OEC
Multiple intelligences

Multiple intelligences: February 10/11, 2009

Howard Gardner’s (1983) eight kinds of intelligences. The idea is to more broadly, and perhaps more accurately, understand what we mean by the umbrella term “intelligence.”

“Clicky pens,” since your brains learn better in color:

• Blue ink: annotate
• Underlined in green ink: I agree; I’ve had this experience; this is true.
• Underlined in red ink: I disagree; I have not had this experience; this is false.

Annotation after every question and answer—but remember to underline in green or red ink based on whether you agree with the statement, or have experienced this.

Remembering back to Bloom’s Taxonomy in Chapter 2 … and to the handout from earlier in the year …

In small groups: your job is to focus on critical thinking level questions (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) (check out page 41, 44 and 45 of your textbook).

Each group needs to come up with TWO higher level questions that could be used as an essay question for the article you just read. What we will do at 3:30 is compile all the questions (meaning we will have 14 of them). You will choose ONE of these for your writing topic.

Remember: if you’re not sure what a higher order level question is, be sure to consult your book!

The questions:

• Is it the school’s responsibility to teach truth, beauty and good? Are these even things that can be taught?
• Why don’t schools honor different types of intelligences?
• What evidence exists that supports Gardner’s claim that there are multiple kinds of intelligence?
• How does a school teach abstract concepts like truth, beauty and good?
• Why is it important to understand your learning style or dominant intelligences?
• Why do teachers generally think the strict “study and drill technique” is the best way to learn for all students?
• Do you think that the multiple intelligence approach should be used in every day school? Why or why not? How?
• Do you think it’s possible to apply this approach in a school in practice? Why or why not?
• How might the school experience be different for students and teachers if Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences were truly emphasized, rather than standardized test and assessment models?
• Would it be possible for all students to achieve if schools “bought in” to the concept of multiple intelligences? Are we doing students a disservice, or a service, by requiring them to learn in a particular style?
• How do your teachers teach you? What are some of their techniques? How does this relate to the article? Explain.
• Should teachers be required to use the theory of multiple intelligences in their teaching? Why or why not?
• Is Howard Gardner right when he says the “three R’s” are the foundation students should be taught early on, but that they’re not taught very well at present? Do you agree?
• What evidence does a school have to show that the theory of multiple intelligences work to cure panic attacks?
• What would be the disadvantages of utilizing multiple intelligences in K-12?
• If you could design a school curriculum and assessment, what would it look like?

HOMEWORK: Quiz on this next week; and then choose ONE of the above questions and write a MINIMUM of a one-page essay response. It should include your own personal experiences in school, and should include information you’ve learned from Chapter 7 about multiple intelligences, VARK, left-brain/right-brain, etc.