MI+B1+Chapter+5

Dan Abstract: The main focus of this chapter is incorporating the theory of multiple intelligences into the classroom curriculum. Teaching is not like a bank where teachers deposit knowledge into a student’s mind, and the student recites what the knowledge is. It’s deeper than that: it’s about awakening the student’s mind to think for itself and look beyond what’s in the text. To do so, teachers must be able and willing to change their methods, whether it is simply playing music for transitions, providing hands-on experiments, or having the students moving about. As long as the educational value is held firmly with each exercise, learning will prosper. It is also important to design [|MI lessons] accordingly. Having a specific goal in mind is the most important part in planning, and then it’s a matter of brainstorming different possibilities that could be incorporated in the lesson for all students, as well as several activities and assignment, then implementing the plan into the classroom. Teaching in a [|thematic] fashion allows educators to easily connect the content to real world ideals, as this type of learning mirrors the world around the students. This style of teaching is also very successful as it allows educators to actively involve the theory of multiple intelligences into the classroom more efficiently. But it is very important to understand that there is no set model for incorporating MI into the classroom curriculum, and that there is more than one way to integrate multiple intelligence. As long as the educator tries to reach beyond the intelligences of the students to promote successful learning, the curriculum will be fine.

Synthesis: As I read through all of the posts, almost everyone agrees that it is important that we relate the subject at hand back to the real world. When the content is related to real life scenarios, students are more likely to be actively engaged in learning. The idea of [|thematic instructions], which reflects the real world through the subjects taught, is something that we all saw as important, and relates back to having students see the big picture of learning. We want to somehow incorporate the different intelligences or different learning styles into our activities to really motivate our students. The list of activities and different approaches the different intelligences was also very helpful to us. I believe we all want to, in some way, incorporate different methods when we teach, but because of the way we were taught in our own experiences, we do not know how to make English logical, or history fit for a naturalist. The more examples we are given, the better we understand how to make a difference for our future classroom. toc

Tyler
The main topic for chapter 5 is developing a curriculum using the MI theory. The author first gives some background information on multimodal teaching and how the philosophy of multiple intelligence is not new and that nearly every important educational figure has strayed away from verbal pedagogy. Jean Jacuques Rousseau taught his students through experience, not books. Maria Montessori created tactile letters and John Dewey created the idea of the classroom being a microcosm of society. All of these teachers reached beyond teaching from the text and found new ways to capture students minds. This is the basic idea that teachers today should use while teaching using MI theory; keep the content in mind, but shift teaching styles to adapt to different intelligences. While giving a lecture, a teacher can draw on the board(spacial), create a rhythm to teach to(musical), use body language to emphasize certain words(kinesthetic), give time students to reflect(intrapersonal), allow group discussions(interpersonal), and include nature in their teaching(natural). Integrating these styles into a lesson plan is not as hard as it seems.

The book gives a list four pages long on activities for students to do that include the eight intelligences. To list a few from each category, brainstorming, debates, word games, creating codes, logic puzzles, Socratic questioning, color cues, optical illusions, body maps, field trips, mime, group singing, mood music, board games, simulations, choice time, interest centers, eco-study, and gardening. Incorporating these types of activities into a lesson plan is a great start to using MI in the classroom. Also, using the planning sheets introduced on page 65 and 66 are ways to brainstorm topics using the eight intelligences.

Jake
Chapter 5 in //Multiple Intelligences// by Thomas Armstrong talks about adapting the Multiple Intelligence Theory into our curriculum. He points out that many classrooms today usually consist of a teacher talking and a group of students expected to listen. Oddly enough this is how we orchestrate many of our educational functions; if we look at seminars, religious services, college courses, lectures, and presentations, all of them are usually formatted in such a way that one person speaks and the rest of the group listens. Armstrong defines these traditional settings as linguistically and logic-mathematically focused. He then points out that if we are going to accept Multiple Intelligences theory than it needs to come out in our classroom, and not simply feed one or two forms of intelligence. He suggests a variety of differing lesson ideas, and ways of accommodating for the different intelligences a teacher is likely to face. I think this is a phenomenal point, though I don’t know if I’m yet convinced that MI theory is anything more than just another theory, I do think it’s important to engage kids in different ways. People definitely do learn better through things they can relate to, that is undeniable. As Armstrong closes the chapter, he discusses what he calls “thematic instruction” (67). Thematic instruction is simple connecting learning and education to the real world, which,obviously, is essential to school. For this reason I think it is vital that, as future educators, we seek to connect our students learning with something that is truly important, to something that will actually matter to them someday, and not to simply expect our students to go through the motions; learning things simply because we’ve asked them to.

