by Russ Collett, Tygarts Valley Middle/High School
Michelle Foster, Hickman Mills High School
Anna Mead, Conifer High School
Katherine Trueman, Seoul International School

Introduction

"I want my children to understand the world, but not just because the world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better place." 

Howard Gardner's MI has had a considerable impact on North American education since it was first introduced in 1983 in the book "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences." His theory is that people have eight different types of intelligences:

  1. linguistic,
  2. logical-mathematical,
  3. musical,
  4. body-kinesthetic,
  5. spatial,
  6. interpersonal,
  7. intrapersonal, and
  8. naturalist.(the newest intelligence)

 Traditionally education has focused and, indeed, values the first two intelligences: linguistic and logical-mathematical and students who are talented or "intelligence" in other areas may be partially recognized in school but not always in the teacher's grade book. Many educators believe that by applying the multiple intelligences to classroom work and activities, they will encourage a variety of acceptable understandings and that students will be more engaged and more successful.