Do you know that despite the high intelligence of college students , they displayed a lack of imaginative thinking.
Do you know that the schools allow millions of imaginative kids to go unrecognized and let their gifts remain untapped simply because we focus too much attention on numbers, words, and concepts, and not enough on images, pictures and metaphors.
Many of our children may be wasting away in regular classrooms, at least in part because nobody has been able to figure out how to make -use of their talents in a school setting.
What if we parents ,look for points of overlap or connections between our child’s interests and the dictates of academics curricula,allow all their unique gifts and talents to come forth.
Multiple intelligences: Options of success
Gardner’s ground breaking theory of multiple intelligences offers a more holistic accounting of individual potential and talents.It has advanced our knowledge beyond simplistic and naive definitions of intelligence focused on the logico-mathematical and linguistic.
In today’s world of fastest growing space of internet ,this notion of a general intelligence measure and success has been widely replaced by New Age Success stories ,but there is still a fascination with numerical representations of individuals’ abilities in our schools.
According to Sir Howard Gardner, each person possesses at least seven/eight kinds of intelligence (linguistic, logico-mathematical, musical-rhythmic, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal ,nature and spiritual), and the degree to which each develops is dependent upon many variables in growing up years.
The most important, however, is freedom to pursue the intelligences.
We can provide space, opportunities and experiences for our child to explore their intelligences ,even if school as an institute does or doesn’t provide the freedom.
While few of these intelligences get touched upon in schools , we can focus on the ones which are ignored to an extent.
An argument ,I hear, is that intelligences other than logico-mathematical and linguistic are talents and appear naturally if child has in them . Even if we term them as talents , they will remain latent , never discovered ,not fully discovered or will be discovered very late in life after being buried under belief systems ,with not enough exposure and experiences.
If Children get exposure to environment that is rich in intelligences and sensory stimuli , what Howard Gardner calls “crystallising experiences ” , then child nurtures ,blossoms in these life-changing events.
Not every parent or school will be able to provide these experiences, but the most important point to note is that not to blame , label or feel down due to non-availability .
As a parent, I was completely mired by taking my daughter to piano classes , forcing her to go lesson by lesson and missing out on the exploration part , fun part and her feelings around it .The result was she refused to play piano any more and then later on took it in her teens ,when she wanted to explore .
Now I suggest parents and implement it myself that if I was something to be explored, then why on put myself in the space as well and feel it to understand her feelings around it as well .
3 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR PARENTS TO DWELL ON
- What’s is the importance of other intelligences besides logico-mathematical & linguistic in life (yours and your child’s)
- Are you fearful of future if you focus on other intelligences of your child and ask why is the fear ?
- What is your measuring yardstick of success , respect and happiness in career or life?
3 points to remember when exploring new avenues of intelligence
- What do you see child doing ?
- What do you hear child saying?
- How will the child be feeling?
Child naturally makes his/her own connections to the world rather than be confined to regurgitation of trivia.
Brain research tells us that our brain innately does this; it is a natural pattern maker.
Consider reflecting about child with him/her as Learning is a child’s response to education and/or experience. In fact , people are smart in different ways and use a variety of learning-thinking styles to make sense of the world.
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
- Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences is an effective way to explore that people are smart in different ways and use a variety of learning-thinking styles to make sense of the world.
- DeBono, Edward. Six Thinking Hats
- Fogarty, Robin. Keep Them Thinking
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