Laneika Davis
PSY/300
June 20, 2011
Harmony Kwiker There are three different approaches that have attempted to define intelligence, the psychometric approach, the information-processing approach, and the theory of multiple intelligences (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). Howard Gardner developed a theory of multiple intelligences where he asks the question “how are you smart” verses “how smart are you.” In Gardner theory of multiple intelligences, he gives a list of eight different intelligences that he considers is what makes each individual intelligent. The eight different intelligences include linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, naturalist, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal. …show more content…
“Gardner’s theory suggests that intelligence lies on not one but eight curves, one for each type of intelligence” (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). The three intelligences that have an impact on my personal success are linguistic, logical-mathematical, and interpersonal. “Linguistic intelligence involves sensitivity to spoken and written languages, the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals. This intelligence includes the ability to effectively use language to express oneself rhetorically or poetically; and languages as a means to remember information” (Smith, 2002, 2008). I think this intelligence has impacted my personal success because I love to talk for one. I love to express how I am feeling and when I am spoken to I usually do not forget much of what was told to me. My boyfriend tells me all of the time that read too much into things. He also tells me that I think too much. I also like to express my feelings through writing. I keep a daily prayer journal that I like to write in to tell about how I am feeling. I love to write poems to express how I feel. I still have poems that I wrote back when I was only in the eighth grade. I love to read and I love to hear stories as well. These are all reasons that I feel this intelligence have impacted my personal success. “Logical-mathematical consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically.
It entails the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically. This intelligence is most often associated with scientific and mathematical thinking” (Smith, 2002, 2008). I love doing math and solving math problems. I love the challenge of new formulas. One class that I loved the most since I have been in college was physical science. It gave me the scientific investigating that I like to do with math operations that you had to plug in to figure out the scientific formulas. All of my friends talked about how I did not want this particular professor and I ended up with him. I ended loving his class and we got along very well. I think this has made me a very good problem solver in life. I am the person that all of my friends come to with problems and they all say that it seems as if I always know exactly what to say. I just think that I am a very logical thinker. I sometimes wonder why everyone else does not think the way I do. I am a logical thinker, but I am also a simple thinker. I can always seem to find the simple way of doing things verses going through many unnecessary …show more content…
steps. “Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intention, motivations and desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others. Educators, salespeople, religious and political leaders and counselors all need a well-developed interpersonal intelligence” (Smith, 2002, 2008). I work in an Elementary School as a teacher assistant and I love what I do. I love seeing the growth of the students from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. It is a feeling that I cannot describe. I am the person at work that they always call on to do things or to help others out because the principal says that I just get along so well with others. I will often get pulled from my classroom to go and help out a teacher when their teacher assistant is not available. I think that I have worked in almost every teacher room in kindergarten and first grade at my school just for that matter. This year I was a teacher assistant in a first grade room, was pulled out of my class to go and help out with a kindergarten room on their field trip to the zoo. I was called to the office and was told by the principal that there was no one else that she could trust to go on the trip besides me. In conclusion, “Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence proposes that intelligence is not one capacity but many.
The theory distinguishes eight kinds of intelligence” (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). “ Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory has helped educators to reflect on their practice, and given them a basis to broaden their focus and to attend to what might assist people to live their lives well” (Smith, 2002, 2008). “It has helped a significant number of educators to question their work and to encourage them to look beyond the narrow confines of the dominant discourses of skilling, curriculum, and testing.” (Smith, 2002, 2008). The three intelligences linguistic, logical-mathematical, and interpersonal have given me the ability to express myself through being verbal and through writing. They have allowed me to have a better self understanding. They have also giving me high social skills which allows me to be outgoing and set apart from a group. I am a very good problem solving and I am able to use these skills in every aspects of my life. They have helped me the most to succeed at work. Where I work at I have use my problem solving skills a lot. My teacher this year even had me to help her teach the kids different math skill because some of them could get it how she said it and some needed to hear it how I would solve it. I am very outgoing sot I am used a lot at work to fill in gaps. I think these three intelligences make me who I am today. I think these
intelligences make all of us unique and different. Reference
Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2009). Psychology Fifth Edition. John Willey & Sons, Inc.
Smith, M. K. (2002, 2008). Howard Garnder and multiple intelligences. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from The encyclopedia of informal education: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm