MI+B1+Chapter+6



toc

Tracey Hollingsworth
 Chapter 6 - MI and Teaching Strategies [|Chapter 6 - Synthesis] Chapter 6 of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, Armstrong provides 40 strategies for differentiated instruction—five for each intelligence. These strategies add to our repertoire and will be extremely useful as we enter the teaching profession. Among the class, the most popular strategies for differentiated instruction were [|journal writing], body answers, and board game making. Other strategies classmates said they would use were brainstorming, theater, and having a pet in the classroom. It is well known that Multiple Intelligence Theory should be used in [|today's classroom]; however, it can be very difficult teaching to ALL [|students] but this chapter efficiently showed exactly how it can be used.

"MI theory opens the door to a wide variety of teaching strategies that can be easily implemented in the classroom" (51). Chapter 6 of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, Armstrong provides 40 strategies for differentiated instruction—five for each intelligence. Over the course of education, many of these strategies have been discussed or implemented, but this chapter gave a detailed explanation of how everyday activities can be applied to multiple intelligences. Many times these valuable strategies involving MI theory are overlooked or ignored. If a teacher knows how a strategy can be used and how it affects their classroom, the are more apt to engage their students in MI based activities. This chapter was a good reminder of what activities can appeal to the different intelligences and how they can be integrated into any classroom.
 * Chapter 6 - Abstract**

Rachel B.
This chapter I found to be very informative and easy to comprehend. There were so many strategies for each type of intelligence, it was amazing. I have to say that my favorite was probably the section on teaching strategies for bodily-kinesthetic learners. The reason I say this is because I feel as though that may be one of the more difficult ones to integrate into the classroom. Also, being that I'm going to be a health teacher and thoroughly enjoy getting up and moving, I easily relate to the methods offered. Even if it is as simple as a student answers to a question with their body, for that particular learner, bodily-kinesthetic, they will be a whole lot more involved and more apt to remember what you're teaching if you involve them.

Jen T.
This chapter killed me. I think it really should have been teamed up with the last chapter. These are all really awesome examples, but it drives me crazy to read it all over again, chapter after chapter. Getting that rant out of the way, the most interesting example I found was the people sculpture under interpersonal intelligence. The idea of acting out different ideas and concepts is interesting, and I would enjoy trying it out in my own classroom.

Rachel F.
Chapter 6 was especially helpful because we are well aware of the multiple intelligences and that we should apply them to our classrooms but exactly how to do that was still a question. This chapter clearly outlines a few great ideas about how to incorporate each intelligence into your classroom. I have chosen the strategies that seemed the most interesting. For linguistic, kids could brainstorm ideas about a certain topic. Each idea would go up on the board and after, the students could do a reflection or project using the ideas. It is important to remember that no idea is a bad idea. Using science thinking for logical-mathematical seemed like a great idea because so many individuals in the world lack the fundamentals of science. In this instance, students seek out scientific ideas in other subjects. For spatial, teachers could use many color cues such as colored chalk, markers, and paper. By using colors, you can teach students to color code and stay organized. The classroom theater for bodily-kinesthetic is great because the students get a chance to get up and act out certain texts, problems, or other material. Musically, students could create songs, raps, or chants that go along with the content being taught. Board games are a great way to stimulate the interpersonal kids. You could have the students create a board game around certain material from the class. The students get to interact and learn at the same time. For intrapersonal, giving students choice time allows them to build responsibility. Lastly, having a pet in the classroom is a great naturalist way to engage students. A pet teaches students responsibility while immediately bringing a natural feeling to a classroom. It is going to be difficult trying to incorporate all of the intelligences into my daily activities but I know that if I do, my students will be forever grateful.

Geoff
Armstrong provides 40 strategies for differentiated instruction—five for each intelligence—in chapter 6 of //Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom//. These are all great resources; I will keep this chapter in mind, especially for when we go back in the schools in a couple of weeks. Two of the strategies that I resonated best with in this chapter are Socratic Questioning under the Logical-Mathematical Intelligence section and Discographies under the Musical Intelligence section. I had seen the term “Socratic Questioning” several times before this chapter, but I was never sure what it meant. Now that I know what it means, I feel that I have already put this strategy to use in my first three weeks at Mt. Blue, and something I will definitely use in the future. There are a lot of ways to look at history, just as there are a lot of ways to look at current events today. Add in all of the various backgrounds that we come from, and it means that a single classroom will have a multitude of viewpoints on history, politics, and life. Therefore, instead of having a class dominated by teacher-centered lecture, I think it is important to establish a class dialogue to bring all of these viewpoints (and intelligences too, perhaps) into discussion, and to correct errors when necessary. I also liked the Discographies suggestion of this chapter. I am a big fan of music and having access to music in the classroom, but I never really thought that much about bringing music from various historical eras into my classroom. There are lots of other great suggestions in this chapter, but these two are the ones that stood out to me the most, and the two I will probably bring into my classroom early and with the greatest ease.

