Wednesday, January 30, 2013

MI: Describing Intelligences in Students (Chapter 3)


     The third chapter of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, by Thomas Armstrong, focused on how to understand the actions of students and using them to understand their developed intelligences. One of Armstrong's beliefs is that there are many ways to develop an appreciation for the abilities of a student. By paying attention to their actions the teacher may find hints into what their learning style may be. The author jokingly comments that by paying attention to the way that a student misbehaves can grant insight into their most developed intelligences; though he says it with humor, ultimately, it is a reliable tool that can be used to establish a base for your understanding. Armstrong does not believe that there is a “mega test” that can perfectly identify a person's learning style. However, he does believe that by using smaller, more focused, tests the results will be more accurate (as long as they are fair to all learning styles). Beyond the classroom, teachers can use parents, friends, and out-of-school activities to learn more about the students.
     All of the above information is relevant to the classroom. Having read this chapter, I have a better understanding of actions that I will witness in the classroom. For example, when a student acts out in class by doodling on the desk, they may not simply be misbehaving, but showing signs of spatial intelligence; as a teacher it will be my responsibility to incorporate these learning styles into my plan too. 

No comments:

Post a Comment