Abby
This chapter dealt with developing a curriculum for the Multiple Intelligence Theory. Learning through experience is one of the key ideas when considering a MI curriculum. Lecturing is not in and of itself bad, but it should not be used exclusively. Often, teachers become so concerned with all the content that they want students to know that they forget how to actually teach it to students in a way that they will understand. Lecturing can provide a lot of information in a relatively short amount of time however how much of that information is actually sticking with the students and how much are they actually learning. The MI lesson plans are very flexible and always changing depending on the students and yet organized at the same time.

I really like that this chapter gave a lot of examples on how to incorporate these Multiple Intelligence ideas into the different classes. I also like the fact that it focuses on interdisciplinary learning because the world itself is interdisciplinary and it does not make sense that students would learn different subjects in isolation of the others. The main idea of Multiple Intelligence lesson planning is that each concept should be able to be translated into the different types of intelligences. Even if though it is impossible to teach using each intelligence in each lesson the unit should use all eight intelligences at some point so that all students have the opportunity to learn in their preferred manner at some point. I also like the idea of the lessons being flexible and working around the different situations that are presented in the class. I do not like it when teachers have a plan and refuse to stray from it. It really should be about how the students can best learn the information and as teachers we need to be willing to adapt.

Jasmine
Curriculum development in an MI classroom is very different than a traditional classroom. MI teachers not only stand in front of the classroom and lecture. They also shift methods of presentation from linguistic to musical to special etc. They try to combine different learning styles into the lesson in creative ways. A productive way to appeal to students could be to play music during class in order to appeal to the musical students and to get their brains working. There are a variety of different activities that could be done for each different learning style. Obviously it is not possible to think about planning every lesson eight different ways but it is definitely reasonable to use one method per day and rotate in order to reach all eight every two weeks. A great method that I would use in my classroom to make sure I incorporate all of the learning styles would be to make a web chart and write all eight methods along with notes about how to incorporate each of them into the lessons. This is rather time consuming but needs to be done in order to make sure that students can all be reached in each lesson to have the most successful class and learning environment. This is something that needs to be done in order to ensure that all students are given the same opportunities in the classroom to learn successfully.

Jenn
Chapter 5 explained how to incorporate MI theory into the curriculum. I really liked how it mentioned that the No Child Left Behind law has created restrictions on how to do this easily, but it has also been used throughout history, even recognized by Plato. Although it may have not been fully recognized or used to its full potential, it’s encouraging to hear that it’s been used by many influential people in education. Another thing I really liked about this chapter was how it pointed out that MI theory can be used in any classroom, which really helps explain how easy it can be to implement such a vast idea into your personal classroom. This chapter really helped put my mind at ease, because using MI theory seems like such a hard concept, especially since there is no set way to accomplishing it. In other ways I thoroughly embrace the idea that one or two ideas for specific learning styles can be translated through your own personal interpretation to encompass all the other learning styles. I think that this could be problematic and worthwhile at the same time. In one way, you are incorporating the themes as you see fit to benefit the students, so they are bound to all be on a similar page. The other way though, is this can cause your classroom to still have a personal bias which isn’t really helping the students as much as the MI instruction methods should. I think that it should have been mentioned that, in this regard, teachers should find colleagues with strengths in learning styles you have a harder time recognizes, and review lessons with them to get a better insight into the appropriateness of the activity. Also, having students contribute ideas on what works best for them would be extremely useful, which the chapter did mention.

