Howard Gardner -Theory Essay Example for Free

Howard Gardner -Theory Essay Most learning institutions generally focus education on the linguistic and mathematical intelligence. Children in pre-school are first taught to know their ABCs and to count from one to ten. Those who can recite the alphabet well are considered bright students. Learners who can do addition at an early age are placed on the honors list. It had been that intelligence is measured using IQ tests. The higher the IQ is the smarter the person is. But the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, proposed by Howard Gardner in the year 1983, states otherwise. The theory basically implies that other than linguistic and mathematical competence, there are other or multiple aspects of the learning that should be considered as intelligence also. Likewise, the theory points out that standardized IQ tests is not a sufficient measurement of smartness or dumbness of a person. Gardners theory stirred the psychological and educational communities. It received varied reactions. Some were impressed and readily accepted the theory as it explains the differences of each students. Yet, some raised their eyebrows and issues sprouted as questions of validity and empirical evidences of the theory may not sustain the claims of the theory. There have been a lot of debates pertaining to multiple intelligences. Several writers have also expressed their varied opinions regarding the topic. Indeed the theory   proves to be an interesting milestone in the study of human learning and cognitive sciences. It also gives a lot of insight on how education in the future would affect the different abilities of each person. The theory, which is more than 20 years old, is already accepted and even integrated in some school but at the same time still in the middle of scrutiny. Howard Gardner was born in 1943 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. His parents   were originally from N rnberg, Germany. They went to the US in 1938 with their three-year old son Eric. Before Gardner was born, Eric died in a sleighing accident. These were not known to Howard during his childhood but have a fairly significant impact upon his thinking and development. He was discouraged from trying risky physical activities and was rather   encouraged to develop his creative and intellectual abilities. As he began to find out his family history, he realized that he was different from his parents and friends. For his education , he went to a preparatory school in Kingston , Pennsylvania against his parents wish to send him to Phillips Academy in Andover , Massachusetts . After that, Gardner attended Harvard University and took up a course in history in preparation for a career in law. In Harvard he was able to study under scholars like Eric Erickson, sociologists David Riesman and cognitive psychologist Jerome Burner. Howard Gardners theory on multiple intelligences attempts to provide a comprehensive view of intelligence. In the psychological era where the single theory prevailed, Gardner broke away and stopped from settling with just a single factor to be held responsible for intelligence. He rejected the idea of measuring intelligence through IQ tests. According to Howard Gardner, human beings have nine different kinds of intelligence that reflect different ways of interacting with the world. Gardner developed the well-known theory of eight multiple intelligences, consisting of verbal/linguistic, musical, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and naturalist intelligences. For Gardner, a person must satisfy a range of these criteria in order to quality as a person possessing intelligence. This is a much better theory, because it does not limit itself to a single entity. Compared to a single theory of intelligence where the theorist must restrict himself into choosing one that would provide the answer to measuring a persons knowledge and abilities, Gardners theory opens itself to the possibility that there could be many areas where a person could demonstrate his skills and knowledge. The advantage of Gardners theory of multiple intelligences lies in its being an â€Å"account of human cognition in its fullness†. It takes into account that man is equipped with a basic set of intelligences and that each man is unique with respect to which different components of the set of intelligences he may possess. This leads to the notion that man has the opportunity of taking advantage of his uniqueness by tailoring his education in accordance with his strengths and weaknesses. Howard Gardner introduced his theory of multiple intelligences in 1983. Multiple Intelligences is a theory about the brain that says human beings are born with a single intelligence, that cannot be changed, and is measurable by a psychologist. Gardner believes that that there is eight different intelligences in humans. Most intelligence tests only one or two intelligences, usually language and logic. Six others according to Gardner are musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. Gardner believes that everyone acquires all eight of these intelligences, and through environment, genetics, and different experiences no two people have the same make up of intelligences. Because of these differences we need to look at educating students differently. We can either overlook these differences in our students and teach them all the same way, or realize that all students have different intellectual strengths and weaknesses, and factor these differences into the way we teach our students. Unfortunately in our schools if a student has an understanding of the intelligences language, and logic, than they will have no problem passing the kind of tests that are given in school, which in turn will make them feel that they are very smart. But another student who may have weaker language, and logic intelligences but is altogether just as intelligent as the other student, will never is able to pass the tests required in our schools. And in turn these students will grow up feeling as if they are not smart, when in fact they can be extremely intelligent. Some students may have a better understanding of subjects if only they were taught to use any other of their intelligences to understand a particular subject. Students and educators need to figure out how a particular mind works, for them to better learn and understand. If a student at an early age feels that they are not as smart as the other students, it will affect them for their whole lives. They will feel differently about themselves, and school. This will also cause a low self-esteem which will hurt them, and keep them from reaching their full potential. Gardner believes that a student first needs to try to improve their language, and logic intelligences, but if they can’t they should know that they still have the ability to learn, and should try using many of their other intelligences. Basically educators and students need to realize that no two people think the same way, and need to modify the curriculum to help every student learn and understand. Gardner believes that elementary school should not be a time of strict, disciplined learning, but a time to teach the joy of learning. Young children need to learn the differences between, opinions, beliefs, and evidence, and this will carry them throughout the later education years.   I think that in our schools we have some a few programs like classes for gifted students, and classes for slower students. But when it comes down to it everyone is taught the same material in the same way, and is everyone is expected to pass the same test. I think that seeing what Gardner believes in our classrooms today would be encouraging, and wonderful. But I also think that realistically it would be very difficult to be carried out in all of our schools. But when it comes down to it we as a nation needs to realize that our children are the future of our country. Resources: Website: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_overview.html July 19, 2010 http://www.thelearningweb.net/chapter10/page365.html

