6 Sentences By Howard Gardner About Education – I’m A Mom
Howard Gardner is an American psychologist and researcher known for his theory of multiple intelligences, in which he describes the existence of at least eight intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalistic, intrapersonal and interpersonal) .
This author had a lot of repercussion in the educational field. That’s why, in this article, we present to you some of his most famous phrases.
Gardner’s ideas about education
According to Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences are combined and used to different degrees, in a unique and personal way.
Thus, each person has their own intellectual profile, that is, they are more competent in some subjects and less competent in others. Furthermore, this author postulates that each of the intelligences expresses its own creativity within.
Therefore, when it comes to understanding education, we have to understand it from an integral and inclusive perspective, in which:
- All areas of learning are worked on.
- Individual differences are taken into account.
5 sentences by Howard Gardner about education
1. “Each human being has a unique combination of intelligence. This is the fundamental educational challenge”
To properly educate children, we have to know their potential and give them the opportunity to develop them to the full. In this sense, the educational system must offer individualized and personalized attention, valuing all intelligences equally.
2. “We can ignore the differences and assume that all our minds are the same. Or we can take advantage of these differences”
Not all children learn the same way. In other words, each has a specific intellectual profile and a specific learning style. This must be taken into account to provide a quality education, paying attention to the needs of each student.
3. “The emergence of new technologies forces us to educate children differently”
Information and communication technologies make it easier for teachers to work in the teaching-learning process. Thus, nowadays, there are many methodologies for educational innovation that include the use of computers, tablets and other electronic devices. In this way, we can work and stimulate all intelligences and personalize learning.
4. “Children make their mark on life by doing what they can do, not what they can’t… School is important, but life is more important. Being happy is using your skills productively, no matter what they are”
According to Gardner, intelligence represents the skill needed to solve a problem or to craft products that are important in a cultural context.
Therefore, education aims to enable children to acquire skills and abilities that are useful for daily life and future development. In this way, children become adults who contribute, in some way, to society.
5. “The purpose of education is to help people use their minds better”
As we said earlier, the mind is made up of different types of intelligence. From education, we have to prepare children so that they can use these intelligences efficiently.
6. “We should spend less time sorting children and more time helping them to identify their natural skills and gifts, and cultivate them. There are hundreds and hundreds of ways to succeed and many, many different skills that will help you get there.”
Often, there is a tendency to compare children with each other, especially in the academic sphere. However, this is a serious mistake, as each student has certain characteristics.
Therefore, the focus of attention in education should be placed on the intellectual profile of each child, on exploring their strengths, as it is the school that has to adapt to the students, and not the other way around.
