Howard Gardner, a
Harvard-based
psychologist, formulated
a list of eight
intelligences that he
believes we all have and
use to a greater or
lesser degree. His
theory of Multiple
Intelligences
acknowledges that
intelligence manifests
itself in different ways
for different people,
which is a counterpoint
to the notion that
intelligence can solely
reflect IQ. At
Sandhills, we call these
intelligences “smarts.”
They are:
 |
Word
smart |
| |
 |
understands language, written and spoken |
 |
does well at foreign languages, computer technology, and conversation |
|
| |
|
 |
Logic
smart |
| |
 |
analyzes problems logically, do mathematical operations, and investigate scientifically |
 |
enjoys puzzles and number and logic games |
|
| |
|
 |
Body
smart |
| |
 |
ability to use mental abilities to coordinate physical movements to solve problems |
 |
usually very athletic |
 |
enjoys make believe, and uses various manipulatives to solve problems |
|
| |
|
 |
Nature
smart |
| |
 |
able to recognize and interpret environmental changes whether in nature or simply downtown |
 |
notices characteristics of plants and animals and is able to organize and group them |
|
| |
|
 |
Self
smart |
| |
 |
has the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations |
 |
enjoys working on projects independently |
|
| |
|
 |
People
smart |
| |
 |
concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people |
 |
understands how to communicate and work collaboratively |
 |
enjoys group projects, discussions, and role-playing |
|
| |
|
 |
Picture
smart |
| |
 |
recognizes the use of patterns, is able to create and manipulate mental images |
 |
usually very artistic |
|
| |
|
 |
Music
smart |
| |
 |
expressive through music or rhythmic involvement |
 |
enjoys singing, dancing, or playing an instrument |
|
| |
|
| |
|
We use Multiple
Intelligences as a lens
through which we channel
our curriculum. If our
goal is to learn about
butterflies, for
example, we may read
stories about them, draw
pictures, and write
reports. We may also act
out the life cycle of
the butterfly,
metamorphasize larvae in
the classroom, or take a
walk around our
beautiful campus,
magnifying glasses and
nets in hand, to see how
many species we can
find.
By
recognizing and teaching
through our students’
“smarts,” we are
encouraging them to use
their diverse abilities
and capitalize on their
strengths. We are also
allowing them to be
successful learners,
which, for many of our
students, may be a new
experience. |