Megan
I like that chapter 6 elaborated on some of the ideas listed in chapter 5. There were a few that stood while I was reading. The first, as simple as it is, was journal writing. I think it’s important to get kids to write whether it’s free writing or themed. Students can write about what’s going on in their lives, reflect on what we are learning and how it’s relevant or not to them. I like that students journal entries can be private, just between the student and I, or read aloud. Another idea discussed in the chapter was the classroom theatre. I can definitely use this strategy in my classroom! Role- playing can play a big part in lessons regarding decision making, drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. I also thought the idea of making a board game is really cool! It’s easy enough to do and fun way for students to learn the material. I also like the idea of discographies but I’m not entirely sure how I would incorporate that into a health class.

Karin
I really like the quote that precedes the chapter: “If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything around you looks like a nail.” It definitely rings true of teaching strategies, which is what makes teaching effectively so difficult. I learned from this chapter that there are many different approaches to developing strategies for multiple intelligence learning; I really liked how, although linguistic and logical intelligences are typically the intelligences that are “taught to” in the classroom, the book still provided some good examples. The important thing is to always keep in mind the different ways that your students learn. This will be important in my classroom because it is important in every multiple intelligences classroom. I will have to learn how to develop strategies based on the intelligences that my students show proclivity toward, as well as those my students may shy away from.

Courtney
Chapter 6 is a more in depth version of chapter 5. Like I said about chapter 5 there was a list for each intelligence giving ideas on how to incorporate that specific intelligence into the classroom. These ideas are explored and explained in depth in chapter 6. There were plenty of ideas that I could use as a teacher myself. Some of them were really obvious but just had to be put in that specific intelligence category to really make me think that journal writing is a use for linguistic intelligence or that a classroom theater would work for bodily- kinesthetic intelligence. This chapter provides a lot of great ideas to get a teacher headed in the MI direction because it can be really hard to devise something for each and every intelligence. My favorite one would be to have a pet in the classroom because I think that it could be so much fun for myself and for my students, not only could it teach my students responsibility in helping to take care of it but it really would create a great environment for the students as well. It would be fun to incorporate the class pet into lessons.

Sara
I really liked this chapter because it gave some great ideas about teaching strategies for each of the 8 components. Some of the activities are wonderful and they can appeal to multiple components. Journal writing can appeal to the intrapersonal student as well as the verbal/linguistic. Brainstorming for instance can appeal to mathematic, interpersonal, and verbal linguistic learners, and even spatial if graphic organizers are included. It is easy to include each MI into a lesson if you are conscious of what you have to do. I really like the idea of plant props to appeal to the naturalistic students. Many schools don’t allow pets so I feel that the while the idea of using pets in the classroom is a good one it is rather implausible.

Jen P.
This chapter gives teaching strategies in depth for particular intelligences. If I have my students take one or more MI tests at the beginning of the year or semester, I will know how each student learns best. Not only can I implement these strategies for students who are really struggling, but I can also use them to challenge the more advanced students, especially those who try to go ahead of the class. It appeases me to know that if a logical/mathematical-oriented student is having trouble, in say, a U.S. History 1 that I can go to this chapter and find some great ideas that will help that student. I do not have to reinvent the wheel. It is great that this chapter is one that I will find myself exploring in a lot throughout my teaching career.

Jordan
This chapter consisted of explanations of some of the items from the lists in chapter 5. Five different teaching strategies for each of the eight multiple intelligences were discussed in depth, showing how the strategy can be used, why it should be used, and how it is helpful to students who may display that intelligence prominently. This is another great resource to have not only while completing WHERETOs and forming actual lesson plans now, but also in the future, when teaching an actual class. It is well known that MI Theory should be used in the classroom and this chapter (along with the previous chapter) show exactly how it can be used.

Stephanie L.
Awesome. Chapter 6 of MI breaks down each intelligence even further and provides great teaching strategies for each of them! I am particularly a fan of the Journal Writing under (you guessed it!) the linguistics section. I did a lot of journal writing as a student and thoroughly enjoyed it. This such a great way to begin each class because it gives students a chance to write down anything that may be bothering them, any questions they might have, or a really funny story that they want to share. It is also a great way to get their brains warmed up for discussions and activities! I also really enjoyed the Body Answers technique. It never really occurred to me that raising your hand could be considered bodily-kinesthetic, but it makes perfect sense. It doesn't stop there: students can use their bodies and contort their faces in so many different ways just so they can convey what they are feeling and whether or not they are confused about something. Regarding the interpersonal intelligence, I really like the use of board games in a classroom. It allows for students to either work together or compete in a fun, yet educational way. I am a huge fan of board games, and if there is a way for me to incorporate them into my classroom, I am psyched!

John
This chapter grabs some of the items in the long, long lists from chapter 5 (presumably the ones that were important enough to be in ALL CAPS) and explains how one may use them at length. I found this chapter a rather useful resource, and I may use some strategies in the classroom. The tape recording strategy, which was at first sort of lost on me, now makes more sense, and I can think of a few opportunities where it might have come in handy while at Mount Blue Middle. The Linguistic scenarios and teaching strategies are gold, and I will certainly utilize some, if not all of them, in lessons for my student teaching semester.