~ The MI News ~
Fall 1999 Edition (Volume 1,
Number 8)
Publisher Branton Shearer | Editor
Cliff Morris
Table of contents
1 A review of Howard Gardner's Intelligence
Reframed by Clifford Morris
2 Becoming an MI inspired teacher by Branton Shearer
3 Applying MI theory at community colleges by Clifford Morris
4 MI lesson plans by Diana Labbe & Angie Thompson
5 For your minds only: Reader survey and addresses by Clifford Morris
1. Intelligence Reframed Reviewed
by Clifford Morris
Pictures of our Minds
Almost two decades ago, a Harvard cognitive
`developmental psychologist, Howard Earl Gardner, wrote Frames of Mind: The
Theory of Multiple Intelligences, a book he believed he was writing
predominantly to enlighten mainstream psychologists, not educators. In
that book, he proposed a novel notion: the psychological construct
'intelligence' should be formally measured in more ways than simply through dry
statistical analytical lenses of widely accepted logical/linguistic IQ-type
formalized tests, tests standardized for most school systems. Gardner
questioned the classical belief that humans could have only one 'mode of
representation' about life; instead, he suggested that a more pluralistic
viewpoint for measuring mental functioning ought be addressed – a variety of
intelligent ways of thinking.
Or to put it another way, Gardner suggested that
our intelligences are organized 'vertically', as a number of almost different
faculties, rather than 'horizontally', as a set of abilities. This
viewpoint was in direct contrast to many of the language and logic theorists of
the time who believed (and many continue to do so) that there was only one kind
of general intelligence, or 'g', that we either has a lot of it or not that
much, and that there was virtually very little that we could be do about that.
In Frames, Gardner theorized a master
list of seven basic intelligences to represent these other modes, including the
widely accepted linguistic-verbal and logical-mathematical, and visual-spatial,
bodily-kinesthetic, musical-rhythmic, and the two most criticized
intelligences, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Frames was very well
received by those in the educational arena. The book was reprinted
numerous times and translated into Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian,
Japanese, and Spanish. It was selected by five book clubs. To this
day, it "is still his best-known and most influential book" (Eberstadt,
1999, p. 7). In other words, Frames became his claim-to-fame.
In his second 1999 book, Intelligence
Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century, Gardner once again
acquaints his followers with another first rate book that continues the
argument he made in earlier books, that there are multiple forms of
intelligences. Although "he introduces the possibility of three new
intelligences (but canonizes only existential intelligence and naturalist
intelligence)" (book jacket, inside front cover), Gardner, feels that what
is MORE important is how people make use of MI to carry out daily tasks
prized in the culture. This latter statement was well summarized during a
recent interview when Gardner said "The fact that we have the same
intelligences means that we can communicate with one another. But the
fact that we represent things mentally in numerous symbolic systems to one
another means that we are not necessarily going to construe things in the same
way or see the same options."
Intelligence Reframed, which "draws
heavily on [four] essays written in the 1990s" (p. ix) contains 12
Chapters. In the opening three chapters, comments on the mainstream
scientific view of intelligence are reintroducing, including MI theory.
These chapters provide important background documentation on the 'psychometric
dominance' before MI. In Chapter 3, Gardner redefines intelligence,
reviews the eight criteria for intelligence, and clarifies the original seven
intelligences. In the next three chapters, he introduces the possibility
of four additional candidate intelligences: moral, spiritual, existential, and
naturalist, however settling only on the latter two. In Chapters six and
seven, questions related to recent myths and issues are discussed. In particular,
he "responds in lively dialogue to the critiques leveled against"
MI. The reader is offered a series of well thought out observations on
how MI theory has been deciphered and misconstrued. Any relationships
between leadership, creativity, and intelligence are discussed in Chapter 8.
The strength of Intelligence Reframed
lies in its core, the next three chapter describing and justifying "the
ways in which MI theory can be applied to scholastic and "wider
world" settings. Gardner's line of reasoning is persuasive, not
because of the extensiveness of the information he includes, and his
realization that certain mainstream institutions may encounter difficulty
implementing his "multiple approaches to understanding", but because
his script, as always, is vibrant and lucid enough to hold our interests more
than a monotonous statistical analyses of a psychometric theory of intelligence
would, yet firm and advanced enough that he can be taken as a serious thinker
rather than as some pop cognitivist.
These three chapters outline how others have
successfully implemented MI; they detail how the MI model can be easily applied
to classroom learning and also infused into the "the wider
society." In fact, all of Chapter 11 comments on MI in the wider
world of institutions and business communities. Here, Gardner outlines
ways that he has observed MI "at work in children's museums",
including possibilities within art museums, and finally, within the
workplace. The book concluded with Chapter 12 where he addresses (somewhat)
the question he first introduced in Chapter 1: Who Owns Intelligence?
