B2+Chapters+7,9,13,14+MI

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Abstract:
Chapters seven, nine, and thirteen discussed MI theory being involved in the classroom through design, entire schools being structured around the MI theory, and other uses of MI in the classroom. Chapter fourteen discussed the possibility of a ninth intelligence, which was existentialism.

When designing the classroom teachers need to pay attention to whether or not they have that appeal to each learning style in the multiple intelligences. Like lessons that need to be catered to students the environment can work as a great accommodation to assist in their learning. Chapter seven gives teachers good questions to ask themselves when looking at their classroom to assess how well the multiple intelligences are utilized. Multiple intelligence centers were also introduced which is where different areas of the class are dedicated to different intelligences. These areas could be for study or for leisure after work is done and they could also be used year round or just during a specific time during the year. These centers related well to the idea of the [|MI schools]. These schools would focus on traditional subjects in nontraditional ways. Howard Gardner, who proposed the idea of these schools, said they would be dependent on three positions that aren’t in traditional schools. Assessment specialists would keep track of students strengths based on what multiple intelligences they show throughout their tenure at the school. Student curriculum brokers would match courses to students to maximize their potential as a student and the student community broker would perform a similar function by connecting students to jobs or apprenticeships in the community.

MI theory was also explored through the lens of computer technology, cultural diversity, and career counseling. Different computer programs work best with different intelligences. This can be useful information when assigning multimedia projects and a list was given in the reading to help teachers tell what intelligence a software program would fall under. Students from other cultures will also view intelligences differently and can impact their performance in the classroom. Certain cultures might value visual and naturalist intelligences more than they do linguistic intelligences that are used for assessments in most schools. These barriers would need to be addressed with multicultural MI units. Finally, career counseling talked about exposing students from an early age to adults who display different multiple intelligences in their jobs. This could inspire students to choose a job or realize the possibilities that are available in their strongest intelligence area.

Finally, existentialism was discussed as a possible ninth intelligence. This was somewhat hard to define because it was defined as “a concern with ultimate life issues.” Most of the criteria that Howard Gardner set for an intelligence to be considered as such were fulfilled by existential intelligence. Because of this it was considered an intelligence and was suggested that the existential dimensions of what students are studying should be examined so students strong in this intelligence could thrive. Specific examples in different content areas were examined and could give teachers ideas for their own classrooms.


 * Synthesis: **

Many of us talked about technology and the MIs, as well as how they have been represented in the projects we have been assigned in this practicum class. “If you have a piece of technology catered to fit your learning style, it’s going to make your life a lot easier.” Clayton makes the point that technology makes learning easier when used with the MIs. Technology is something that enhances the MIs. It provides us, as teachers, more options then the ones presented to us before.

As a class we have to consider the cultural diversity that is in the schools. Stereotypes should be avoided because they can hurt the students when we assume something about them. This is an issue that many of discussed in our responses, and would like to avoid situations where we offend our students.

MI classroom design was another thing that we as a class liked. Splitting our room up in to quadrants was an idea that many of us liked and would use in out classroom. [|Learning centers] is also an idea that we collectively liked. Centers provide students with a range of activities with each MI. Activites can range from general to topic and content knowledge.

As Meng explains, “Chapter 14 is about the 8 ½ or 9th multiple intelligence—existential.” As a class, we are on the fence about including existential as an MI. It could be an MI because it is another way of students to think about thing. On the other hand it wouldn’t be considered a MI because it is too out there in theory. There are no really strict parameters that go along with the existential MI.

“Basically, an MI school consists of a variety of classes that the students get to chose from that can relate to each student individually depending on their MI learning style.” Brittany talks about the basics of the MI School being useful. Unfortunate that MIs classes are the first ones cut when school begets are low. As a class, we find the project-based learning is beneficial with the use of technology. This is because projects have a wide range of MIs that can be tapped into. Thematic based learning was something as a class we thought was an interesting idea to use, but one that could be done in a classroom.