Philip Larkin - A Voice of Pain for This Century Essay -- Biography Bi

Philip Larkin - A Voice of Pain for This Century On August 9, 1922, the poet Philip Larkin was born in the town of Coventry in England (Thwaite, Letters xvii). After graduating St. John’s College in Oxford in 1943 with a First Class degree, he worked at both the University College of Leicester and Queen’s College at Belfast before finally settling down at the University of Hull as Librarian in 1955 (Thwaite, Letters xviii). That same year, with the publication of his collection The Less Decieved, he "began to be recognized" (Thwaite, "Introduction" xv). His popularity continued to grow thereafter, and over the next twenty years amongst many awards and honorary doctorates he published two more highly acclaimed books of poetry, The Whitsun Weddings in 1964 and High Windows in 1974 (Thwaite, "Introduction" xvi). In 1984 he was offered the ultimate title of Poet Laureate, which he declined in part because of "shyness" and in part because of the "conviction that his poetry had deserted him" (Motion 510). With the words "I am going to the inevitable," he died a year later on Monday, December 2, 1985 (Motion 521). During his stay at Oxford, Larkin was a member of a group called "the Movement, its revolt being against rhetorical excess or cosmic portentousness" (Ellmann and O’Clair 579). He held disdain for the intricate poetic approach of Eliot and Pound in which "first of all you have to be terribly educated, you have to read everything to know these things, and secondly you’ve got somehow to work them in to show that you are working them in" (Ellmann and O’Clair 579). Larkin instead pursued "a more even-tempered, conversational idiom, more accurate than magniloquent" (Ellmann and O’Clair 579). But this "even-temperament" did n... ... who reside in the twentieth-century and stand as perennial expressions of not only his but of any individual’s mind. While the people of the world poise anxiously on the verge of a new millenium, only poets of his caliber will be remembered as having the sensitivity to capture the emotional need of this generation that will surely pass on to the next. Works Cited Ellmann, Richard, and Robert O’Clair, eds. Modern Poems: A Norton Introduction. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1989. Larkin, Philip. Collected Poems. London: Marvell Press and Faber and Faber Ltd., 1989. Motion, Andrew. A Writer’s Life. London: Faber and Faber Ltd., 1993. Thwaite, Anthony, ed. Introduction. Collected Poems. By Philip Larkin. London: Marvell Press and Faber and Faber Ltd., 1989. Thwaite, Anthony, ed. Selected Letters of Philip Larkin. London: Faber and Faber Ltd., 1992.