While the jury will be out most likely well in the 21st century on this deep
and philosophical problem, may it be said, for now, that the "proprietary
rights" to intelligences belong to all? The book is especially
important for the way in which it lays out a challenge to the 'psychometric
consensus.' More specifically, I feel that the book is important for the
following four (4) reasons.
First of all, the book is important because it
refines Gardner's original definition of intelligence: the capacity to solve
problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural
settings, to a more cultivated version, intelligence is "a
bio-psychological potential to process information that can be activated in a
cultural setting to solve problems or create products that are of value in a
culture" (pp. 33-34). Gardner perceives intelligences as
"potentials – presumably, neural ones – that will or will not be activated,
depending upon the values of a particular culture, the opportunities available
in that culture, and the personal decisions made by individuals and/or their
families, schoolteachers, and others" (p. 34). This is a revision of
great consequence. By now referring to intelligences as a 'potential',
Gardner, at last, brings to everyone's attention a most important distinction,
"intelligence not as a content", but "geared to specific
contents in the world." To reinforce this point, Gardner elsewhere
likens his intelligences to "elastics bands" that can be stretched
beyond those "psychometrically intelligent."
Second, the book is important because it
outlines procedures for assessing MI. This is another important point
because, in previous writings, Gardner has been appropriately attacked for
failing to produce assessment instruments for his MI theory. Gardner
feels that "the classical short-answer examinations" are of little
use. Instead, he is interested in asking "people to do things"
and to observe their skill level in the task under construction. In this
way, he feels that an examiner would be better "able to look directly at
the skills and capacities" so valued in the dominant culture. Now,
intelligences could be used "to carry out tasks valued by society."
In other words, by placing intelligence within
the role of "human information-processing and product-making
capacities", Gardner sees ongoing observation as a pragmatic assessment
tool. He prefers to assess in 'intelligent-fair' ways, that is,
"assessing people's successes in carrying out valued tasks that presumably
involve certain intelligences." Of prime importance here is a
"realistic context" for observing the skill. To better explain
all of this, Gardner sites several examples throughout the book, including the
following two. First, one way to assess interpersonal intelligences would
be to monitor individuals as they interact in "real-life situations where
they have to be sensitive to the aspirations and motives of others."
Second, the visual-spatial intelligence "would be assessed through
performances in such activities as navigating an unfamiliar terrain, playing
chess, interpreting blueprints, and remembering the arrangements of objects in
a recently vacated room."
Of greater interest are general pointers that
Gardner cautions test developers to consider: making the distinction between
one's personal preferences and their capabilities to succeed at the task at
hand, the risk of relying solely on linguistic-verbal methods to assess
abilities, and the significance of drawing on observations of actual skills,
including verification by others who best know that individual. The fact
that he has cautioned test developers about such conventional pitfalls is, at
last, a step in the right direction for those wishing to develop assessment
tools for his intelligences. To demonstrate further that Gardner is in
favor of assessment tools to measure his intelligences, he throws out the
following suggestions. Ongoing improvement in technology will open up
various avenues for computer simulations. For example, to measure one's
musical intelligence, a subject could be presented with an unfamiliar
tune. The subject could be asked to learn the tune, to implement the tune
into a musical performance, or perhaps even to involve a computer simulation
package to rearrange its composition. Gardner feels that such an
assessment exercise would reveal more about a person's musical skills than
would a traditional timed paper-pencil test dealing with the factual knowledge
of music.
Third, the book is important because Gardner
suggests six critical steps that ought to be followed before anyone establishes
an MI environment. First, one should learn as much as possible about MI
practice, especially MI theory. Some sources for doing this include
books, videos, the Internet, including CD-ROMS. Second, interested
parties might wish to form study groups and thus learn from others more
knowledgeable about MI. Third, one could visit MI schools where the MI
model has been in operation for some time, two examples being the Key Learning
Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the New City School in St. Louis,
Missouri. Fourth, much can be learned from attending MI workshops,
seminars, and conferences. Fifth, one could join a network of schools
that have been active in the MI teaching approach. Finally, Gardner
suggests to "plan and launch activities, practices, or programs that grow
out of immersion in the world of MI theory and approaches."
Finally, I believe that this book is important
because Gardner comments on a series of 'entry points' that can be used by
anyone wishing to introduce MI into a learning center, be it a classroom site,
a children's or art museum, or within the greater business community. The
entry points range from the narrative, the quantitative/numerical, the logical,
to the foundational/existential, aesthetic, hands on, and social. For the
narrative learner, Gardner suggests the linguistic-verbal intelligence as an
entrance vehicle. Here, subjects could narrate a story around what s/he
sees or hears. Those "intrigued by numbers and the patterns they
make, the various operations that can be performed, and insight into size,
ratio, and change" may wish to investigate a quantitative/numerical entry
point.