-Joe, Emily, and Phil

Andrew C
Chapters seven, nine and thirteen all talked about the same issues. The chapters talked about what an MI school looks like and they gave many examples of tools and strategies to use in your classroom to make it an MI classroom. Chapter 7 provides questions that we as teachers need to ask our selves about our classroom. The questions dissect each MI, and gives teachers better insight to what helps our students learn more effectively. Chapters seven and nine both talked about different ways to organize your classroom to fit different MIs. Chapter seven mentioned how a teacher could set up multiple activity centers with each one focusing one a certain MI while teaching the same material. This way the students could work on all of their MIs throughout the day or in at least one lesson. I would want to let me students choose as much as possible which station they went to too work. But I do recognize that I would also want to make them go to all of the different stations because it is a great way to be sure all of the students are working all of their MIs.

Chapter nine referenced this idea as well, but it also talked a lot more about what an entire MI school would look like not just a class. I think it would be awesome to work in a full MI school. My high school went into a system like this but it wasn’t called an MI school. The idea of project-based learning is a cool idea especially when you have all of the subjects linked through one main theme for the semester. I would really like to be able to try that with my colleagues. Then in the afternoon the students would get to go into the community to reinforce the traditional learning that they would do in the morning. This is a great way to start career building because it gets the students to think about what they are interested in and what they would possibly want to do for a job later in life. MI schools would have certain staff members that most other schools don’t have, which would be very useful. Assessment specialist, student curriculum broker, School community broker, each of these staff members seems very useful. This also takes some burdens off of the teachers, and that is always a good thing because they already have so much to do. These people would also work in collaboration with all of the teachers to be sure every student is getting the learning that works for them the best.

Chapter 13 talked more about how technology can be used in an MI classroom and this linked very well with what chapter seven was talking about. I have seen many great examples just in our Practicum class this year of using technology to reach all of the MIs. I am sure that I will use some of the things I have had a chance to do in Practicum once I am a teacher.

Cameron B.
As a whole the four chapters that were read had a major focus on multiple intelligences in the classroom. This ranged from having a MI classroom, to an MI school entirely. First, how to incorporate MI in the classroom. There was an interesting idea about to setup the classroom that is able to get all of the eight intelligences included. Some simple things could be making sure the class was visually appealing but not so much that it is distracting. Having background music playing in the background or some simple environmental sounds can also be good. The use of computer technology will unlock the door to endless resources for both the students and teachers to use all of the intelligences. As a teacher making sure that adequate time is given for students to complete their work without feeling rushed. The list goes on but the tasks are simple but make for a differentiated classroom. The concept of quadrants was also discussed in which areas of the room were designated to certain concepts. A station would be permanent and have activities like a quiet reading area or a microscope station. Then there are stations that are short term and are more directly related to the content being taught in the class. Not only is having a MI classroom beneficial but the book also discusses the concept of a MI school entirely. An example was given called the Key Learning Community in Indianapolis where the school was designed to reach out to all eight intelligences. This is not something that is easy for a school to do though. Main reason being is school funding. Especially since some activities like music and gym classes are being cut from school funding which causes many students to miss out on their areas where they do well. In a perfect world all of the schools would be an MI school and one day it is possible that we get there. The concept of cultures came about in the reading which is something that is very important for teachers to know. There is the stereotype like that Asians are all great at math and that blacks are all musically gifted. These are common stereotypes and they need to be voided in the classroom. One chapter focused on the idea of a possible intelligence called existential. This is viewed as a spiritual intelligence and is argued that it should be recognized in the classroom. There is the fear from teachers that teaching in a way that may seem religious could result in them being punished. But this can be avoided and this intelligence can be incorporated into the classroom. Students that are existential show high levels of cultural values and are always thinking about topics such as what is the meaning of life, who are we, and why is my life important. These are very deep thinkers and although it may not be soon, but one day this will be the ninth intelligence that teachers will be focusing on in a class. To wrap up the chapters, the major focus was about MI and how to use them in the class, the school, and how to relate a possible ninth intelligence into a class. = =

Phillip C.
The chapters we read talked about getting the multiple intelligences involved with the setup of the classroom. Even if intelligences are not involved in the design of the room, it can hamper student learning. Examples were given for incorporating each intelligence into the classroom design. Some of the examples I liked were making sure the class was visually appealing, having background music at times, and having some sort of living creature in the classroom.