Dan
Understanding the theory of multiple intelligences is a great fleet that must be accomplished, but it is also pivotal that we incorporate multiple intelligences into our curriculum. The contrast between being a traditional teacher using linguistics and logical standpoints and an MI teacher involving all types of standpoints is major. An MI teacher will still lecture when appropriate, but will also involve several different elements into the classroom, like using music to teach or having students involved with each other in several ways to engage the classroom. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to incorporate different elements into y classroom, because the idea of teaching a differentiated classroom becomes more appealing each day. Thanks to this chapter, I will use the list of different activities available to construct my classroom curriculum. For example, for someone who is considered a spatial learner, I could have them draw a picture of a scene from a novel. Or to accommodate for a kinesthetic learner, they could act out a part of a play. The seven step process of creating a lesson plan incorporating multiple intelligences was extremely helpful. The steps are very basic, but very effective in determining the suitable material that should be taught and how it should be taught. It is important to consider the theory of multiple intelligences, because we want students to succeed in our classroom, and by differentiating our curriculum, we create better chances for all students to learn.

Roger
The fifth chapter of MI focuses on integrating the MI theory into lesson plans. The author came up with a seven step system that allows for this integration to be successful. The steps are: Focus on a specific objective or topic, ask key MI questions, consider the possibilities, brainstorm, select appropriate activities, set up a sequential plan, and finally implement the plan. (Armstrong, pp. 65-66) Basically, the idea is to start with a base subject and then build on it using MI. MI does not decide what is taught, it decides //how// it is taught. After the first step of determining a focus point, the MI theory can then be applied to figure out different approaches. When dealing with the whole classroom, it would be best to brainstorm ideas for each of these categories, so each student can be addressed. The book included a web for brainstorming, showing each of the eight intelligences branching off from the main idea or objective. Next to each of the intelligences is a place where ideas for different activities can be put down. Most of what was covered in chapter 5 will be covered more in-depth in the next chapter. The main idea of this chapter was more the preparation and planning section of lessons, while the next chapter focuses on making plans into actions. The author continued the point that too much class time is spent lecturing, a point that has been beaten to death in this book. The section above is really the only valuable contribution this chapter had to the book, the rest of it is either repetitive or leading into the next chapter.

Katie
In chapter 5 of the MI book, the main idea is for students to gain an understanding of what the MI (multiple intelligence) teacher does and how they make learning easier for students. The MI teacher is supposed to coordinate all learning types into a lesson by drawing on the board, talking aloud, playing music, or making the students watch a video. The idea of this method of teaching is so that students who have different intelligences and learn differently than others can learn the material that is being taught. I agree that every teacher should teach in different ways so that students that learn differently than others have the chance to learn easier. Teachers should not only teach by using the white board or by lecturing to the class, but they should be able to incorporate different tools and methods in order for them to be sure that every type of MI student had the opportunity to learn the material that they were given. Teachers should be able to teach students with the intention to help them gain a full understanding of the unit they are covering and in order for the students to gain a full understanding of the material, the teacher must be willing to teach the students in different ways than what they might have found to be useful in a school setting. Many teachers still feel that writing on the board and lecturing to students is the best way to address a lesson, but those teachers must adjust to the idea of MI teaching.

Ally
The first line in this chapter annoys me the most “out of 1,000 classrooms nearly 70% of the time the teacher is talking” this means that the teacher is just talking and the students are just taking notes, this doesn’t help active students. The book then takes a look at the multiple intelligence teachers as opposed to the regular teacher. I am sure there is multiple ways to distinguish a multiple intelligence teacher and a regular teacher not only is the multiple intelligence teacher engaging they also have a fun comfortable classroom. I think the most important part of the chapter was the table of the “Summary of the Eight Ways of Teaching” because it went into detail about the teaching activities and the instructions that each type of intelligence would use. Then the book makes a list about the different activities you can do with your students. I find this very important to me as a teacher because this will give me ideas for my future students. I am not going to have all the same intelligence in my classroom so I have to be able to provide activities that will engage each of my students. These ideas can also be starting points for brainstorming ideas for activities. A good teacher not only can teach but also can be engaging and can come up with unique and fun activities for their students to do. I think this will be beneficial in the classroom because I think my students will enjoy school more if they are interested in the school. Many students tend to dropout of high school because they don’t like school because it is boring. By using unique ideas and trying to be different, it would help kids stay in school.

