These
chapters discussed how to ensure success for all students, including those with
disabilities who many typically be viewed as inferior. While traditional classrooms
only value writing and reading skill as applied to topics such as history, English,
and mathematics, a classroom that utilizes multiple intelligences will value a
wide range of intelligences.
There
are many ways that the use of multiple intelligences could change special
education. One aspect to consider, is its impact on IEPs. The book asserts that
currently, IEPs usually ignore a student’s strongest intelligences and force
them to do more of what they struggle with. However, there are ways to teach
students and build in their weaknesses while still relating the instruction and
activities to their strengths and interests. This way encourages more success
in students and less boredom and frustration.
The
book also asserts that if multiple intelligence was used more in a typical
classroom, there would be less cases where it is necessary to refer students to
a special education classroom. This is positive, as it encourages inclusion.
This is something we discussed a great deal in my SED101 class, where it was
expressed that inclusion is usually extremely beneficial to students with
disabilities and it should be something that education is moving towards.
However, the use of multiple intelligences is useful for every student, not
just those who have a disability.
It
is also expressed in these chapters how important it is for students to learn
problem solving and the ability to dig into the content, making connections and
being critical. Essentially, this is the idea of teaching students how to think, not what to think. The book recognizes that problem solving techniques
can be found that suit each intelligence. Encouraging students to use their
preferred style of problem solving will help them be less frustrated and allow
them to be problem solvers.
If
we as teachers want to encourage success, it is necessary that we recognize the
differences in each students. Whether these differences stem from culture, any
disabilities, or learning styles, being familiar with them is crucial in order
to design lessons that will work successfully for your classroom. These books
give us many methods of how to consider these differences when shaping
activities in your lesson, as well as in other aspects of the class, such as
deciding how grading will be based.
I
found these chapters to be useful for me as a future educator because I know
that I will be teaching some students with disabilities. Previously, I had
never thought of a connection between MI theory and special education. However,
I enjoy the connections I saw in the text to what I had talked about in SED 101
last semester. It is really important that all teachers are aware of how to
work with students with disabilities, as it is not just special education
teachers who need these skills. I am aware that I will have these students in
my future classroom, and I am excited to help these students learn and grow,
just like I am for every other student.
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