There was also an interesting concept presented that involved splitting the class area up into sections, each of which would support a different intelligence. This was a good idea that has been introduced before. This was expanded upon however and gave some great strategies on how to incorporate them into the design of the class. I liked the idea of having computer cubbies for intrapersonal learners and chemistry/lab areas, specifically for my classroom. These areas of the classrooms can be year long, last the length of the unit, and can be either open ended or topic oriented. I think in my classes I would like to use topic oriented stations. I think that this a more productive use of class space.

It was also brought up that certain intelligences, not considered core intelligences, are neglected in schools. This includes musical, bodily-kinesthetic, and visual intelligences. The example that brought this to life was that when budget cuts need to be made it is always the schools music, physical education, and art programs that face the axe. This was definitely true for my school.

The idea of MI schools was then introduced. The one example of an MI school was Keys Learning Community. In this school kids were double exposed to music, arts, and physical education. In reality, this double exposure evened out with the exposure to core intelligences like linguistic and logical. This led students to a more balanced curriculum in relation to the multiple intelligences. Howard Gradner, who helped set up that school, said that any successful MI school should have three non-traditional staff positions. These positions would be an Assessment Specialist, who focuses on all students individual experiences and determines their best learning style; A Student Curriculum Broker who would match students to courses that fit their interests; and a School Community Broker who finds learning experiences and internships in the communities for students.

I really like this idea of MI schools. The idea of an entire school using themes and real life connections to all curriculum is exciting. I think students would be much more engaged and do better in school if they were designed this way. Unfortunately, when reading about these schools it seemed almost impossible to put a good one together.

Other applications of the MI theory were discussed which included using different intelligences in computer software. Different programs on computers deal with different intelligences and can bring type two technologies into a multiple intelligence classroom. The other applications had to do with how different cultures view intelligences and working that into lessons and career counseling.

Finally, there was the idea of a ninth intelligence. This was existential intelligence and had to do with ideas of existence and answering big life questions. I think this would work very well, although controversially, in a science classroom with the issue of evolution and the formation of the solar system.

Emily H.
All of the chapters read connect because they are about MIs. The topics range from classroom environment to an intelligence that could be considered as a new MI. I had a harder time finding connections other then just MI theory being involved. Chapter 7 deals with MI and creating a good classroom environment. The way the room is set up doesn’t seem like a big deal when you think about it, but in a good MI environment it does. I would like to have my classroom in a MI friendly set up so that activities would be easy to set up and do. MI activity centers seems like something I could do with my students. The idea of the 4 quadrants, ranging from open-ended to topic-specific activities on the vertical axis while on the horizontal axis ranges from permanent to temporary. I really liked this idea for activities because it will keep it constant for my students and they could work on developing other MIs in a comfortable setting. Chapter 9 talks about the MI school and what goes into creating that in a community. It is hard to picture that there could be a school devoted to students MIs in today’s society. A thing of the future is what it seems like, not reality. However it is quickly becoming reality. Each subject being taught crosses over into many MIs and the MI school utilizes that. An MI school has different components then the traditional school, including an Assessment specialist. This specialist keeps an ongoing record of each student’s strength and limitations, along with each MI. The assessment specialist shares this information with teachers. As a teacher I would love to have this resource to really get to know my students in this form. It can work with my observations to see the growth that a student does through out the year. I do not understand why traditional schools do not try an assessment specialist. I believe it would help teachers a lot in their lesson planning and differentiated instruction. Chapter 13 applies MI theory to real world application. So far MIs have only been used as a tool in the classroom, but MIs can do so much more for a person. A student’s MI can help them figure out what they would want to do when they are out of school and in the real world. Career counseling is something that a teacher or school can provide to the older students. With the skills they have developed in all eight MIs they can use them in real world situations before heading out in the real world themselves. I would like to provide this to my students if I were working in a high school. Chapter 14 talks about the existential intelligence, which is a concern with ultimate life issues. I am a little foggy on what this ninth intelligence could be and how it effects education. However it does talk about how MIs can be used in different concentrations. Those examples are helpful to think about when using MIs in a history classroom. = =

