MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

 Our students are surveyed to determine their dominant intelligences, or “ways of being smart”.  Our teachers make dedicated efforts to appeal to our students’ strengths as they teach their lessons throughout the year.  As in the past two years, our students will do a school-wide “MI” project . Our projects are based on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. This theory holds that students manifest their smartness is various ways, depending upon their strengths. Gardner listed these as the major strengths (or intelligences):

• 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)
• visual/spatial (having strong visual perception of the environment, creating and manipulating mental images, understanding and creating visual art)

Project assignments will go out by the beginning of January.  All projects are due by January 23, 2012.  This project is for enrichment purposes and will help  students’ grades rather than hurt them.