More to that final reason, Gardner suggests
"[figuring] out the cost of the materials and how that relates to the
selling price. Deductive thinkers might enjoy the logical point of entry
as they could "share [their] theory about why [an] object is
important." And for those "attracted to fundamental kinds of
questions", Gardner suggests the foundational/existential entry
point. Content "that features balance, harmony, and
composition" may inspire the aesthetic entry point. For example,
Gardner suggests that one could "describe the colors and shapes and how
they fit together." A hands on entry point may motivate those to
activities "in which they become fully engaged – where they can build
something, manipulate materials, or carry out experiments." Here,
Gardner suggests one might design a dance centered on what the viewer
saw. And finally, for those 'interpersonal' learners who "learn more
effectively" from group interaction, Gardner suggests the social entry
point.
Gardner has greatly contributed to the body of
knowledge on the nature of intelligence. He is to be commended for how he
makes a most difficult psychological construct so simple to understand.
He has presented his followers with a revised and updated picture of their
various minds and its accompanying intelligences. He has reframed the
image of intelligences for the forthcoming century, and perhaps, more
importantly, has successfully 'stretched' the mainstream 'borders' of
intelligence to include disciplines beyond education and psychology, a most
welcomed line of attack. With this book, he has accomplished a major step
in elevating the discussion of our cerebral smarts to possibly new
frontiers. For all of this, we should be truly thankful.
If there is a weakness in the book, it lies
within the opening and closing chapters. Here Gardner stumbles somewhat
in his attempt to address the authentic ownership of intelligence. He
suggests that "intelligence is too important to be left to the
intelligence testers", that the book lay "out a position that
challenges the psychometric consensus", that the book adopt the stance
that humans ought to develop a better method of viewing cognitive potential and
that what matters more than developing tests to measure intelligences is the
practical applications of intelligences. There are some interesting calls
for greater human individualization provided in these two chapters. But
the details given to intellectual renovators is inconsequential and save for
intellectual generalities, is slightly outdated. Long standing followers
of Gardner's writings, this retired teacher included, will find little in these
two chapters that they did not already know.
Nevertheless, Intelligence Reframed: Multiple
Intelligences for the 21st Century, is Howard Earl Gardner, the developmental
cognitive scientist, at his best. It is a delightful and entertaining
read and beautifully written by one of the best writers in the field of
psychology. Gardner has, once again, provided us with a significant and
well articulated text that should be widely read and discussed. As with
his previous 18 books, detailed reference notes have been conveniently located
in a section at the end of the book, so that the flow of the text is
continuous. The four appendices (Books and Articles by Howard Gardner,
Other Works About The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Videos, Newsletters,
and Miscellany, and Contacts on Multiple Intelligences Theory and its
Application) represent a welcomed background for the more interested reader.
The 292 pages of the book clearly delineate and
reframe many of the original (1983) pictures stemming from his many 'kinds of
minds' image. Every chapter title, save one, contains either the word
'intelligence' or 'intelligences' – an indication of the central theme of the
book – to "challenge the psychometric consensus" by updating the
reader with numerous fresh viewpoints from a cognitive developmental
standpoint. And, like so many of his earlier books, Intelligence
Reframed ought to have a powerful impact on all who read it because Gardner
once again introduces the reader to a common sense message, a message initially
generated from Frames: I think [Frames']
attraction had to do with the fact that I was putting into words and giving
some scholarly background -- a Harvard imprimatur -- to something so many
people in education know: Kids are very different from one another. They learn
in very different kinds of ways, and to treat them all as if they're the same
and call everybody a dummy who doesn't resemble a certain prototype is wrong.
(Current Biography Yearbook, 1998)
References
Current Biography Yearbook. (1998). Howard
Gardner, pp. 216-219. New York: H. W. Wilson Company.
Ebserstadt, Mary (1999, October & November).
The schools they deserve: Howard Gardner and the remaking of elite education. Policy
Review, 97, 3-17
2. Becoming an MI inspired teacher by Branton Shearer
Multiple Intelligences (MI) teaching is not
always drastically different from what many teachers have been doing quite
naturally. It does, however, necessitate that the
lecture-listen-text-test classroom procedure be replaced or enhanced with
activities that actively engage students in diverse, authentic and meaningful
tasks. Many teachers ask "How do I begin if I want to teach with MI
in mind?" There is not one "right way" to teach with MI
but instead, there are a range of options that you may consider as starting
points. The art of MI teaching is a personal activity that requires
careful thought regarding individual growth and professional
effectiveness. You may select beginning points from among the following
list of ideas.
Expand Your Strengths!
___ Add one intelligence at a time to your
teaching in a way that is comfortable for you but still stretches your teaching
repertoire in your areas of weakness
___ Develop
a year long personal development plan to add one or several different MI
teaching activities and strategies throughout the school year in a systematic
way
___ Add a
new form of MI-related technology into your instruction / units to increase
student motivation.