Jackie B.
Chapter seven really puts emphasis upon how a teacher’s room could be set up. At the beginning they provide us a list of questions that we as future teachers (or current) can ask ourselves. I know I don’t plan to resell this book and when I become a teacher of my own I can refer back to it. It also talked about centers which would give the students further immurement into a specific intelligence instead of just sitting at their desk. At the beginning of chapter nine, we are introduced to budget cuts. When a school faces financial crisis they have to make budget cuts and usually the arts, music, and physical education classes are the first to go. That’s why it’s so important that we as teachers take what we learned in chapter seven and apply the knowledge to our classrooms. Don’t have a music class? What can I as a teacher do to stimulate that musical intelligence and have the kids allow that aspect be part of their lives. This goes for music and physical education in as well. Gardner explains about an MI school and his vision. The first part of the morning would be spent in class studying the traditional subjects in non-traditional ways while the second part of the day would be spent out in the community. I really like this idea for the fact that I think it would help kids actually enjoy school and want to be there. It would allow them to be more receptive of the information that I’m trying to give them and it was hopefully keep their attention. They then could go out into the real world and apply what they learned. What these two chapters really had in common was that it was about the classroom and the environment. How does environment affect the students? I never really thought about multiple intelligences being used through technology and this is what exactly chapter 13 talks about. It also provides a list of examples and applications that we can use which is incredibly neat as well. This is a really great way to grab the attention of students and keep them focused. They also mention that all cultures have a different way of using all eight intelligences. I think that is so neat. There are so many cultures present in the world today and to think that all eight intelligences are being used by each and every one of them just blows my mind. Towards the end of this chapter the author elaborates on how intelligences can also be kinds of a career counselor. In the final chapter we were suppose to read, Gardener talks about there possibly being a ninth intelligence­– the existentialist. Though it doesn’t fit the entire list of criteria that Gardner has created it has enough that it is taken seriously and considered by fellow educators. I believe this is could be a very controversial intelligence and for that matter I’m almost glad we don’t acknowledge it as a full intelligence. To me it seems like it could be very opinionated based when it comes to views and beliefs. I feel like this is also a mix of other intelligences. It talked about the bible for a literature connection but that could also connect to Linguistics and a mathematical connection but that could fall under logical mathematical. I think the overall idea of a ninth intelligence is an interesting one but I don’t agree that it could really be considered a solid intelligence.

Nicole C.
These chapters focused mainly on bringing the MI theory into schools and the possibility of a ninth MI called the existentialist. The first focus was how to successfully incorporate MI into classroom design. Four “quadrants” were suggested for possible room setup that would aid in this endeavor: permanent open-ended activity centers, temporary open-ended activity centers, permanent topic-specific activity centers, and temporary topic-specific activity centers. Each gave examples of what those centers might include, such as a book nook (permanent open-ended center for the linguistic MI) and a game of Twister (temporary open-ended center for the bodily/kinesthetic MI). There were some really great examples in regards to each intelligence, and I plan on looking back at these in the future to figure out ways to reach all eight intelligences when I am doing group activities in my class. The second focus was on what an actual “MI school” would look like: “During the typical school day, every student should be exposed to courses, projects, or programs that focus on developing each of their intelligences, not just the standard verbal and logical abilities that for decades have been exalted above every form of human potential” (Armstrong 122). I really liked this concept, but I have to say, I did not exactly care for all of the things the model MI school, the Key Learning Community, implemented in their program. I mean, it’s all well and good to involve students in the arts and physical education much more than traditional school, but I think requiring every kindergartener to learn the violin is a bit extreme. It reminds me of schools in Japan I have learned about that are incredibly strict and force the students to master a vast array of things even if they have no real interest in it. The result is a very talented group of individuals who aren’t very happy with the sport/musical instrument they have been made to practice all their lives. I just fear that an MI school with such narrow requirements (despite their broad targets of study) may not work out exactly as Gardner intended. The third focus was on other areas where MI theory can be very useful. Cultural diversity and career counseling came up, as the multiple intelligences certainly play a part in who students are and what they can/wish to do with the rest of their lives. Computers were a big example, as the vast amount of software programs and internet resources available on them can definitely speak to any and all of the eight intelligences. Since I plan on working in a Maine high school during the first few years out of college, I know I will be working with the 1:1 laptop program. This will be a great way for me to incorporate MI into my class because I can offer a variety of activities where students can use their laptops in various MI settings. For example, I can have them go on a virtual web quest that takes them through the Globe theater when studying Shakespeare, or create a video in iMovie where they act out a scene from one of his plays. The fourth and final focus was on the possibility of a ninth MI – the existentialist. This was described as someone who had “a concern with ultimate life issues” such as “Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?” (Armstrong 182-183). I honestly don’t see this as a separate intelligence – it seems like people with proclivity in any intelligence can and does wonder about these kinds of things. It definitely has ties to naturalist (evolution) and linguistic (biblical studies/allegories) intelligences, in any case. I would like to learn more about this “ninth intelligence” before I really could form an opinion though – the book made it a little confusing. Still, it provided one more way that the MI theory could be brought into schools – even private schools – and that is what this whole section was about. = =