Of Our Spiritual Strivings WEB Dubois Analysis Essay

In Of Our Spiritual Strivings, the two main messages that WEB DuBois has to share are of the dangers of double-consciousness and the idea that a Veil exists between White America and African America. He first realized this when he was at school and they were passing around visiting cards and one girl refused to give him a card, simply because of his skin color. He realized at that moment that there was a vast veil between white and black America. However I found it interesting that he had no desire to attempt to remove that veil. Instead his desire was for African Americans to stay close to their roots, but at the same time without assimilating into white culture. He also expresses this when he says â€Å"After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world,—a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. † The African American is separate from White America, but yet is still American. DuBois desired that African Americans should not try to compromise with white america, but be proud of their heritage and yet still be recognized as Americans and not second-class citizens. This quote also leads into his second idea which is the idea that there should be a self-consciousness from African Americans. â€Å"It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. This continues on his idea that African-Americans should strive to be themselves and not something else, and not measure themselves by those that do not value them. In this next quote DuBois states that manhood is attained threw one state of mind, or self-consciousness, which is the viewing of oneself through their own lens and not thru the lens of others. â€Å"The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife,—this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging he wishes neither of the older selves to be lost. He would not Africanize America, for America has too much to teach the world and Africa. He would not bleach his Negro soul in a flood of white Americanism, for he knows that Negro blood has a message for the world. He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American, without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows†¦ † Double-consciousness should be discarded in favor of self-consciousness, because self-consciousness in the eyes of DuBois offered African Americans the chance to prove themselves to the world and show the world their abilities. America should not be set in the view as Africans would have it, but rather that America should be a land of incorporation, rather than assimilation. DuBois sought a land comprised of various cultures all equal to each other but no culture striving to be like another, because that would create a culture that would be dominant. He believed that every culture, African culture especially, had something to offer to America.

Definition Of Leadership For Me - 917 Words

1. The definition of leadership for me is as simple as the actions of a person that has the position, either implied or assigned, of influence over other people. A person can be a good leader or a poor leader depending on those actions. I have experienced both types of leaders in my career and have been able to glean characteristics from both to shape my leadership skills. I believe that a leader will have traits that are positive and negative. Chief Richardson, my Chief in 1995, taught me that decisions made by people are their decisions. Even when the supervisor knows it is not the best decision, the supervisor needs to inform the member and explain the implications, but ultimately the decision is the member’s to make. My MKC in 1997 showed that leading by example is powerful. He was the epitome of â€Å"do as I say, not as I do.† Working for him for two years, I decided that whenever possible I would lead by example. Chief Duprau exhibited the effect of words without action in 1999. Telling the engineers at station small that he believed the previous chief neglected them, he promised to visit at least once a month. The next time he visited was four months later. And a personnel matter, not scheduling, necessitated that visit. Since that unit, I have done my utmost to do what I say I will or not say it in the first place. MKC Thunberg showed me that you should know your peers’ jobs as well as your own. Knowing the deck side of the ship as well as engineering helped bothShow MoreRelatedDifferent Definitions Of Leadership, Skills, And Behavioral Styles That Set Me Apart From Everyone Else?1336 Words   |  6 Pageshelps in determining whether to keep it up or improve on the said skills. With different definitions of leadership, different people also view my leadership skills differently. This is simply because I possess certain traits, skills and behavioral styles that set me apart from everyone else. 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Page 4 Leadership Development ...Read MoreServant Leadership By Robert Greenleaf And Dirk Van Dierendonck Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction It’s safe to say nearly everyone has a different definition of servant leadership. Some focus on specific characteristics required of leaders, others are more interested in the interactions with others. Nevertheless, there is more recently a large emphasis on servant leadership in ministry. Servant leadership is an incredibly integral part of being a healthy leader in ministry. Servant leadership requires you to be attentive, be a model of specific characteristics outlined by Robert