___ Bring
an MI activity from home that is a real strength and interest for you into your
curriculum
___ Adopt
one or more compensatory strategies (tape players, video machines, guest
presenters, field trips) to incorporate additional intelligences into your
lessons and units
___ Gather
periodically with like minded colleagues and brain-storm MI strategies
___ Write a
proposal for a mini grant to fund new MI activities, software or student
assessment
Develop and Use of the Power of the MI Language
___ Teach your students about the eight
intelligences
___ Use MI
language to "unpack your thinking" (Spatial thinking, Kinesthetic
problem solving, Logical reasoning, etc.) to describe how you solve problems,
create things and provide valuable services.
___ Bring
in Expert Guests (architects, artists, writers, engineers, social workers,
musicians, local historians, etc.) to teach students the language used by
people in the field.
___ Require
that students learn the MI vocabulary and give assignments where students must
use it to explain their thinking and productions.
___ Connect
the eight intelligences to the school's curricular and extra-curricular
activities.
Highlight an MI of the Day / Week / Month
___ Bring in an Expert Guest who exemplifies the
designated intelligence
___ Teach
alternative study strategies using each intelligence (Mind Mapping, musical
memorization, learning by doing and movement, etc.)
___ One
Minute MI News Flash: Describe some important aspect of the designated
intelligence daily
___ Have
student Expert Volunteers speak briefly on the daily MI and how it is used in
their lives / career plans
Add Intrapersonal Intelligence Activities to
Lessons / Units
___ Put the development of student self
awareness on the front burner of your curriculum
___ Give a
range of MI choices for projects and learning activities
___ Provide
opportunities for expression of student feelings about the material
___ Provide
forms for student Self Assessment and grade prediction by students
___ Have
students use Goal Setting, Project Planning, Self-monitoring, Evaluation
and Reflection forms
___ Provide
opportunities for Peer Feedback and evaluation to students
Accentuate Student Strengths
___ Give student self-assessment and interest
surveys and incorporate interests in class activities
___ Make
careful observations of your students and create informal assessments of their
MI strengths and weaknesses especially for those students who are struggling in
your class
___
Recognize and value students who are strong in a non-academic area and link it
to the curriculum
___ Create
MI class group profiles to become familiar with the whole group in a general
way
___ Create
opportunities for positive student feedback regarding MI strengths
___ Make
efforts to connect student strengths with the curriculum material
___ Avoid
comments about student abilities that create "paralyzing" negative
experiences
Introduce MI Projects into Your Curriculum
___ Create meaningful (perhaps small) projects
that reinforce reading and lectures
___ Set
criteria so that four or five intelligences are activated
___ Make
sure that students must present their work publicly and receive feedback
___ Make
projects that represent "authentic, real world" work connected to
important questions in "the field"
3. Applying MI theory at community colleges by Clifford Morris
Recently, I received a book, video and a series
of articles, all focusing on a most interesting program that applies MI theory
at the community college level. Both the book Coloring Outside the
Lines: Applying Multiple Intelligences and Creativity in Learning and the
video Multiple Intelligences and Creativity in Learning challenge
college professors to move beyond the traditional lecture method by adding MI
applications to their community programs. Here then are my reviews.
Review #1
A Review of Dr. Rene Diaz-Lefebvre's book, Coloring
Outside the Lines: Applying Multiple Intelligences and Creativity in Learning,
published in July of 1999, by John Wiley & Sons Inc. You can purchase
this 148-page book (ISBN 0-471-48043-6) by calling John Wiley & Sons Book
Ordering at 1-800-225-5945. The book is sold "shrink-wrapped"
to include the book and a two part video (reviewed below) for (U$) 22.00 +
shipping and tax.
The following represents my version of a
recently received copy of a review of the above book by a prominent, and well
respected Arizona educational policy leader who writes:
"As President of the Arizona Association of
Chicanos for Higher Education (AACHE), I am delighted to endorse Dr. Rene
Diaz-Lefebvre's 1999 book. Howard E. Gardner's Multiple Intelligences
Model (MIT) represents a cognitive model for teaching students at all levels
based on their learning strengths. Coloring Outside the Lines: Applying
Multiple Intelligences and Creativity in Learning (and its accompanying two
part video) subliminally challenges college professors to move beyond the
traditional lecture method of teaching post secondary students."
Coloring Outside the Lines begins with the
poignant story for Javier, a student with the capacity to learn, but does not
perform well on tests. Using examples from different disciplines, Dr.
