In 1983, Dr. Gardner who is a professor at Harvard, developed a theory that suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on IQ testing is far too limited. Howard Gardner says: “Much if not most of what happens in schools happens because that is the way it was done in earlier generations, not because we have a convincing rationale for maintaining it today. The often-heard statement that school is basically custodial rather than educational harbors more than a grain of truth.” Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. He believed that it is not how smart you are, but it is how you are smart. His eight intelligences are: nature smart, people smart, number smart, picture smart, self smart, body smart, music smart and word smart.
There are several benefits of using the multiple intelligences model. Teachers and staff may come to regard intellectual ability more broadly and students become more active, involved learners. The classroom acts like the “real” world. The parents and community become more involved as we rely on them to be resources for learning. Most importantly, students will be able to demonstrate and share their strengths. Building strengths gives a student motivation and a love for learning.
