Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom

After taking "Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Profile," I was surprised to find that above all other types tested for, I have an Intrapersonal intelligence. I found this a little odd out of all the others that I thought more closely matched my personality, but I was intrigued nonetheless. I started looking into what makes an Intrapersonal person tick.

At Surfaquarium.com you can look into what each intelligence profile means and how you may be able to adjust your learning for a classroom situation. Below are some core characteristics of Intrapersonal intelligence:
  • Affective Awareness – the knowledge of one's feelings, attitudes and outlook
  • Ethical Awareness – the setting of one's principles and moral priorities
  • Self-Regulation – monitoring one's thoughts, actions and behavior
  • Metacognition – the awareness of one's thought processes
I thought that these characteristics definitely describe some aspects of my personality, but beyond that, they explain why I've always felt like I'm a good learner. I know me. I know how I feel about every subject raised, and if I don't, I soon will. I have a very strong sense of morals and I'm good at regulating my behavior as a student. These have all helped make it possible to take in knowledge at a steadier pace, and so I excelled in school.
Also at Surfaquarium.com, it gave personality traits that may help you be able to pick out students with Intrapersonal intelligences. Students will probably be very comfortable with themselves and easily be able to communicate their feelings. They will have a strong self-efficacy in most things that they do, but when they don't, they set realistic goals to help reach their potential. Intrapersonal students will not be afraid to tell you what they like or dislike, and they are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. Above all, Intrapersonal students will be fair and make appropriate choices in their lives.
It doesn't seem like it would take much to support this intelligence in the classroom, since they seem to regulate themselves fairly well, but I would probably have personal journals for each of my students so that they had a chance to voice their emotions/opinions/reflections. I would make sure to change my teaching style frequently, involving multiple intelligences, so that they could continue to feel challenged. I would relate my teaching topic to the outside world, so that they can make the comparisons.I would also try to allow as many alternative options in the classroom as possible (especially for assessments). In a classroom, I would have my students set goals and keep track of their progress.
The technologies that stimulate Intrapersonal intelligences are the semi-personal things like journals, diaries, voting machines, self-assessment, real-time projects, and online surveys that allow the student to think on their own accord.
Knowing more about multiple intelligences will be very useful once I'm in my own classroom. Having this knowledge (and this web-resource) I will be able to better identify the learning needs of each of my students. I will be able to get a better understanding of their personalities and the wide variety of nuances between each. I'll be able to better understand what makes each student tick.


This is the site I got my Intrapersonal Intelligence information from. Check it out for yourself!
http://surfaquarium.com/MI/profiles/intrapersonal.htm

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Hello!

My name is Katy D.

This is my first blog for T&L 445 at WSU!

First time on Blogger, so this could get interesting.
Pardon the mess, make yourself at home, and welcome.


Miss Katy D