Diaz-Lefebvre leads the reader step-by-step on how to use the Multiple
Intelligences and Learning for Understanding (MI/LfU) model to teach for
retention and UNDERSTANDING. The book answers the instructor's perennial
concern of motivating students to review assigned readings. Through
thought provoking quotes, the book captures the essence of teaching and
learning: "The right angle to solve a difficult problem is the try-angle
(Levitt)." The students in their own words relate how much they
enjoy using their different intelligences.
Appreciating Dr. Diaz-Lefebvre's insight,
Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner, acknowledges the book to be:
"[a] lively and readable introduction to
the theory of multiple intelligences, with particular focus on college
students. This book shows how a multiple intelligences approach can be
used to teach concepts effectively." (p. ix, again, emphases are those of
the MI-News editor alone). Using a common-sense approach to teaching a
diverse student population, this work represents a fresh way of teaching at the
college level. Other educational entities such as charter schools, high
schools, business and industry training as well as proprietary schools could
improve their educational programs by incorporating a MI/LfU approach.
Every teacher and education policy maker should possess a copy of this book and
two part video!"
Before commenting on the accompanying video, one
final comment is in order. In his above and excellent review,
Ernesto Escobeda failed to highlight what I felt was of the more interesting
chapters of the book, namely Chapter 6 "In Their Own Voices: Students'
Reflections on Learning". In this chapter, Diaz-Lefebvre required 22
pages to list comments from 118 students, ranging from 18 to 46 years of
age. The comments reflected how the MI approach facilitated their
learning. Two such comments stood out. One involved one of the
youngest students, an 18-year-old female who was asked to comment on her
preferred intelligence.
She said:
"My preferred intelligences are
visual/spatial and interpersonal. I learn a lot more if I am able to
connect pictures and other visual aids with the information I am supposed to be
learning. If I can see something and have a mental picture of it in my
head, then I can remember it. I also love to work with people. By
working together with other minds, I am able to get a more rounded perspective
on learning than I would be able to get on my own." (p. 115)
And finally, the eldest subject in the pilot
investigation, also a female, when asked to comment on specific learning
options that she selected and completed, stated:
" I expected this class to be read,
lecture, and test. Instead this class was totally motivating and
stimulated a desire to learn more about psychology. I can directly apply
it to my everyday functions with family and friends." (p. 124)
It is only fitting that this book review ends
where it begins by returning to "the poignant story for Javier, a student
with the capacity to learn, but who did not perform well on tests."
By reading those 118 comments, hopefully all readers with any educational
influence will eliminate the Javier's of the world. Oh, by the way, as to
what eventually happened to Javier:
" … Javier "failed" the pencil/paper
test on the brain, finished the course with a "D", took a few more
classes, then dropped out of college. Despite this, I know he understood;
he PERSONALLY understood the brain and its function. So who
"failed" whom? Was it a system of higher learning so deeply
entrenched in only one way of being "smart" that it failed to
recognize and reward the way Javier is smart – his talent and ability to learn
and understand academic material in a different way? Or was it [I], the
teacher? The dialogue and demonstration of authentic learning that took
place that afternoon has changed the way I looked at education, my role as a
college teacher, and, more importantly, my understanding of how learning takes
place." (pp. 4-5)
Editor's note:
Ernesto Escobeda, Ed. D, initially reviewed Coloring
Outside the Lines: Applying Multiple Intelligences and Creativity in Learning.
It was slightly revised and somewhat expanded by Clifford Morris, Editor,
MI-News.
Review #2
Review of the accompanying video Multiple
Intelligences and Creativity in Learning
Multiple Intelligences and Creativity in
Learning
is a well orchestrated two part video narrated by Rene Diaz-Lefebvre, Ph. D.,
an academic psychologist and a practitioner/researcher who has been implementing
Multiple Intelligences and Learning for Understanding (MI/LfU) at Glendale
Community College (GCC) for the past five years. Howard Gardner has been
kept informed of the project from its inception and he has been very supportive
of what has been accomplished. Diaz-Lefebvre started implementing MI/LfU
through a two year pilot project in the psychology department from
1994-96. He is currently implementing MI/LfU across the college
curriculum (biology, chemistry, art, nursing, math, English, psychology, foreign
languages) with some incredible results.
Throughout the 30 minute video, Diaz-Lefebvre
clearly outlines the development and initial research findings of a two year
pilot study conducted on the application of Howard E. Gardner's Multiple
Intelligences Theory (MIT). The MIT learning and teaching approach was
applied to 10 introductory psychology classes at GCC, Glendale, Arizona. Some
131 GCC students participated in the 1994 – 1996 pilot investigation. To
better observe the results of the project efforts, 10 class sizes were limited,
with the average class size being 13 students. Diaz-Lefebvre's cognitive
call can be summed up in this simple quote: "I'm not interested is how
smart a community college student is, but how are community college students
smart."