Tyler R.
Chapter 7 taught me about how not only can Multiple Intelligence be used in constructing a lesson plan and in teaching it, but also that it can be used in the classroom setting or the overall environment that the subject is being taught in. The chapter went on to discuss and analyze each Multiple Intelligence category and break them down to describe what type of environment each Multiple Intelligence category would best be fit into. This was all new information to me. I had always drawn connections between the instruction and lesson design and related it to how the class setting would be during those lessons. As a future teacher I will need to keep this in mind and remember that the type of environment I best learn in, is not necessarily the best environment that my students will learn in. However, I believe that when I use a Multiple Intelligence Survey at the beginning of the year, I will be able to better set up the classroom environment to try to meet the needs of all of the different types of learners in my classroom. Chapter 9 mentioned something that I actually experienced in my school and that was the budget crisis. My school must have gone through one of these because a lot of art programs, music programs, and many other non-core classes were dropped from the curriculum, as well as the teachers. Although this doesn’t necessarily apply to me since I am social studies, my school did lay off one of our history teachers. With that being said, I believe it is probably something to keep in mind as a future teacher. I will need to know that if anything like that ever happens it’s not personal and that I just need to deal with that sort of thing. I understand the consequences and risks of being a teacher now, so I think that is the first step. Chapter 9 also mentioned about the Multiple Intelligence School. It described a school that is seemingly impossible to create with today’s educational system and the current budget of most schools. However, I believe that teachers could make their classrooms individual Multiple Intelligence Schools. It doesn’t necessarily have to be on a large scale. If teachers take it upon themselves to improve their school by first improving their classrooms individually, then eventually the whole school could potentially become the Multiple Intelligence School mentioned in this chapter. I really liked some of the suggestions given in chapter 13. Chapter 13 broke down three important areas that Multiple Intelligence could be used in; Computer technology, cultural diversity, and career counseling. I particularly enjoyed the suggestion for the Computer Technology option. I liked how the chapter explained that a teacher could use Multiple Intelligence when selecting which software to have on the computers. As I am still trying to figure out all of this technology I will take any advantage I can get when dealing with it and as a future teacher I want those options opened for my students as well.

Ali P
Chapter six explains to us how to set up a classroom so it meets all of the different intelligence’s needs and also different strategies that we can use to incorporate all of the intelligences. I really liked how the book went though each specific intelligences and gave examples of how to do this. This chapter was one that I book marked and will look back at when I am creating my lessons for stage three. It has been mentioned in this book so many times that we should incorporate the different intelligences as much as we can into our lessons, but I do not understand how you create one lesson that uses all of them. The book gave so many examples of how to use them but they are all specific to a single lesson. Does this mean we should just teach the same thing over and over in eight different ways? Or should we rotate between the different intelligence types while covering multiple lessons? The next chapter used the information from chapter six and gave specific activities that could be used for each one. A lot of the activities given seemed more for the elementary level to me, but I am sure they can be modified to become more advanced. The chapter asked teachers to question their lessons to make sure it meets the needs of each intelligence. For example one could ask, “Is the room attractive to the eye? Or is it visually boring or disturbing?” When reading through these lessons, I realized that meeting the needs of each intelligence does not just come from the lessons but the classes’ atmosphere and set up as well. Something as simple as filling the room’s walls with posters could benefit the spatial learners. I hope that I can really become creative with how I set up my classroom. I think if I really try, I can set it up so it will meet all of my student’s needs. I want to encourage my students to help me set it up. That way they can have input in the type of class room environment they want. Chapter thirteen reminded me of Dr Theresa’s class because of the creative use of technology. Naturally, technology works best for visual and logical learners. If a teacher is creative with technology, it can educate all of the intelligences in different ways equally. Technology actually has a huge impact on the MI style of educating. When I first thought about using technology in the class, it frightened me. I was never good with technology in school and it usually got me behind in my classes instead of helping me. By learning about all of the different uses of technology in the class, I have become much more open to using technology. I feel that there are so many possibilities of projects that can be done with technology. These give students a sense of freedom and choice. The last chapter talked a lot about diversity in the class and how different cultures value different intelligences. As we read earlier, our intelligences are shaped by our culture and the way we are brought up. When I am a teacher I will have to keep this in mind especially if I want to teach in Africa. Africans will probably tend to posses different intelligences then I am use to and I will have to modify my teaching and thinking to meet them.

