MI+B1+Chapter+4



Jasmine Mitchell Abstract All students need to be introduced to and taught MI theory because all eight intelligences are linked to things that all children can relate to. The time this should happen is in elementary/ middle school. Students should understand what the intelligences are and why they are important. When describing MI theory, it is best to use simple terms when discussing the eight intelligences so the students can better understand the meaning of each one. Terms such as word smart to define linguistic intelligence, number smart to define logical-mathematical intelligence, picture smart to define spatial intelligence, and so on and so forth. A great way to introduce the subject is by asking students if they feel intelligent. This will lead to doing activities to teach about the model in real life instances so the students can experience all eight intelligences is a good way to learn how the intelligences work. For example: having a career day in which people from different professions such as having an editor come in to discuss how he uses "word smart" activities in his job, or a tax accountant to see how he uses his "math smarts" in his area of work is something that could be done. Going on a field trip and taking students to places in the community where each of the eight intelligences is practiced. The idea is to continue these activities throughout the year to give the students plenty of exposure to familiarize them with MI theory. If this cannot be accomplished in younger grades, the methods can be tweaked to form into [|middle/high school] level classrooms. Either way, students need to understand MI theory.

Synthesis It was pretty clear that we as a class saw that it was very important to see MI implemented more in classrooms with younger, elementary, students. This chapter seemed more directed towards younger children, yet some reflections mentioned that the MI lessons used for younger children could be changed some to fit middle and high school students too. The best way to understand how your students learn is to ask them. So, a lesson in multiple intelligences is considered an effective solution to a teacher’s needs. Along with that, these lessons in MI, teach students that there is more the one kind of intelligence and that they are intelligent. A comment that I saw mentioned a few times was as students are older, teachers ask if students think they are intelligent. Many of us mentioned that field trips and having a [|career day] are both great ways of getting students interested. It was pointed out that it might be harder to get out in the field in middle and secondary education due to standards, which take up a lot of class time. It is still a good idea to incorporate the thought of different careers. Rather than going out into the field or incorporating outside people into the classroom, there are ways to get students involved by getting them to work together. There were suggestions in the chapter including an intelligence scavenger hunt. This will get students more involved. Teachers can make a board game that includes all eight intelligences or play an already existing one that already incorporates them. A game like this could include cranium. There are many options as long as the teacher is willing to take the time in the classroom. toc

Lizz
Chapter 4 was by far the most intriguing chapter thus far because I found many different ways that I could incorporate the eight multiple intelligences in my classroom. Some of the ways that I think I would use inside my classroom to get my students to understand and learn about their multiple intelligences would be through a career day, where they would not only learn about a career but each career would represent a different intelligence. Another way would be through field trips, where I would take the students to different places that represented a different intelligence and have them explore why it represent that intelligence. Lastly, I would do multiple intelligence tables where a different table would be a different intelligence and the students would gather at each table to figure out what intelligence they were. When it comes to multiple intelligences I don’t want my students in the classroom to know what they just are but what their classmates are in case they have a project where I tell them to structure it to one multiple intelligence. I really liked the MI pizza chart because for younger grades it must come in handy to be able to have simple terms with pictures. I know that even until this day I still like charts that are simple for me to understand. Anything that has pictures and common words is something that I will enjoy. When I was younger I wouldn’t have know what the word linguistic, spatial, interpersonal, or intrapersonal meant but I would’ve know what word smart, picture smart, people smart, and self smart meant in a heartbeat.

Chapter four connects nicely with chapter three by explain how to introduce and explain the MI theory to students. A great aspect about MI theory is that it can be explained to anyone, from a first grader to a senior in high school. MI theory does not need fancy acronyms to be explained, which makes it easy for younger students to learn and understand MI theory. When introducing MI theory, it is a good idea to give a quick five to ten minute explanation of MI theory so that the audience has a bit of background information. The authors says that he likes to ask the audience questions to show them that they are smart in one or more of the eight intelligences. The questions he asks have a sense of inclusion so the students see that everyone can see themselves as intelligent..

