One of the most exciting differences amongst this year's class is the variety in intelligences. I don't mean that some students are smarter than others, but rather that students have strengths in all different areas. Some of us are skilled in math and/or science, while others are more artistically inclined and still others are natural readers and writers. Some of our skills overlap. A few students have kinesthetic intelligence, which means that they probably like to be in motion while learning, and they're probably good athletes. A few of us are musically gifted. Some have great interpersonal intelligence, which means that they're usually perceptive of other people's needs and feelings. Others have intrapersonal intelligence, which means that they understand themselves well. It is normal to have a lot of strength in a few intelligences and to be weaker in a few others.
In order to let students use their strengths and strengthen your weaknesses, we will learn in different ways. Sometimes, I will invite students to create a piece of art about the topic we're learning. Other times, we will get out of our desks and act out what we're reading--with motions, facial expressions, and maybe even costumes. When we read and write poetry, students can put their words to music. Sometimes, we'll learn through discussion in book clubs. Students will keep a regular class journal, in which they can reflect on their reactions to texts through writing, drawing, or both. For high-stakes assignments (those which count for a significant portion of a grade), students will typically have several options that address various intelligences.
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