Brittany R.
Chapter 7 talked about MI theory in the classroom environment. It talks about ways to organize your classroom and make it comfortable for all the students in the classroom with different learning styles. It asks the reader a numerous number of questions in each different intelligence that put the classroom setting into the learners perspective. I related to the section discussing interpersonal. It was very relatable to me because I enjoy being around people and learning with them. It’s funny how depending on how a classroom is organized makes a difference in my mindset. If everyone is sitting individually it makes me slightly uncomfortable but if I am grouped with my classmates I feel more engaged because I have a “team” of peers learning with me. Chapter 9 was extremely short but it talked about the idea of an MI school. Basically, an MI school consists of a variety of classes that the students get to chose from that can relate to each student individually depending on their MI learning style. Chapter 13 of the MI book talks about three other uses for the Multiple Intelligence Theory. The three areas include computer technology, cultural diversity, and career counseling. MI theory can be applied when downloading certain software and other programs for teaching lessons. The chapter shows a figure that has multiple computer tools that can assist educators in all eight MI intelligences. The cultural diversity emphasizes the fact that it mustn’t be forgotten that all people of different cultural backgrounds have different learning styles as well. Their learning styles should also be assessed in a way that is appropriate to their culture as well. A chart was also provided in this chapter that gave multiple individuals from other countries with different learning styles. Also different careers were mapped out for each intelligence. I thought this part of the chapter was very interesting because it talked about life after school. It made me realize that a learning style isn’t just useful in the classroom but it can also is useful when deciding a career path. I scored the highest in Interpersonal and it recommended a few interesting careers for myself, like school principal or a counselor. In chapter 14, an idea of a 9th intelligence is introduced called existential intelligence. It is “a concern with ultimate life issues” or in other words, a religious intelligence. When I was in high school and middle school, it was never an issue when someone talked about religion and/or related it to their schoolwork. When I was a senior in high school, there was this talk about not reciting the National Anthem because of the reference to God. The chapter reminded me of this because it talked about how it could be considered unconstitutional to teach religion in public schools. The chapter goes on to discuss content areas where this 9th intelligence can be touched upon like Math, Science, History, Geography, and the Arts. It was interesting to read how religion can be tied into different content areas. It is a way to bring in the 9th intelligence without being deemed unconstitutional but still relating to students.

**Jackson F.**
In the MI chapters that were assigned the big topic was implementation of multiple intelligences within the schools. One way schools implement multiple intelligences is by categorizing them into classes. This in my opinion is a poor way to implement multiple intelligences in schools, because schools tend to favor more of the core subjects like math, English, social studies and science, and health, physical ed., art, music, etc. get the short end of the stick half the time. I liked the way they used the term “frill” subjects because a lot of time that is how schools view classes that are not considered core classes. I really enjoyed reading about the school Indianapolis where they cared about all the intelligences equally. It makes me wonder what students would be like if all schools had that philosophy. Another section of the reading focused on MI theory and the classroom environment. I thought this was an especially important chapter because we have done all this reading but their really has not been any talk about how it would work in a classroom effectively. The chapter gives us a lot of questions to consider when we are teachers in hopes to spread out the type of intelligences we use in our class. Another topic was about applications in the classroom such as computers and how they can help improve intelligences by mixing them together. What I found interesting was the portion about cultural diversity and how it should be taken into account but it should not discourage teachers into not using certain intelligences. The last chapter we read was talking about the ninth intelligence. I can see how teachers do not want to include it in their teachings however it could be useful for some students to dive into it to help them move forward to the next part of their life. I thought the chapters gave a lot of really good insight into multiple intelligences. I know I would like to take into account the cultural diversity of a classroom I may have and try and draw upon their intelligences to help teach a lesson. Another thing I would like to do is to take steps forward into showing the educational world that health and physical ed. are not frill classes but important to all curriculums. The last thing I would like to incorporate is working in the ninth intelligence because back in high school I wish I would have had someone helping me figure out what I might be good at in the future.