Caleb
The classroom is home to a variety of learners. So, as teachers we have to create lessons around each type of learner. In order to do this we first have to write down what style best supports each kind of learner. For instance, a linguistic learner will find a teacher writing their information on a board better then a auditory learner who will learn best from just listening. When we are constructing lesson ideas a teacher has to plan what his or her objectives are for each type of learner in order to get the best-desired result. Another way we go about teaching is to use a thematic approach. Which introduces the student to real-life applications of the material at hand. For instance, when teacher kids about fractions using the money as an example tends to be the best way to have the kids understand what is going on. Looking through my days as a student I am beginning to notice that there are three main styles of learning that are being addressed by our teaching system. Linguistic, auditory, and logical-mathematical are these three top contenders. Hopefully, as a teacher I don’t lean towards these individuals. All I have to do in order to maintain a level of common respect amongst my students is just to ask the question at the beginning of my lesson “ Will my students learn from this?” If I am able to answer this question then I believe that it will work out for the best.

Lizz
Chapter 5 of Multiple Intelligence is called MI Theory and Curriculum Development. The first sentence is the best sentence because it says that says that MI contribution to education is it suggested that teachers need to expand their techniques, tools, and strategies beyond the typical classroom. MI theory is what actual good teachers already do by going beyond the text and the blackboard and reach to the students to get them to open their minds. In a traditional classroom, the teacher is those types of teachers who stand in the front of the classroom, asks the students questions, and waits while they finish written work. In an MI classroom, the teacher mixes it up often combing different intelligences in the most creative ways. The MI teacher gets the students engaged and interacting with each other in different ways such as small groups or large groups. When I was in high school I had a teacher who would never let any of the students work in pairs and I always wanted to because I liked being around people. Chapter 5 also suggests one way to create a MI lesson plan using a seven-step procedure. The first step focus on a specific objective or topic followed by ask key MI questions, consider the possibilities, brainstorm, select appropriate activities, set up a sequential plan, and lastly implement the plan. I want to be the type of teacher who can mix up the lesson plans and get the students wanting to learn and wanting to participate in activities. I can use the MI lesson plan suggestions to help me when I am making my own lesson plans.

Alex Slack
This chapter is awesome and by far just inspirational. The section of this chapter that describes being a MI teacher is just great. If that section on being a MI teacher doesn’t inspire the new generation of teachers then they need to rethink and pick a new career. I am so excited to be the teaching generation of change because I feel what I have learned and when I look back at my personal education I see a necessary change and I am excited to be that change and to make the world a better place. This section had a plethora of things to learn from and all were helpful to what I can use in my future classroom. The table that had all of the multiple learning styles and ways to get them engaged in a lesson and to get them to enjoy school. These ideas help build lessons for these students and also cultivate learning for all students in the classroom. The use of visual aids to boost learning was extremely helpful because a lot of kids learn visual and I struggle in the visual aid category because I and visual don’t see eye to eye in a friendly manner. I also really enjoyed the lists of items that kids with each learning style can really enjoy, get involved in, and gets them to be engaged and involved in class. Also having things to put in your classroom is helpful to because it shows that your room can be engaging to your students.

Brittany
This chapter brings MI into the curriculum for teachers. By doing this teachers can make the classroom and curriculum less linguistic and logically predominant and bring in other intelligences. Teachers usually talk at students for a majority of the class period through instruction or lecture. This chapter explains that teachers need to "awaken students minds" and go beyond the blackboard. This becomes difficult when teachers feel the pressure to cover all the content in the short period of time. The chapter gives a list of different techniques and materials for each Multiple Intelligence that can be used in classrooms to help teach students in ways that will help them to learn. I really liked the list because it gave me a lot of new ideas for my classroom. I also found the seven steps to create lesson plans that incorporate MI extremely useful because it gives explanation of each step and shows a couple graphic organizers for planning questions and and other parts of the lesson. The graphic organizer is a great way to separate the information based on the multiple intelligence rather than by expected outcome. I definitely like the idea of implementing an eight day plan that incorporates each intelligence for a day. By giving each intelligence it's own day the students will not only be able to see new ways to learn, but they will have a full day to show their strengths and learn in the way most comfortable to them.