Do you remember your experiences in school as you were growing up? You probably remember how students were treated differently based on their intelligence. Most societies share a stereotypical understanding of what it means to be smart. And these stereotypes have been passed down from generation to generation. However, contrary to what many people might assume, every child is intelligent.
That might sound strange to some people today. They might even feel that this line of thinking is just being nice and avoiding the facts. Well, it’s time to get a fresh perspective on the topic of intelligence.
Theory of Multiple Intelligences
This theory suggests that traditional psychometric views of intelligence are too limited. Gardner first outlined his theory in his 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, where he suggested that all people have different kinds of “intelligences.”
Gardner proposed that there are eight intelligences, and has suggested the possible addition of a ninth known as “existentialist intelligence.”
In order to capture the full range of abilities and talents that people possess, Gardner theorizes that people do not have just an intellectual capacity, but have many kinds of intelligence, including musical, interpersonal, spatial-visual, and linguistic intelligences. Read more at Very Well Mind…
A square peg can only fit in a similarly-shaped hole? In the same way, children can understand anything that is taught to them as long as it’s presented properly for their type of intelligence.
The best time to capitalize on this knowledge of multiple intelligence (MI) is at the onset of education. In this way, you get children on the path that guarantees their success.
…your child may show signs of strength in a few of these above-mentioned intelligences. But this doesn’t mean they can’t become strong in all of them! According to Edutopia, it is important to give children “multiple ways to access content,” along with “multiple ways to demonstrate knowledge and skills.” These two practices will not only help to captivate students and increase their learning, but will help to develop interests and skills they might not have much experience with. Children can also learn to dive into subjects more deeply, giving them broader understandings that affect all the intelligences they have within them. Read more at Rainforest Learning Centre Inc…
Did you hear that? Your child has the potential to excel in more than one area if you direct your child’s learning according to the different types of intelligence.
So, how can you harness this amazing potential in your child? It all begins at home, and your role cannot be overstated.
To nurture and support MI in your children at home:
Spend time with kids and see what they like. Spend time doing ordinary things like having dinner or playing games. As a bonus: regular family dinners have been shown to improve kids’ health and nutrition, build strong emotional and mental skills, and lead to good behavior. Having fun and playing with kids is associated with increased empathy and happiness and less anxiety.
Value strengths instead of what kids can’t do. “We tend to see what is lacking when we label kids,” says Kornhaber. Instead of thinking, My child isn’t good at learning to read, build your child’s sense of pride in things that they are good at. “MI helps parents, teachers, and children understand children’s strengths and how these may be used to help them learn and solve problems,” Kornhaber says. Read more at Very Well Family…
The effort you make at home can be reinforced by enrolling your child in a school that harnesses the power of multiple intelligences. At Spanish For Fun! we are experts at designing your child’s learning experiences according to their unique intelligence. Contact us today to learn more about our Spanish immersion curriculum and schedule a tour of our facilities. Call (919) 881-1160 or use the contact form on our website to reach us. We look forward to speaking with you.