Joe S.
These chapters discuss various aspects of how to use the MI theory to address the needs of students and keep them engaged. The main focus in these chapters is on how the teacher utilizes the MI theory in their instruction, and how the students think as opposed to what they think about. One of the important aspects of classroom management is the ability to keep students on task, and there are a variety of ways to do this. However, some are more effective than others, such as the example given of the teacher screaming over the classroom’s noise. This approach can be replaced by one that implements one of the eight intelligences, presumably one that is well represented by the students in the room. I liked the idea of alternating which method is used to keep students engaged in whichever component of a lesson they are doing because there are so many options. For example, the section on how to form groups using shirt color would be a great way to connect students that may not normally interact with the use of MI classroom management. Furthermore, if a teacher is having behavioral difficulty with a student with strength in a certain intelligence, the author has suggestions within each specific intelligence to help teachers manage the behaviors. Following the idea of using MI for classroom management in individual classes, the idea is broadened promote an entire MI school. These schools particularly interested me because they focus on the subjects that public schools deem to be “frill.” The chapter makes good points on how the utilization of the subjects not associated with the “core” academic courses are still very important to the development of a child’s multiple intelligences, and for this reason alone should be included in the curriculum. The students’ understanding of their personal learning styles will help them determine which method helps them learn the best, and in my opinion that knowledge is priceless. Another component of the MI school that I thought was interesting was the breakdown of administration into “assessment specialists,” “student-curriculum brokers,” and “school-community brokers.” These members of the staff have specific, important jobs like keeping records of how a student learns, matching students to specific courses and informing teachers on how to best suit that student’s needs, and promoting a connection between the school itself and the community it resides in. To me, it sounds like each of these people do part of the jobs that a guidance counselor would do, but much more in depth, which I think would benefit the student well. The next chapter discusses the other applications of MI inside the classroom. Some of these are not directly related to the students’ learning, but promote the learning due to the connections that are made. One of the applications that does directly connect to students’ learning is the use of technology integration, by which software and Web 2.0 features can address learning matters using MI theory in a variety of ways. The list of examples provided in the book introduces great ideas to help engage a learner having trouble. Another application that I enjoyed was showing students examples of famous and diverse cultural icons of each type of intelligence. This does not directly impact their learning, but it will give them somebody to relate to, which could be a good motivational tool. Finally, there is a discussion on a last intelligence component in the theory, which is existential knowledge. This is still only a possibility, not yet proven, but would include “a concern with ultimate life issues.” This section would not be about religion, but instead it would be about ultimate questions in life, such as what its meaning is, who we are, and where are we heading as humanity. The idea itself is still too vague to definitely be a MI component, but it makes sense to me to be included.

