Dr.
Howard Gardner, director of Project Zero and professor of psychology
and educational sciences at the University of Harvard has since 1993
proposed his theory of Multiple Intelligences. Through
this theory Dr. Gardner concluded that intelligence is not innate and
fixed that dominates all the skills and problem solving skills that
humans possess, determined that the intelligence is located in different
areas of brain,
interconnected and which may also work individually, having the
property of fully developed if find an environment which provides the
necessary conditions.
For the first time in 1993, Gardner said there are seven intelligences. These are: verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, physics-kinesthetic, spatial, musical, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Then
based on recent studies established that there are more minds: the
naturalist, the spiritualist, the existential, the digital and others.
Educators
who do educational projects with the Seven Multiple Intelligences
Naturalist intelligence have been incorporated as the eighth of them.
Let's look at each:
•
Linguistic intelligence-verbal: the ability to use words effectively,
by manipulating the structure or syntax of language, phonetics,
semantics, and its practical dimensions.
It
is in the children who love to write stories, read, play with rhymes,
tongue twisters and in learning other languages easily.
•
The physical-kinesthetic intelligence: the ability to use the body to
express ideas and feelings, and its special coordination, balance,
dexterity, strength, flexibility and speed as well as proprioceptive and
tactile.
She was seen in children who excel in sports, dance, movement and / or construction work using various concrete materials. Also in those who are skilled in the execution of instruments.
•
logical-mathematical intelligence: the ability to do math, logical
patterns and relationships effectively, and other functions and
abstractions of this type.
Children who have developed approaches and easily analyze problems. They approach the numerical calculations, statistics and budgets with enthusiasm.
•
Spatial intelligence: the ability to assess with certainty the look and
space, to represent graphically the ideas, and raise the color, line,
form, shape, space and their interrelationships.
It is in the children study better with charts, diagrams, tables. They like concept mapping and mind. Well understood plans and sketches.
•
Musical intelligence: the ability to perceive, distinguish, process and
express the rhythm, timbre and pitch of musical sounds.
Children demonstrate that they are attracted by the sounds of nature and all kinds of melodies. Enjoy following the beat with his foot, hitting or shaking an object rhythmically.
•
Interpersonal intelligence: the ability to distinguish and perceive the
emotional states and interpersonal signs of others, and respond
effectively to such practical actions.
The
children have enjoyed working in groups, which are convincing in their
negotiations with peers and adults, who understand your partner.
•
Intrapersonal intelligence: the ability of the autoinstrospección, and
act accordingly on the basis of this knowledge, to have a successful
self-image, self-discipline and ability, understanding and love.
The evidence of children who are thoughtful, reasoning usually successful and peer counselors.
• Naturalist intelligence: the ability to distinguish, categorize and use environmental elements, objects, animals or plants. Both urban and suburban environment or rural. It includes the skills of observation, experimentation, reflection and questioning of our environment.
It occurs in children who love animals, plants, which recognize and investigate features like the natural world and the manmade.
How
much intellectual ability, and how much we own development capacity,
however, when analyzing the curricula taught in many institutions and
force students to follow the children, we note that simply focus on the
prevalence of linguistic and mathematical intelligences giving minimal attention to other possibilities of knowledge. Which
is why many students who do not excel in the mastery of traditional
academic intelligences, are not recognized and thus diluting its
contribution to cultural and social level, and some even think they are
some failures, when in reality they are suppressing their talents.
For
the above described, then we know that there is no general intelligence
to grow or stagnate, but a cast multiple aspects of intelligence, some
much more sensitive than others to changing stimuli.
Today
we speak of development of the child, ie including all aspects of
development (physical, sexual, cognitive, social, moral, language,
emotional, etc..), This is based on the theory of the Development of
Intelligence Multiple.
There
are two key types of extreme experiences in the development of
intelligence that is important to consider the experiences crystallizing
and paralyzing experiences. The
first, crystallizing experiences are milestones in the personal
history, key to the development of talent and skills in people. Often these events occur in early childhood. These experiences are what ignite the spark of intelligence and begin to develop to maturity.
On
the other hand there are paralyzing experiences as consideration for
the above, relate to those experiences that block the development of
intelligence, are full of negative emotions, able to slow the normal
development of intelligence. Feelings of fear, shame, guilt, hate, from growing intellectually. Probably
so, that after this experience a child decides not to come closer to a
musical instrument or draw more because I decided that "do not know."
The
Theory of Multiple Intelligences has impacted those who are involved in
one way or another in the teaching-learning process. In
many cities in the United States, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Singapore
and Europe, there have been schools where they carry out activities
aimed at developing different intelligences that the individual
possesses.
There
is already talk of "Multiple Intelligences School" where students learn
and grow stronger intellectually through a curriculum that instead of
emphasizing the teaching through the minds, schools emphasize teaching
"for" intelligence. Students are motivated to help them achieve the goals they have set out to achieve.
Teachers
develop teaching strategies that take into account the different
possibilities of acquiring knowledge that the child has. If
this does not include through intelligence that chooses to tell,
consider that there are at least seven different paths to try.
Parents
are actively involved in planning activities that help enrich the
curriculum and attend meetings to discuss the progress of their children
and encourage home, understand and encourage their children to develop
their skills.
This opens up from the Theory of Multiple Intelligences a break with old paradigms of teaching.