In Part I of the video, Diaz-Lefebvre explains
Gardner's MI model from the perspective of a college classroom
instructor. Before outlining Gardner's intelligences, he overviews
learning from a bi-polar perspective, shifting from what he terms the "Old
World" to a "New World" mental mindset. He calls the
mainstream view of learning the "Old World" model. Conversely,
he 'sees' the Gardner MI model as encompassing the "New World."
Briefly stated for here, in the "Old World", community college classroom
learning tended to be traditional. On the organizational continuum,
learning was more linear or sequential in nature. Most classroom
instructors were lecture-driven and were expected to be simply information
givers. In short, classroom learning was perceived to be
teacher-centered. Cognitive assessments failed to go beyond intellectual
quotients (IQ) lenses, as it involved, in the main, timed pencil-paper testing.
Conversely, the "New World" fosters a
more creative learning environment. On the organizational continuum,
learning in this cognitive camp tends to be more random, or global in
structure. The role of the teacher has also "changed
tremendously"; the teacher is now perceived more as a mediator,
facilitator, coach, or resource person, applicable to a more exploration-driven
and student centered classroom environment. Here, Gardner's model of
intelligence is defined as "having the ability, the talent or the skill
to solve problems or create solutions within a society that values that type of
being smart."
In Part II of the video, certain GCC students
involved in the research study were interviewed; they used their collage
products to demonstrate their successes, always from a MI perspective.
Their comments were arranged under five sections: Initial Thoughts, Taking
Risks, Motivation, Authentic Learning, and Closing Thoughts. They
discussed how they moved out of their "comfort-learning zone" (i.e.,
the instructors taught using creative and multiple methods and appeared to be
taking chances). This movement led them to take greater learning
risks. As well, they expressed a greater thirst for learning, including a
newly acquired motivation to understand the content needed to produce their
collages. A most revealing comment came from an 18-year old male student:
"My motivation to learn psychology was
greatly increased by having the options that I did. I could finally learn
my way. I actually found myself looking forward to doing
[schoolwork]. I must have something wrong with me, that's not supposed to
happen. As I was going through the chapter reading new terms, pictures of
things that reminded me of them would be popping into my head. I actually
didn't dread doing the projects like I do in other classes."
Of personal interest was another comment from a
student who stated: "My knowledge doesn't escape at the end of my pen but
has remained in my [long-term] memory, even after two years." And
finally, in the "Closing Thoughts" section, the students viewed MI as
a valid method for learning. As just cited, the MI approach enticed many
of them to enroll in additional psychology courses.
All in all, this 30-minute video represents an
excellent introduction into MIT learning for any educational leader, be they
college students, classroom teachers, or parents. The content is fast
moving, free of educational and psychological jargon and easy to
understand. This video represents an excellent way to introduce anyone to
MIT, including someone encountering difficulty coping with the traditional mode
of community college learning. This was my initial viewing of a video
explaining the Gardner MIT model to the community college scene. I
enjoyed what I saw. I also see this video as an excellent MIT entrance
avenue to all pre service and novice teacher. Dr. Rene Diaz-Lefebvre is
to be commended for the excellent way he has written his book and developed his
accompanying video. This is a must see and read MI package for anyone
interested in the practical application of Gardner's MI model into post
secondary learning.
As well, the following four articles are
available for anyone interested in what Dr. Rene Diaz-Lefebvre and his team are
doing. The articles comment how MI was successfully introduced to the GCC
learning community. The articles are:
1. "What If They Learn Differently:
Applying Multiple Intelligences Theory In The Community College" by
Diaz-Lefebvre, R., Siefer. N., and Pollack, T. Leadership Abstracts 11.1
(January 1998); n. page. (League for Innovation in The Community College)
2. "Unlocking the Motivation, the Desire,
and the Joy to Learn!" by Diaz-Lefebvre, R. Innovation Abstracts 19.12
April 1997 (The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development)
3. "Coloring Outside the Lines: Applying
Multiple Theory of Multiple Intelligences to the Community College
Setting" by Diaz-Lefebvre, R., and P. Finnegan. Community College Journal
68.2 (October/November 1997)
4. "I Can Never Go Back..." by
Diaz-Lefebvre, R. The Forum: Sharing Information on Teaching and Learning Vol.
6 Issue 2 Spring 1998 (Maricopa Center for Teaching and Instruction, Maricopa
Community Colleges).
For additional details on all of the above, the
more interested reader is asked to contact Professor Rene Diaz-Lefebvre, Ph.
D., Glendale Community College, Department of Psychology, 6000 W. Olive Avenue,
Glendale, Arizona, 85302-9983. His office and home telephone numbers are
623 845 3736 and 602 870 1671, respectively. His email address is diaz@gc.maricopa.edu.
4 MI lesson plans by Diana Labbe and Angie
Thompson
In the August 1999 issue of the MI-News, we
began publishing a series of lesson plans developed around Howard Gardner's MI
model. We now continue by presenting additional plans, thanks to Diana
Labbe and Angie Thompson.
