March 8, 2018

7:47 p.m.

Chapter 4: Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner theorized that there was more to intelligence than just the basic and
most widely accepted linguistic, logical-mathematical, and spatial intelligences. Gardner
proposed five additional intellectual spectrums: musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Each of these specific intelligences had their own gifts and were
of no less value than any of the seven others. Also, individuals with the same types of
intelligence tend to veer towards the same career paths. For example, a student with a naturalistic
intelligence may find a career in ecology or farming (Magun-Jackson, 2017).

I feel like the multiple intelligences theory is very relevant to my own developmental
theory. While I did do well in school, my strengths were always most heavily witnessed in my
ability to develop relationships with others. I have realized as I have grown older and more self-
aware that my strongest intelligence is an interpersonal intelligence, which accentuated by my
ability to adapt to my environment easily and love of learning, has lead to my decision to pursue
a career in education.

As a teacher, I will make sure to recognize and encourage development of all

intelligences in my students. I want to make certain that they feel worthy and successful, and
while most classroom environments only praise linguistic, logical-mathematical, and spatial
intelligences, I will work to go out of my way to find opportunities for them to develop and
realize their own intelligences. I have witnessed how drastically it can impact a child’s self-
worth to have their strengths praised as oppose to criticized when these gifts may not necessarily
fit the status quo, and I hope to implement this same positive environment into my future
classroom.