Thomas Jefferson Elementary, a Multiple Intelligences Magnet School, recently invited students, faculty and parents back to school for an evening event that showcased the Multiple Intelligences (MI) program and the students' MI projects.
Proposed by Dr. Howard Gardner in 1983, the theory of multiple intelligences views the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, as limiting. Dr. Gardner identified the following eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults: Verbal/Linguistic (using vocabulary, understanding metaphors, producing complex verbal material); Logical/Mathematical (using and computing numbers, recognizing patterns and relationships, solving problems through logic); Musical/Rhythmic (expressing oneself through music, rhythmic movements or dance, composing, playing, or conducting music); Bodily kinesthetic (expressing oneself or learning through physical activities, showing physical coordination, using fine and gross motor skills) ; Interpersonal (knowing how to communicate with, understand, and work with people collaboratively) ; Intrapersonal (understanding one’s own emotions and thoughts, and growing in the ability to control them or work with them); Naturalistic (understanding the natural world of plants and animals); and Visual/Spatial (having strong visual perception of the environment, creating and manipulating mental images, understanding and creating visual art).
"The Multiple Intelligences program at Thomas Jefferson Elementary recognizes that everyone is smart in different ways, and that students learn differently, as well," said Principal Lori Turner. "We implement differentiated instruction and activities that appeal to our students’ individual learning styles."
At the beginning of each school year, students are surveyed to identify their dominant intelligences, and they complete two projects throughout the year based on their individual strengths. The students’ first projects lined the school’s hallways and decorated classrooms, providing parents and other visitors with the opportunity to better understand the MI program.
Projects included living biographies of historical figures, athletes and actors; a dance walk where students learned state facts to the sound of the music; various written and constructed research about Jacksonville and Florida history, including a replica of the Dames Point Bridge; and much more.
In the multi-purpose room, faculty members entertained the audience with a funny skit that displayed the eight different intelligences in a traditional classroom setting. Principal Turner led the parents in a musical/rhythmic and bodily kinesthetic intelligence, helping them keep the beat to Queen’s classic hit,
We Will Rock You.
"Learning about multiple intelligences helps our students, faculty and even our parents better understand themselves and the people around them," said Principal Turner. "Students can do things they enjoy, and they appreciate others for their individual intelligences."
For more pictures from Thomas Jefferson Elementary's MI Night, visit the
DCPS' flickr Photostream.
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