As you read in the book, the IQ test has endured some significant criticism in recent years. Cultural bias, and the limited aspects of intelligence measured cause some to question the importance of the measure. A strong focus on math and verbal abilities discount the genius of musicians, artists, artisans, and other groups of people with less measurable natural abilities and insights.

Howard Gardner broke important ground with his research and his groundbreaking book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences in 1983. Gardner’s theory states that there are multiple types of intelligences that everyone possesses in different ratios. Simply measuring one’s mathematical and verbal abilities can not adequately measure the intelligence of a person according to Gardner. Moreover, some of the intelligences possessed by certain individuals are very difficult to measure. How might one measure the brilliance of Picasso’s art with a math equation, or the incredible sense of personal body physics of a gymnast with an essay? Philosophy, art, athletics, music, social skills, and self-awareness are important facets of intelligence, but very difficult to measure.

As educators, we must be aware of the multiple facets of our students. We may have a student who has such poor handwriting we can hardly understand their writing, but they may have an almost unnatural ability to understand existential abstractions. Other students may have incredible athletic ability but struggle with algebra. Understanding multiple intelligences and having an awareness of these facets of our student’s minds may help us write lessons that appeal to learners with different strengths and abilities.

 

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Activity:

Form a group with two or three of your peers. Take an online assessment of multiple intelligences and compare your results with your group members. Are there any intelligences that are not represented in your group? If you were teaching classes together, how would your combined strengths help you be an effective teaching team? How would your weaknesses hinder your ability to teach certain topics? Create a chart listing the topics or concepts you think your group might excel and struggle in if you were designing a curriculum for fifth grade. Then write a brief summary of how you would plan on overcoming the weaknesses in your curriculum.

 

Want to learn more? Check out these links:

Google Multiple Intelligence Gardner

http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/learning/MI%20Theory.htm

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm

http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml

 

Multiple Intelligence Tests:

http://www.nedprod.com/Niall_stuff/intelligence_test.html

http://www.mitest.com/o7inte~1.htm