Intelligence and its Versatility (Cluster 5 Fieldwork Assignment)

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According to Howard Gardner intelligence is "a biopsychological potential to process information in certain ways in order to solve problems or create products that are valued in at least one culture or community" (Woolfolk, 2014, p. 134). For our fieldwork assignment I asked four different people the same question "What are three characteristics that would describe an intelligent person?". The answers I expected to get involved testing and IQ scores but the answers I received were of wide variety. Some said an intelligent person is creative and driven, while one person said they were socially awkward. Gardner believed that intelligence in hows individuals react and process information. I was particularly interested in this cluster after taking Rachel's quiz on learning theories. I found out that I am an auditory learning. I normally have referred to myself as a visual learning but have been misguided. I was able to reflect on that score and now have created helpful study skills geared towards my type of learning.

Just as these four individuals showed different opinions and ideas, our students in the classroom will exhibit different opinions and ideas. We, as teachers, need to be aware of the different intelligence's and types of learning. In the classroom I am observing, it is filled with a variety of learners and all the students are intelligent. Some students seem to be more academically intelligent while other have great abstract skills. I spoke with the teacher and asked what she does to promote the different intelligence and types of learning and she said "I make sure to have different situation occur in my class. Meaning I encourage group work and also individual work when appropriate". She uses visuals and manipulatives during her lessons in order to help the children follow the instruction.  She is aware that each of her students are intelligent in particular aspects and does her best to promote those qualities in the classroom.