Multiple Intelligences
It has long been recognised in educational psychology that we possess a whole range of ‘intelligences’. Traditional education systems and examinations have always concentrated on memory, mathematical skills and linguistic ability. It is now widely acknowledged that mastery of some of the other intelligences helps us a great deal in our lives - broadening our outlook and helping us achieve success personally, academically and in the world of employment.
Perhaps the best-known proponent of the concept of multiple intelligences is the educational psychologist Howard Gardner. Gardner’s ideas have evolved through time and he has identified eight intelligences, as shown in a simplified form below. Gardner is also looking into the existence of two additional intelligences, existential and pedagogical.
- Kinaesthetic (body smart)
- Logical (number smart)
- Linguistic (word smart)
- Interpersonal (people smart)
- Intrapersonal (myself smart)
- Auditory (music smart)
- Visual/spatial (picture smart)
- Naturalistic (nature smart)
More forward-looking educational programmes now aim to develop a broader range of skills and areas of intelligence. This is certainly the case with the IPC and IMYC programmes we follow at La Garenne. It is widely believed that these areas of intelligence will be increasingly important in the future. As a school it is our responsibility to help prepare our students for the world of tomorrow. Everyday life at the school, our extra-curricular programme and the taught curriculum all combine to develop the full range of intelligences our students possess.
Beyond highlighting these different types of intelligence and helping the students to develop them, we also aim to change their attitude to failure – developing a positive approach that will allow them to bounce back after disappointment, and put in the time and effort necessary to overcome the difficulty. This ‘growth mindset’ (C. Dweck) is very much in line with our school’s motto – ‘Never, never, never give up’.
