Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child

Prepared by Carla Piper, Ed. D.

Emotional

PhysicalIntellectual

Social

Science

Math

Sensory

Small Muscle

Large Muscle

Music

Art

Language

Literacy

CreativeMovement

SocialStudies

Literature

Nutrition, Health, Safety

Feeny, Christensen, Moravick

HumanDevelopment

Domains

The Whole Child

The Whole Child

• ASCD Whole Child Website

• About the Whole Child Initiative

• Resources• The Learning Comp

act Redefined: A Call to Action

Human Development Domains in Early Childhood

• Cognitive• Physical• Social• Emotional

The Whole Child Initiative

Healthy Safe

EngagedSupportedChallenged

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Early Learning Standards

• Must Include all areas of early development and learning• Cognitive• Language• Physical• Social• Emotional

• The content and desired outcomes are meaningful and important to children’s current well being and later learning.

• Must recognize and accommodate variations and support positive outcomes for all children• children’s cultures, languages, communities• individual characteristics, abilities, and disabilities.

Each Child is a Unique Case

• “When schools get obsessed with ensuring predicable results, they tend to treat children in uniform and standardized ways.”

• Children differ:• Temperament• Aptitude • Intellect • Social competence• Emotional vulnerability

• All children are alike in some ways and every child resembles certain children more than others.

Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Prepared by Dr. Carla Piper

Definition of Intelligence

• The ability to solve problems that one encounters in real life

• The ability to generate new problems to solve

• The ability to make something or offer service that is valued within one’s culture

Gardner, 1983

Multiple Intelligences

• Diverse preferred modes of learning for each individual

• Different ways of information processing

• Result of years of scientific brain research• Stroke victims• Accident victims• Alzheimers patients Gardner

1983

Research Findings

• Intelligence is not fixed at birth.  It changes and grows through life.  It can be improved and expanded.

• Intelligence can be taught and improved by activating levels of perception.

• Intelligence is a multiple phenomenon that occurs in many different parts of the brain/mind/body system.

• A stronger, more dominant intelligence can be used to train (improve or strengthen) a weaker intelligence.

• Most persons possess all intelligences – but in varying strengths (at varying times)

Gardner, 1983

Frames of Mind

• “The ways in which intelligences combine and blend are as varied as the faces and personalities of individuals”

• Intelligence is changeable – not stagnant• Genetics influences intelligence • BUT providing a nurturing, positive, and

stimulating learning environment is very important!

Gardner, 1983

Eight Intelligences• Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence – Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence – word playerword player• Logical-Mathematical Intelligence - Logical-Mathematical Intelligence - questionerquestioner• Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence - Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence - movermover• Visual-Spatial Intelligence - Visual-Spatial Intelligence - visualizervisualizer• Musical-Rhythmic Intelligence – Musical-Rhythmic Intelligence – music lovermusic lover• Interpersonal Intelligence - Interpersonal Intelligence - socializersocializer• Intrapersonal Intelligence - Intrapersonal Intelligence - individualizerindividualizer• Naturalist Intelligence – Naturalist Intelligence – nature lovernature lover

Gardner, 1983

How can we help our children develop their intelligences?

• Stage 1: Awaken - trigger the intelligence• Stage 2: Amplify - strengthen by practice• Stage 3: Teach - learn and acquire specific

knowledge• Stage 4: Transfer the intelligence to real life -

Knowing how to live in the real world

Neurons (brain cells) make connections

between different parts of the brain.

The Word Player

Verbal Linguistic Learner• Uses words effectively • Has highly-developed auditory skills• Enjoys reading, playing word games, and

writing• Has good memory for verse, lyrics, or trivia• Preschool age great for repetition and

memorization

poet

The Questioner

Logical-Mathematical Learner• Thinks conceptually and abstractly• Is able to see and explore patterns and

relationships• Enjoys reasoning, calculating, playing logic

games, solving puzzles.• Likes brain teasers, logical puzzles, and

strategy games.

scientist

The Mover

Bodily-Kinesthetic Learner• Likes movement • Communicates well through body language• Enjoys physical activity• Excels at hands-on learning• Processes knowledge through bodily

sensations – moving, touching, manipulation, role plays, creative movement

dancer

The Visualizer

Visual-Spatial Learner• Thinks in terms of physical

space • Notices images and thinks in

pictures• Learns best through drawings,

designs, and imagery• Likes mazes, jigsaw puzzles,

films, diagrams, maps, chartsarchitect

The Music Lover

Musical-Rhythmic Learner• Shows sensitivity to rhythm, melody, and

sound• Notices non-verbal sounds in the environment• Learns more easily if sung or tapped out.• Musical intelligence develops very early• Most closely aligned to the verbal/linguistic

