While words are immensely important, they are not the only form of intelligence that matters.
Most schools primarily value only linguistic and mathematic intelligences. Perhaps it’s because they are the easiest types of intelligence to quantify through testing and grading.
Fortunately, psychologist Howard Gardner has taught us that there are many intelligences that are valuable and also indicate success in life. These intelligences include linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and natural intelligences.
All of these intelligences are valuable and students should be allowed to study and practice within any of the intelligences they choose. Though these other intelligences are harder to quantify, they should “count” as academic. Excelling in any of the intelligences should be applauded and rewarded within the school environment.
If you do not allow your children to practice their given intelligences to satisfaction, they may experience an amount of frustration stemming from being forced into a less compatible learning environment. Rather, when a child is learning within his intelligences, all intelligences benefit because the child is using his brain the way it was designed to think, thus increasing his brain power in all areas.
And most compelling to me is that when you allow your child the opportunity to learn something different than all the other children are learning, he has an advantage over his peers. When all is said and done, he will have a set of skills that are unique to him – not just cookie-cutter.
Let your child stand up, stand out, and make his mark!!!
-Heather Martinson
OCH Team
