental knowledge of scientific vocabulary and demonstrate a poor understanding of the impact of science in the world” (Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom 55). Aside from all other reasons, knowing that adults have become nearly incompetent in regards to science frightens me and creates a desire to help students by incorporating science into my own content area. Along those lines, this chapter helps teachers of every content area by providing countless methods of creative incorporation.

Chapter 5: MI and Curriculum Development

This chapter was incredibly useful as it discussed methods of incorporating each of the multiple intelligences into all content areas. I enjoyed that this chapter addressed how we may use one method of instruction and translate it to all intelligences if we are willing to plan it well beforehand. In order to sufficiently demonstrate this, the book provides a very helpful chart with various examples of the ways in which intelligences play a role in content areas. A major focus of this chapter was upon giving school work real life meaning. Just as John Dewey believed that the classroom was a microcosm of society, we must be able to relate all work we do within the classroom to real life application. If students believe that the concepts they are learning are meaningful, they are likely to become engaged and question how they may later apply their learning to their future.

Chapter 10: MI and Assessment

Chapter ten asks the classroom teacher to move away from traditional, standardized tests and instead work towards teaching students in the creative manner from which we encourage their learning. The first step in assessing students in this manner is to observe them at the height of their learning, and to recognize how this helps their learning. In addition, teachers should work to capture student progress in a variety of ways in order to understand how far the student has gone throughout the semester. An interesting aspect of this chapter was that it provided many examples of how various schools have incorporated the multiple intelligences into the classroom, showing that no matter the age, it is very possible to maintain curriculum while still incorporating the intelligences. MI theory maintains that curriculum is essential, yet the students must be permitted to learn in a way which is suitable to them rather than forcing students to test their knowledge in an outdated manner. The “Huck Finn” example was great as this truly depicted how easily the eight intelligences could be incorporated into any subject. Along those lines, students are allowed the liberty of choosing the method of grading. The teacher does not need to worry that the student will not learn as students are being asked to become involved in their education in a manner unusual to most classroom settings. The student is pushed to think deeply and create intriguing products which show their learning.

Chapter 4: Teaching Students About MI Theory

This chapter works to build a sense of inclusion within the student by showing the multiple intelligences seen within each student. Rather than focusing upon whether a student is talented at reading or mathematics, the teacher instead should attempt to show each student their individual strengths. The teacher should work to make each student feel not only involved, but confident in their intelligence. If students are given real life examples which captivate their imagination and prove that they can succeed, they will happily participate in activities which allow them to showcase their talents. In order to show students the way various intelligences are used within the real world, it is important to bring in community members who can explain their own roles, while at the same time explaining that they each use a variety of intelligences to succeed.

Chapter 3: Describing Intelligences in Students

This chapter discusses the ways in which teachers may pick up on students various intelligences. Rather than asking students to take tests, teachers are better off observing students and taking notes on their behavior. For example, if a teacher were to simply write a few lines of notes a week on a student, they would have a steady documentation by the end of the school year. Another method is taking pictures of students as they work in the classroom as well as where they tend to gravitate during free time. At the same time, the teacher should be examining previous school records to find the strengths of the student, while also keeping track of various strengths and placing them in a folder for the student’s future teacher. In keeping such fastidious records, the school system can ensure that students are progressing and continuing to learn. In addition, the teacher should talk to other teachers as well as the parents of students.

Chapter 2: MI and Personal Development

In chapter two, the book focuses upon how teachers may utilize various intelligences within the classroom. While a teacher may tend to thrive in a logical manner, she must still focus upon students who prefer bodily kinesthetic or linguistic. This was valuable to my learning as it applied our class discussions regarding each student’s preferred learning method. In an effort to reach all students, the teacher must expand her own comfort zone by either asking for help from other faculty members or asking the students for input, thus allowing them involvement in their own education. As the book discussed the factors which impaired students’ learning, it is important for future teachers to remember that they too can become negative influences on students various intelligences. Instead, teachers should encourage each student to utilize each of their various intelligences and learn in their own way.

Chapter 1: The Foundations of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences

In chapter two, the book focuses upon how teachers may utilize various intelligences within the classroom. While a teacher may tend to thrive in a logical manner, she must still focus upon students who prefer bodily kinesthetic or linguistic. This was valuable to my learning as it applied our class discussions regarding each student’s preferred learning method. In an effort to reach all students, the teacher must expand her own comfort zone by either asking for help from other faculty members or asking the students for input, thus allowing them involvement in their own education. As the book discussed the factors which impaired students’ learning, it is important for future teachers to remember that they too can become negative influences on students various intelligences. Instead, teachers should encourage each student to utilize each of their various intelligences and learn in their own way.