4a. Lesson Plan #1 by Diana
Labbe, Nursery School Teacher
Unit Title: Impressionism, incorporating MI and
the French Artist Claude Monet's (1840-1925) painting "Water lilies."
Target Group: 3 and 4-year-old students
Objectives
1 Students will be able to recognize and choose
an impressionist piece of artwork
2 Students will be able to describe how impressionist
painters look at light and paint
3 Students will feel joy and accomplishment through
their own creation of art work
4 Students will be able to create a water lily from
mixed media
5 Students will feel joy and accomplishment through
their own creation that reflects divergent ideas
Materials
1 Monet prints and books
2 Sample artwork, rushes, paint trays, tempera
paints, canvas
3 Scissors, glue, mounting paper
4 Tape player and tapes
Activating the Intelligences
Visual / Spatial: creating a painting.
lily and assembling whole
Bodily / Kinesthetic: hands, painting, cutting. gluing
Musical: listening
to impressionistic sounds (music of Claude Debussy) while working
Interpersonal: understanding
Monet's (and Debussy's) viewpoint
Intrapersonal: awareness
of own ability to create and achieve painting
Naturalist:
learning the anatomy of the lily and the optics of color theory
Evaluation
By involving MI, Diana was able to be credible
in form while retaining the integrity and basic beauty of why individuals
create. She found that using MI exceeded her initial expectations and was
surprised to learn how much of her own MI strengths she attended to in her art
room. Also, she realized how she was unconsciously leaving out areas of
her weakness. She plans to remedy this weakness. In other words,
she will be learning along with her students.
Diana Labbe
Nursery School Teacher
4b. Lesson Plan #2 by Angie
Thompson
Objectives
1 Describe the main types of energy sources
2 Compare the main types of energy sources
3 Describe important features of the main types of
energy sources
Overview
In this lesson, students work in groups to
complete center activities involving various instructional strategies. At
each center, they select an activity to complete.
Naturalist Center
Activity 1. Matching Game
There are 10 types of energy source cards and 10
corresponding terms that match each energy source. Students are to shuffle the
cards and deal out all of the cards. The object of this game is to find
two cards that match (i.e., wind energy - windmill). If a student makes a
match, s/he lays down the pair. When all are ready, the dealer says
"Pass." Each then pass an unwanted card to the player to the
left. The dealer continues to say "Pass" every 3-5 seconds.
Each time a player receives a match, they are to lay the match down. The
player at the end who has the most correct matches wins that round.
Activity 2: Compare - Contract Paper
Students are to write a short compare and
contrast paper on two types of energy sources
Activity 3: "5 Words" game
Ten energy sources are written on 10 cards which
are piled face down. One player turns over a card and the rest write five
terms related to that energy source. This continues until all cards have
been used
Bodily / Kinesthetic Center
Activity 1: Construct a windmill:
Materials
1 4 X 4 square paper
2 straw
3 push pin
4 small chunk of modeling clay
Directions:
1 Cut a piece of paper 4 inches square
2 Cut slits (approximately 2" long) from each corner
3 Fold the four corners in along the slits and
to the center of the square
4 When all of the corners are at the center, pin the windmill into
the straw with a pushpin
5 Attach a small piece of modeling clay to the
back of the pin
6 Blow on the windmill and observe
Activity #2: Pantomime
Each team member takes a turn to pantomime one
energy source while the others guess the energy source.
Activity #3: Make Plastic with Casein
1 Pour 1 cup of very warm (not boiling) milk
into a cup
2 Add 2 teaspoons of vinegar and stir
3 Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth sieve. Rinse the solid
that remains with water
4 Form the solid into an interesting
shape. Allow the shape to dry
Logical / Mathematical Center
Activity 1: Domino Activity to Model a Chain
Reaction (Nuclear Fission)
1 Line up 15 dominoes (or blocks) to form a
triangle
2 Knock over the first domino so that it falls
backwards. Notice what happens
3 Describe how this action models a chain reaction in
a nuclear fission reactor
Activity 2: Timeline
1 Construct a timeline that depicts the history
of the types of energy sources used throughout the world.
Activity 3: Solar Cooker
1 Design and construct a solar cooker.
2 On a very sunny day, use the solar cooker to cook a
marshmallow.
3 Note the time it takes to cook the marshmallow.
Activity 4: Time and Tide: Solve the following
problem
Give this problem to the class: At Cape
May, New Jersey, along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, there are two high
tides. One high tide occurs at 5:50 am on Tuesday; the other high tide
occurs at 6:14 am on Wednesday. Determine what the time frame is between
each high tide. Calculate what time the high tide will occur on Thursday
and Friday.