End-state: composer

The Nature Lover

Naturalistic Learner• Sensitivity to the world of nature • Demonstrates ability to empathize with animals• Enjoys working with plants, (gardening, farming and

horticulture• Has a natural sense of science and natural living

energy forces (weather and physics)• Enjoys cooking and working with products of nature • Sees patterns in nature

botanist

The Individual

Intrapersonal Learner • Is in tune with their personal inner feelings,

moods, and motivations• Has an accurate picture of personal

strengths and limitations• Has capacity for self-discipline• Learns best through independent study and

introspection

Reflective Individual

The Socializer

Interpersonal Learner• Enjoys interacting with others• Learns best through group

activities• Sensitivity to facial expressions,

voice and gestures and has ability to respond effectively to those cues

• Understands and cares about people

• Likes to socializeleader

Responsibility

Civility

Safety

InitiativeRespect

Loyalty

Courage

Compassion

Honesty

TheGolden

Rule

Perseverance

Character Education

Gardner’s Quote of Emerson

“While I have spent decades studying intelligences…..

Words from a Wise American

“Character is more important than intellect.”

Gardner, 2005

Ralph Waldo Emerson1803-1882

What knowledge is important today?

“If knowledge doubles every year or two, we certainly cannot multiply the number of hours or teach twice as

quickly. Some choice, some decisions about what can be omitted, is essential.”

The first dilemma: What should be taught?

Howard Gardner – 2003

From Multiple Intelligences after Twenty Years

http://www.pz.harvard.edu/PIs/HG_MI_after_20_years.pdf  

Based on Vision of Society

Vision translated into Learning Experiences

• What do you believe is worth knowing?• What do you know about the learners and

their development?

WHO?

WHAT? HOW?

CurriculumWhat do you teach?

CurriculumWhat do you teach?

Instruction How should you teach it?

Instruction How should you teach it?

AssessmentHow do you determine if you’ve

taught it successfully?If learning is not the result,

adjust instruction

AssessmentHow do you determine if you’ve

taught it successfully?If learning is not the result,

adjust instruction

Results inStudent

Learning!

What is Teaching?

What Should be Taught?

• Essential knowledge changes throughout history and culture

• Dictated by social and political pressure• Current California subjects considered

“CORE”• English-Language Arts*• Mathematics*• History-Social Science*• Science*• Visual and Performing Arts*Currently tested!

Should weteach only

what’s tested?

Howard Gardner

• What should be highlighted: facts, information? data? If so, which of the countless facts that exist?

• Subject matters and disciplines--if so, which ones?

• Which science, which history? • Should we nurture creativity, critical thinking? • If there is to be an additional focus, should it be

arts, technology, a social focus, a moral focus?

Aims of Education - Today

• Public schools in U.S. established for moral and social reasons as well as academic.

• “Surely we should demand more from our schools than to educate people to be proficient in reading and mathematics.” Educational Leadership, September, 2005

Noddings, 2005Educational Leadership, September, 2005

Narrowed Educational Aim

• Industrial Revolution invented way of thinking about productivity.

• Technical rationality • Set standards• Determine best practice for achieving goals• Predict success for all

• High premium on effectiveness and efficiency• Measurement mania and competition• The speed of reaching the destination is considered a

virtue.• Consider the faster student the brighter student

Elliott Eisner, 2005

Elliot Eisner

• Consequences of current reform efforts and emphasis on boosting test scores.

• Narrowed the curriculum and “blinkered” our vision of what we used to call “the whole child.”

• “To focus all our attention on measure academic performance is to blind us to these youngster’s need to live a satisfying life.”

• Aim is not to simply focus on the narrowly cognitive, but to see how students respond emotionally, imaginatively, and socially.

• The arts make it possible in vivid ways to eliminate a distinction between cognition and emotion.

Eisner, 2005

Invention of Education

• One of the most magnificent of human inventions is the Invention of Education--no other species educates its young as do we.

• At this time of great change, we must remember the ancient value of education and preserve it—• Not just facts, data, information, but • Knowledge, understanding, judgment,

wisdom. • We must use the ancient arts and crafts of

education to prepare youngsters for a world we can not anticipate or fully envision.

Howard Gardner, 2003

Today’s Focus for Education

What is Special about Human Beings

“Human beings have done many terrible things but countless members of our species have done

wonderful things as well: works of art, works of music, discoveries of science and technology, heroic acts of

courage and sacrifice.

Our youngsters must learn about these achievements, come to respect them, have time to reflect about them

(and what it took to achieve them) and aspire some day to achieve anew in the same tradition…or

perhaps even to found a new tradition.”

Howard Gardner, 2003

Quote of the Day!

“Children are not a can of baked beans…

Standardized in the cooking and canning process”

Assembly line modelProducts have little variability

Uniformity is a virtue

Elliot Eisner2005