A few takes on MI

Thursday 16th April

More questions than answers!

Howard Gardner’s theory of MI has neuropsychological basis; different cognitive areas accounting for different aptitudes … do they account for different levels of aptitude, or is that environmental? Are we hardwired to achieve excellence in some fields and not others, provided the opportunity and motivation is there. However, without a ‘driven personality’, excellence may not be achieved; irrespective of Gardner’s “genetic and experiential” factors. Does innate motivation, as well as external motivation, play a critical role in unlocking outstanding potential?
Dr Suzuki proved that just about anyone could learn to play music; perhaps not achieve like Mozart or Tognetti, but achieve, and usually more than thought possible. We are wired for sound. Everyone has musical intelligence and linguistic intelligence (which triggered Suzuki’s learning method) … it is not quite so straightforward to identify spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal & intrapersonal as elements of our “intellectual profile” … certainly Shelton is correct in saying these modes of learning are often removed from our grasp after infants school … but where does ‘intelligence’ stop and ‘personality’ and consequent individual learning style start? … Gardner claims evidence for naturalist and existential intelligences, and others lay claim to spiritual, sexual and digital intelligences. How do existential and spiritual intelligences differ?
http://www.literacynet.org/diversity/honoring.html

Gardner describes intelligences as “biopsychological potentials” underlying our intellectual performance, and intelligence in general as "the capacity to do something useful in the society in which you live." Western education still very much values Shelton’s “logical, linear problem-solving skills and the scientific process” …

In the 1980s when Gardner was given his initial study grant, the Human Potential Movement was quite active in inner city Sydney. Very young children were given stimulation to suit all of these MI aspects across as many waking and sleeping hours as possible. To an observer, parental commitment seemed significant in terms of time and material resources. Interesting to know how many parents maintained input levels and what was achieved for themselves and the children?
http://www.experiencefestival.com/human_potential_movement