Verbal / Linguistic Center
Activity 1: Diamante Poem
1 Write a diamante poem about one energy source.
Activity 2: Persuasive Essay
1 Write a persuasive essay about an energy source.
Your job is to persuade the government to use this type of energy exclusively.
Activity 3: Debate
1. In your group, debate the pros/cons of an energy
source or energy sources.
Visual / Spatial Center
Activity 1: Pie Chart
1. Using the following statistics, construct a pie
chart that shows the sources of energy used in the United States
- Oil
42%
-
Hydroelectric 5%
- Nuclear
4%
- Coal 23%
- Natural
Gas 25%
- Other 1%
Activity 2: Chart
1. Design and construct a chart that lists the
advantages and disadvantages of the 10 energy sources from the chapter.
Intrapersonal Center
Activity 1: Journal Write
1. In your journal, describe what a typical day without
electricity might be like.
Musical / Rhythmic Center
Activity 1: Persuasive Rap
1. Write a "Persuasive Rap" about one type of energy
source.
Example:
Tidal energy's the way to go
You can use it when the tide is high or low
It's clean, it's cheap, it's near the coast
It's the energy source we should use the most
Activity 2: Jingle
1. Choose one energy source and write about it in the form of
lyrics to a familiar tune.
Example: (Sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
Star")
Water, water, everywhere
Use it wisely, show you care
Don't waste water when you shower
We need water for our power
Water, water everywhere
Use it wisely, show you care
by Angie Thompson, kybryce@salsgiver.com
5 For your minds only: Reader survey and
addresses by Clifford Morris
This section of this issue contains two
parts. Part I is a "Reader Survey" that we would like you to
complete. We seek your comments about the newsletter. We wish to
continue to make the newsletter interesting and applicable to you. Part
II contains a list of names and internet addresses of others who have, in some
way, contributed to Howard Gardner's MI Theory. Many of the names and
addresses belong to those who have developed special programs around the MI
model. Please email your viewpoints to Clifford Morris at cmorris@igs.net
1. I am:
a) an elementary school teacher
b) a middle school teacher
c) a high school teacher
d) a post secondary school teacher
e) a university professor
f) a parent
g) a psychologist
h) a counsellor
i) a student
j) a researcher
k) other, please state ……………………
2. I find the articles in the MI News to be very
practical and pertinent:
a) strongly agree
b) agree
c) disagree
d) strongly disagree
e) what I find to be most useful is
………………………………………………
3. Overall, I find the information in the MI
News to be interesting and worthwhile:
a) strongly agree
b) agree
c) disagree
d) strongly disagree
e) The best article was …………..........
4. On the average, I read
a) all of the items
b) most of the items
c) some of the items
d) only one or two items in each issue
5. I print out the MI-News articles:
a) often
b) sometimes
c) once or twice
c) never
6. I share my MI News with colleagues:
a) often
b) sometimes
c) once or twice
d) never
7. What I would like to read about in the MI
News is:
a) more web site links regarding …………………………………
b) more chapter / book reviews on …………………………………………
c) more research news and reports
d) more practical MI teaching strategies
e) more psychological / counseling articles
f) more about MI theory
8. I would like to contribute an article on
…………………………
9. I know someone who is doing something
interesting with MI ............
10. I wish that you would publish the MI News:
a) less often
b) more often
c) longer issues
d) shorter articles
e) more in-depth articles
11. I like the email / web site format:
a) strongly agree
b) agree
c) disagree
d) strongly disagree
12. The format of the MI-News could be improved
by .............
2. Internet Addresses on Human Intelligences
Editor's Note
Since the inaugural (January 1999) issue of the
MI-News newsletter, I have received many e-mails from educators, psychologists
and parents. Invariably, they seek additional information about Howard
Gardner and his Multiple Intelligences Theory. More often than not, they
want to know where they can locate information about the Gardner model and how
his model can be implemented into their daily lives. I have always tried
to email them back immediately and to give them either current email addresses
or specific internet homepage addresses. To answer their many inquiries,
I have spent time seeking relevant books, pertinent journal articles, including
articles via the internet. Throughout, I have acquired a database of
internet addresses which may be to your interest. Here they are for your
perusal.
As your editor, I am, in the main, interested in
the whole spectrum of human intelligences, not just the Howard Gardner
model. Thus, I have also included other addresses. Hopefully, some
of them may be of interest to you. Here then is my small data base
listed, for want of a better way, in alphabetical order. The data base is
incomplete, thus an ongoing exercise. If you are aware of other relevant
addresses associated with the broader issue of human intelligences, I would
appreciate receiving them. Upon their receipt, I would incorporate them
into the below list and, in a forthcoming issue of the MI-News, publish a
revised version for the over 2600 regular email subscribers. In this way,
we can all learn from each other, one of the goals of this newsletter. To go to
that site, click here.
To view other issues, click here.