Chapter 1 MI

The first chapter of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom is very heavily focused on what the multiple intelligences are and from where they derive. They were developed to challenge intelligence tests, that were felt to too narrowly define intelligence. These tests were first created by French psychologist Alfred Binet, who was as by the minister of public instruction in Paris to find a way to determine which primary school students were at risk for failure. The testing moved to the United States years later, with the idea that intelligence could be “objectively measured and reduced to a single number or “IQ” score.” (p.1).

It was a Harvard psychologist that began to seriously challenge this, proposing in his his book, Frame of Mind, that there were, bare minimum, seven basic intelligences. Recently, an eighth has been added, a ninth in discussion. His eight types are linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, interpersonal, and natural. Different people match different types, but Gardner, and the book, make it clear that everyone develops some semblance of each intelligence, and can strengthen that area at any point of life, also that even within the categories there are many ways to be intelligent. 

These intelligences are extremely important to the classroom, as teachers need to understand how each of their individual students learn, and even in what areas they could use help. It’s also important because it does debunk the idea that there is only on definition of intelligence, which is an important guiding idea in a classroom. It’s also important because Gardner is adamant about our standardized testing is not the right way to test a student’s knowledge. He suggests that tests that span a wider range of the intelligences would be more effective, though he does use standardized tests to assess multiple intelligences.