MI Chapter 4

This chapter about the various practical ways that a teacher can explain multiple intelligences to their students was very helpful and informative. I think makng students aware of their different intelligences can have an extremely positive benefit in the classroom, because it encourages kids to focus on their strenghts instead of their weaknesses. The quote on page 45 that says, “What did we do in the intervening years to convince children that they’re not intelligent?” really had an impact on me, and the meaning behind that is something I want to keep in mind when I am teaching. Based on numerous factors – peer pressure, society and the media, personal difficulties – by the time kids reach high school, a good portion of them have a relatively low opinion of themselves. This can affect their education by giving them less motivation to work through adademic challenges and by making them less likely to appreciate their own success. As teachers, we need to try to reverse those notions and teach students to value their own differences and talents, and teaching them about multiple intelligences is a good way to start doing that. I learned a lot about the different ways that teachers can adapt their lessons to the different intelligences of their students. In some ways, it can be as simple as planning a variety of activities for them as opposed to doing the same thing over and over again. I also learned that students are a lot more aware of their own academic strengths and weaknesses than we might think, especially younger students. Teachers need to remember that students are the best experts on themselves, so we need to start trusting their instincts about what they need to learn effectively.