There are plenty of activities that teachers can use in the classroom if they wish to teach the class about MI theory. Career day is a great way to introduce the students to people of different intelligences with jobs that specialize in a given intelligence. For example, a scientist might be most proficient in logic/mathematical, a composer in musical, or a professional athlete in bodily/kinesthetic. Instead of bringing people to the classroom, teachers could bring students to places that emphasize certain intelligences, such as the zoo(naturalist) or an art museum(spacial). Teachers can make a bored game that includes all eight intelligences or play an already existing one that already incorporates them. These are but a few ways that teachers can teach students the MI theory.

Ally
Chapter Four- “Are you intelligent?” (page 45) invites the students to all be involved and answer the question about how to understand multiple intelligence because everyone is intelligent. I learned how to best teach a classroom about multiple intelligence. Instead of having just a discussion about what it is you can make it fun by having it become a game or something fun for the students. I thought the different ideas about how to teach were the most interesting because they were really creative with the table activity and bringing in local workers to talk about their profession. I don’t know if I would actually us this in the classroom however because I think it would be best used in an elementary classroom and then incorporated in the higher level grades. I think this would help my classroom because they will understand their own learning techniques that best help them. If a student knows how they learn and they have a problem with a teacher then they can explain to the teacher how they learn. I have seen students be confused with how they learn because they haven’t tried the different intelligences to figure out which best fits them. As a teacher I can use this to help my students find out which intelligence fits them. This will then help me with teaching them because I can help them learn the material. If I have a student that is having trouble understanding the material, and they aren’t sure what best intelligence to use I can help them. I could work with them one on one to figure out which intelligence fits their learning style. Then I can help them with the material that fits their learning style so they can understand it.

Jasmine
An underlying theme to chapter four is the importance of students understanding the eight different learning styles, so they can think on their own of which categories they fall under the most. I don’t find this chapter incredibly helpful at a high school level, though, because at that stage, there isn’t as much time to spend in class to figure things like this out. A suggestion that was given in the book was to teach a fraction lesson eight different ways and ask the students which they preferred best. The problem with this is that it is impossible to utilize time completely efficiently and teach the same lesson eight different times. It is more reasonable to figure out intelligences at younger ages when there is more opportunity and more time to spend on individual activities. I do think it is very important for students to have an idea as to what they prefer for learning styles, and of course the teacher should be aware of each child’s need, but high school is not the time they should be first hearing of it and first learning what it is. If the students are already knowledgeable of the styles, it would certainly be beneficial to utilize through lesson plans each of the varieties of learning styles by what the students say that they tend to be, but there is no way that a teacher can spend the proper time in a high school class room teaching a lesson eight different times. As far as younger ages, there were several helpful tips to teaching students about multiple intelligences including, field trips, career day, and having the students write biographies about eight different people each representing the eight learning styles. Highschool teachers definitely need to know what learning styles fit their students and incorporate each into lesson plans, but it is not the time for the students to be learning themselves how they learn best.

Jenn
In this chapter, I thought the author did a good job of bringing up ideas of how to teach students about multiple intelligences through a variety of activities that could be changed to fit any age group. Because I plan on working with older more advanced students, there were some things that I saw as less important. I did find one statement very true at the beginning of the chapter that I think guides the ways I plan to use MI in my classroom. When the author mentioned how, as you move up through the grades, less people seem to think of themselves as intelligent. I could definitely remember thinking that in high school and was pleased that a few of my teachers used this same method (of asking students if they thought they were intelligent) to start a discussion about multiple intelligences. The ways in this book I think I’d use to teach multiple intelligences would probably vary on the class, content and age of the students. However I think that field trips are a great way to introduce new concepts to students in a way they’re more likely to remember. I also like the idea of using a variety of lesson plans and then having the students reflect on what they like best. For a higher age group this can help make them feel more involved in their learning and give them insight into their personal strengths. I think that having the students display their work throughout the room can help them be reminded of the accomplishments they’ve made in various intelligences, which can help boost confidence and understanding of a particular intelligence. Finally, I think the most important way to teach multiple intelligences, although it isn’t specifically mentioned in the book, is giving students the options on how to complete certain assignments.

