Chapter 2: MI and Personal Development

Teachers need to determine what their strongest intelligences are in order to help their students develop their intelligences as well. Because some intelligences are stronger than other, teachers are more likely to teach in a way that represented their strong suits. But intelligences are not just biologically drive; they can be cultivated, strengthened, and unfortunately, impaired or blocked. Biology, such as genetics, personal experience, and culture all play roles in how one’s intelligences develop. Just because someone shows mastery of one intelligence does not mean they cannot go on to master more or even all of them. Because intelligences can be strengthened and even stunted by bad experiences or physical brain damage, it is important for teachers to not just teach to students’ obvious strengths, but also teach to their less developed ones to build them. And I as a teacher will need to work on my other intelligences so that I can better learn to teach students with multiple intelligence strengths different from my own.