The Multiple Intelligences

(This is the introduction lesson for the week. It could be used as a whole group Bible study meeting on campus with other teachers after school, or you can work through it as an individual. All the devotions this week will be connected to this lesson)

Prayer:

1.      For open heart and mind

2.      To learn something new that will help you become a better teacher

3.      For God to give you eyes to see past behaviors and see the needs of your students.

Opening Story:             

              I was not a great teacher during my first two years. My classroom management was weak, my lessons were boring, and I barely kept my head above water. But during year three I attended a workshop about engagement and ideas began bouncing non-stop inside my brain. Everything changed that year, including how I taught my lessons.

              The most amazing concept I implemented that year was Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences. I first analyzed myself and learned that I leaned toward the Linguistic, Musical, and Intrapersonal Intelligences.  And if I had that much variety in how I received new information, then my classroom would also be diverse. That year I made sure to include as many of the Intelligences as possible when introducing new concepts and my students thrived.

              This week, we will explore five of the nine Intelligences. First is the Linguistic Intelligence. This person loves reading, words, word play, poetry, spelling, writing, and vocabulary. Next is Logical-Mathematical Intelligence. These folks think in columns and love strategy games, coding, math, scientific problem-solving, logical sequencing, and order. The third Intelligence is Visual-Spatial. These people excel in mental imagery, art, sculpting, engineering, architectural design, land clearing, and navigation. Another Intelligence is Bodily-Kinesthetic. These are your natural athletes, dancers, gymnasts, jugglers, flippers, crocheters, and fidgeters who must keep their bodies moving and engaged. There is also a Musical Intelligence. These students hum under their breath, memorize lyrics to songs, create rhythms, excel in choral classes, and learn to play musical instruments with ease.

              So, what does this mean for the classroom?

              It means that whether we are teaching reading, writing, science, social studies, art, or math, we find ways to incorporate as many Intelligences in our lessons as possible. If I am the math teacher, I search out math literature and songs when teaching new concepts.  It means the science teacher incorporates physical activities and interesting word plays on a regular basis. And if we really want to reach most of our students, we think out of the box and include logic, word play, music, construction, and movement into every lesson we teach.

              And what does this have to do with Jesus?

Everything.

We are not only teachers of our students, but we are students of the Word. How do we learn and receive information? Which of these first five Multiple Intelligences explains the way we learn new material?

              Think about it:

              Linguistic: the Bible is filled with beautiful imagery and descriptions in words

              Logical-Mathematical: to comprehend, there has to be an organization, pattern, and breakdown of the material into logical groups, charts, and categories that make sense.

              Visual-Spatial: being able to see the big picture of the Old and New Testament, recreating biblical structures, explaining historical connections and relaying them to others would be a gift that those with Visual-Spatial Intelligence have.

              Musical: the Psalms are all songs that were sung in worship and there are so many other worship songs that draw some of us closer to God when we sing them.

              Bodily-Kinesthetic: Raising our hands in worship, dancing, prayer-walking, making creations for his glory are all ways we can interact with Jesus.

              God created us to worship and know him. Even though Howard Gardner may not have had God on his mind when he identified these Intelligences, it’s easy to see it was God’s design all along; for us to creatively interact with him and for us to also creatively interact with our students.

Scripture Reading:

Read Exodus 35:10-19 (NIV).

“All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests.”

Think about the different skill sets, learning styles, and personalities involved in each of these specialized areas.

Now read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NIV) and examine the gifts God gives to each of us.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,  to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Discussion

1. Think about the variety of students in your class and how you teach them. Think about the various gifts, talents, and abilities represented in your room. Are you reaching each of them? Would you be bored as a student in your classroom? Does anything need to change?

2.      How do students respond to songs, hands-on activities, and projects in your classroom?

3.      Think back to your favorite classes when you were in school. Was that teacher offering instruction in your preferred Intelligence style?

4.      Jesus met people where they were. So did Paul. How does Jesus teach you in your everyday walk with him?

Homework

              Read 1 Corinthians 12 and think about the gifts God gives to his children. How are you using the gifts he’s given you to help your students learn in the classroom?

Personal Reflection

              Challenge yourself to think outside the box on at least one lesson this week. Come up with a way to incorporate as many of these five Intelligences into that lesson. Instead of depending on yourself as you plan, spend time in specific prayer asking God to enlighten and guide you to the right way to present the information to your students. God isn’t just a part of your personal and home life, he wants to be included in your classroom every day in every way.

Reference:

https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/types-of-intelligence.htm#pt2