Dan
I believe it is very important that students are taught about the eight different intelligences outlined in the multiple intelligence theory, and should become familiar with them and see what their strengths and weaknesses are. But some of the ways the chapter describes to show and teach multiple intelligences are hard to copy. The MI Pizza used to explain very simply that everyone is intelligent in more than one way was an effective tool. In my opinion, however, that model would not work in a high school setting, as student would feel belittled and insulted at the simplicity of the activity. I would address the class straight forward, giving them a survey of multiple intelligences, then explain to them the reason behind it. Not all of the ideas outlined in how to explain multiple intelligences are bad. I believe having posters of several “intelligent” people, ranging from physicists to musicians and athlete, will strike conversation with students, even if it’s about why I have posters of the certain people. But once I tell them why, they will have a better understanding, and I will even gain insight on my students from the posters which intrigue them. The two ideas I like the best in introducing MI is the human treasure hunt and the MI story. The treasure hunt not just breaks the ice with fellow classmates, but is also a creative and unique to learn the concepts of the MI theory. Since I will be teaching English, coming up with some sort of story to explain the MI theory would be great for the atmosphere.

Brittany
This chapter explained different ways to teach students about the multiple intelligence theory and then implement it into the classroom. I like the idea of starting the school year with a five minute introduction to the theory to start the conversation on how the students learn. I think by creating this conversation on the first day and having students analyze their own intelligences. Through this activity students can begin to really look at themselves and how they learn, allowing them to choose "appropriate strategies for problem solving." This chapter gave several examples of how to explain the theory in simpler terms. I think that for the level of school I want to teach these activities would definitely have to be modified. I think that this activity will also tie into the last chapter and allow the teacher to get to know the students. So if you are a teacher with over 100 teachers this strategy would allow you to help students and yourself get to know how the class will learn best.

Jake
There are very clearly many methods that can be used when trying to teach students about the multiple intelligence theory. Armstrong discusses a quick array of methods that can be used in order effectively teach students about MI, anywhere from field trips to board games; he has got it covered in detail. He very clearly provided options that would accommodate a variety of different personalities. The method that I enjoyed the most, and would one day hope to employ, was the idea of creating a story. I'm an English concentration so naturally the idea of a story would sit well with me. However, I think it sounds effective simply because such a method would provide a face for each of the students to relate to; they would get the message that they're not all by themselves but that there are other people that learn the same way that you do. Also, it would be very easy to incorporate a Language Arts lesson into the mix. Each student could then go on to design their own group of character, each of which has to represent one of the learning styles. They could also formulate their own individual stories, and learn about short story structure. Finally, I like the connection that Armstrong draws between chapter 3 and Chapter 4. The biggest difficulty I had with Chapter three is that there seemed to be a lack of focus on student knowledge and self-analysis. I think teaching a younger generation about MI would be extremely beneficial and I personally am anxious to have the opportunity to see how it effects students learning.

Roger
The fourth chapter of MI was about introducing your students to MI. Doing this would allow students to understand more about themselves, and learn more about what they should expect from their teachers. If students know what they need, they can ask for it. Students may pick up things that teachers miss. After all, no one is perfect. This allows any student who may have slipped through the cracks to go back to their teacher, and get what they need.

One major method that the author shows is the MI Pizza. The Pizza consists of eight pieces, each piece an intelligence. Each piece has a simple explanation, so any student should be able to understand it. The visual model can be supplemented by a verbal lecture, a graphic computer program, or any other form of supplementation that comes to mind. Backing up the visual model with another form of explanation is a crucial element in the instruction of the MI method. It is a bit hypocritical for a teacher to make a presentation about MI without at least attempting to engage some the intelligences.

An appropriate selection of activities for students is a key step in instructing them in the ways of MI. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the teacher must engage their students. By providing appropriate activities for your students, you tap each of their strongest intelligences and allow them to flourish. This extends off from the point of Chapter 3, where the author went over various methods for finding out your students’ intelligences. Now that you have found out what their intelligences are, you must address them.

