Chapter 3

I learned that the single best tool for figuring out a student’s multiple intelligences is observation. The book said that sometime the best way is to see how they misbehave because misbehaviors are usually a cry for help, saying “I need to be taught this way”. Another way to observe students is to see what they do during their free time in school. The big take away I got from the chapter was that a teacher can set up activities for each intelligences and see what students chose to do. Also that parents are helpful in telling you what multiple intelligences are prominent in their children. You can get input from parents by introducing the idea of MI at back to school night and then by asking them about their observations during parent teacher conferences. What I learned in the chapter will impact my classroom more than it will impact me personally. During back to school night I can introduce the idea of multiple intelligences and then if I have “problem students” I can call a parent teacher conference and ask for the parents input as to why their child is acting in a certain way. I can also pose a solution that will incorporate the student’s multiple intelligences and see what the parent(s) think of the solution. As a first day or first week activity I can set up different stations around the room and have students look at the activities and then have them go to their first choice activity. To see more than one intelligence, I can have students go to their second choice activity after they complete their first choice activity. I can write down the first and second choices of my students this way I know their learning styles for the rest of the year.