Meng H.
Chapters seven, nine, thirteen and fourteen cover several topics that are related to MI theory and teaching: Chapters seven and nine are not about curriculum planning or instruction, but rather they focus on the physical organization of the classroom, school personnel, and time management in ways that will accommodate MI theory to thrive. To engage students, classrooms could be set up, arranged and presented to the students in ways that are appealing to them because it suits their different MIs. For example, having a classroom pet is a way to make naturalist students feel assured and comfortable. I have never thought of classroom pets this way. I just always assumed that classroom pets are for younger kids’ curious minds. Now I see the reason behind it, and maybe I can incorporate some living things in my classroom. Even just potted plants and a fish will make the classrooms more naturalist friendly. Some other interesting points from this chapter are that the lights used in the classroom affect spatial intelligence, the intensity and tone of the teacher’s voice is more audible to musical students, and the daily routines and time structures are important for logical/mathematical students. In Dr. Theresa’s class, we are working on our classroom management textbook chapters. My chapter is the physical organization of a classroom, and those insights are great examples that I can include in my chapter. The analysis of the MI activities center make a lot of sense and it also answers my earlier question about when to give what kind of activities to students. Open-ended activities are good for choice time, recess, or break, so students can choose any center they want to try. Topic specific centers are good for in-class time, because directions and guidance are needed for these activities. However, students still have a choice of which activities they want to start with and then they can rotate onto other centers. According to Gardner, in order for schools to setup based on MI theory, there are three key important staff positions. The assessment specialist, student-curriculum broker, and school-community broker play crucial supporting roles in the implementation of the MI theory. This makes me realize one of the reasons that carrying out MI approach in a regular school could be challenging simply because a teacher has to take on the responsibilities of all three staff mentioned above. It could be done however, if the teacher utilizes the support from parents, colleagues, and the community. I also like the MI model school in Indianapolis in that it offers double exposure to music, art, and physical education to its students than average American students get. Chapter 13 covers MI theory that applies to computer technology used in teaching and learning, cultural diversity in recognizing and fostering different MIs, and career counseling based on MIs. The detailed list of software and Web 2.0 that tailors to eight MIs is very helpful, and I am sure I will keep checking back on the list. Chapter 14 is about the 8 ½ or 9th multiple intelligence—existential. It is concerned with ultimate life issues. It could be spiritual or religious, or it could be philosophical. Analyzing the origin and future of humanity or debating the meaning of life and death through religious means or scientific research are all part of being existential. I am glad to know that existential somewhat qualifies for an intelligence, because I find myself constantly pondering over questions about humanity or life and death. I just always thought it to be part of being intrapersonal since most of that thinking only involves me. Now I know it is perfectly natural and I am not totally anti-social.
 * the set-up of the classroom to suit the eight MIs
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">the sample MI school
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">other applications of MI theory
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">the existential intelligence

Clayton P.
Chapters 7, 9 and 13 of the MI book deal with integrating MI into the modern practical environment. Chapter 7 starts off by explaining how to integrate MI at the lowest possible level aside from individual students: the classroom. The author presents questions for each MI type, asking if the classroom meets all of the requirements listed. If it doesn’t, the author then gives recommendations on how to make the classroom more welcoming to each MI type. It is also recommended to establish designated activity centers, both permanent and temporary, to accommodate all of the different MI types. They can be either general activity areas or topic-specific areas, depending on the lesson.

Chapter 9 explains how MI can be integrated at the school level. The author states that most traditional schools, when faced with impending budget crises, will cut what they deem “unnecessary programs,” such as art, theater, music, and physical education. This severely limits the potential of learners who are more inclined to spatial, kinesthetic and musical MIs. The author goes on to state that even if a school accommodates all MIs, that doesn’t make it an MI school. He suggests looking to children’s museums and apprenticeships as examples of what kind of learning takes place in an MI school.

Chapter 13 took a different approach and explained how MI can be used in areas other than education. The first logical area is technology. If you have a piece of technology catered to fit your learning style, it’s going to make your life a lot easier. It then lists several pieces of software and Web 2.0 tools to help expand MIs. Another area it touches on is cultural diversity. With the demographics of the United States changing constantly, it is important to address diversity in all areas. However, certain cultures focus more on certain MIs than others. It’s therefore important to plan your classroom accordingly. The author also stresses that all cultures use all eight intelligences.

Chapter 14 was, quite literally, an existential exploration. Howard Gardner, the pioneer of MI, proposed the possibility of a ninth intelligence; or as he likes to joke, eight and a half. This “existential intelligence” is basically the capacity of human beings to reflect upon past human experiences and ask questions pertaining to philosophy and existentialism. Such broad questions include contemplating the identity of humans, the direction humanity is heading, and the existence of evil. Though this doesn’t entirely qualify as an official intelligence in the MI spectrum, it is worth taking seriously, as it meets much of Gardner’s criteria for a form of intelligence.

These chapters were quite interesting and informative. The earlier chapters helped expand what we learned earlier about accommodating MI in the classroom. In particular, I feel that giving students a place to learn where they can access their MIs is a good idea. In a way, this fits into the MEL model. Establishing a positive learning environment is crucial to helping your students succeed. By learning the MIs of your students, you can make that positive learning environment for them.