Katie
Teaching students about MI theory is easier than it seems. MI theory can be explained by using pictures and by asking simple questions, such as “Do you like to draw?” Another question could be “Do you enjoy writing?” Both answers would help when explaining the idea of MI theory to a student. It is easier to ask questions that everyone can answer than to ask questions that may end up singling out some students from the class. I enjoyed many of the suggestions for how to teach the MI theory to students without asking them questions. I especially liked the idea about placing posters around the room with each of them describing a different intelligence. On the first day of school I would probably hang the posters up and make my students stand by which one they prefer the most. Then I would go around and ask them why they chose that poster. I might even decide to have them pick groups by putting students of different intelligences into groups together and have them work on a project throughout the year. I think that placing students into groups where they all learn differently would succeed with them having a well balanced and completed project in the end.

Caleb
Multiple intelligences are great. They allow students to understand a deeper understanding of themselves. Also it gives an edge to a teacher’s ability to teach. The main lesson repeated throughout the book so far is that students every student learns differently. Since, each student has a unique style then a teacher has to observe and adapt to his classroom. The best way to understand how your students learn is to ask them. So, a lesson in multiple intelligences is considered an effective solution to a teacher’s needs. Along with that, these lessons in MI, teach students that there is more the one kind of intelligence and that they are intelligent. The basic concept that we once thought was intelligence is thrown out the window and replaced with a new idea, an idea of a broader intelligence one that is not confined to memorization of facts and above average test scores. This chapter for me taught me solid approaches to start the conversation of multiple intelligences in the classroom. Having events where we introduce different jobs and careers for the different intelligences can help along with creating creative stories about how multiple intelligences effects our world. As long as the information about multiple intelligences gets into the heads of students through the means of however they learn best that’s all that matters. Getting the students to understand how they best learn appears to be an idea that makes a whole lot of sense. In my classroom at least I hope that I will have chance to talk to my students about these intelligences. Giving the chance to understand that there isn’t one way to learn but dozens.

Abby
This chapter dealt with the concept of teaching students what the multiple intelligence theory is. One of the facts that caught my attention was that the further along in school a student is the less likely it is that they will consider themselves intelligent. I think that this is because such a great enfaces is put on our maths, sciences, and languages. I believe that it is important as teachers to address this idea of multiple intelligences because it would be beneficial for the students to understand that we each have areas that we are more capable in. Many of the examples of how to introduce this theory were very helpful. I particularly liked the idea of the eight intelligence tables. I think that this is a good tangible way of showing the students the different types of intelligences. That way at each station they can see, feel, play with, listen to, or think about the different learning styles and intelligences as well as explore which ones fit them best. Since I will be teaching high school aged kids this exercise might seem a bit juvenile, but I think that giving them a different type of assignment that deals with each eight intelligences respectively and then having them think about and discuss which ones they liked best would be an extremely beneficial exercise for both me as a teacher and for them as they try to figure out how they learn best. Because if a student continues to use flash cards to study for his tests, but fails them anyway and finds out that he learns well during the musical exercise he might realize that putting concepts to music might help him remember them better.

Alex
Chapter 4: This chapter was insightful into ways that you can relate to your students as well as play into their multiple intelligences in the classroom, not only playing to their strengths but playing to their weaknesses as well. For example me as a kinesthetic/interpersonal learner allowing me the action to participate on a field trip where I get the interpersonal of being with my classmates, the kinesthetic of moving around on the trip, and then going to a place such as a psychologists office, where I get intrapersonal aspect of the trip. Thus playing to my strengths so I enjoy the trip and learn about something that isn’t my strong point. This chapter was insightful to me on ways of making my classroom reflect my learning styles, and my strong points in multiple intelligences which is helpful in a management standpoint. Yet what is truly helpful form this chapter is the sections on ways of making the learning in the classroom diverse to the different learning styles that I will encounter, from readings, to autobiographies, to displays, all the way to board games, and plays! This was exactly what I was hoping to read to allow myself to generate ways that I can meet every child’s learning style in my class, and this is because I want learning to be fun, I want them to like learning in my class, develop a love for school, and most importantly have them develop a sense of loving to learn so they never give up on it and pursue it there whole lives.