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Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

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My educational philosophy is influenced by Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. According to
Gardner, intelligence is 1) The ability to create an effective product or offer a service that is valued in a culture, 2) a set of skills that make it possible for a person to solve problems in life, and 3) the potential for finding or creating solutions for problems, which involves gathering new knowledge. Gardner 1 builds upon
Benjamin Bloom’s earlier work on learning taxonomies and they both encourage a more comprehensive and holistic approach to educating a child, which is what I believe as well.
Bloom’s believes in different levels of understanding which build on each other. Cognitive learning is demonstrated by knowledge recall and the intellectual skills: comprehending information, organizing ideas, analyzing and synthesizing data, applying knowledge, choosing among alternatives problemsolving, and evaluating ideas or actions.2 By challenging students and building upon basic knowledge, students will be able to learn at higher levels, and as Gardner reinforces, each individual child possesses a blend of learning styles and intelligences.
Unfortunately, in education we talk a big game. Since our system is still based on the industrial model of
Andrew Carnegie, we are rely upon the factory model to educate our children. Too often the whole student and his/her learning style is ignored as teachers try to prepare students for state and national standards
tests.

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