When I was a child, schools usually administered IQ tests; I suppose you all remember them. It was a test primarily based on linguistic and mathematical skills and determined each child's "intelligence."
I still remember our tutor calling each child individually to inform them of their results, and I also remember the playground discussions about everyone's scores. It was as if the opportunities you would have in life and your fortune depended on that number.
Were you closer to being very intelligent — which would lead to success in life — or were you closer to the benchmarks of "dummies" who would be poor unfortunates? I now think, what a SAD MESSAGE, and furthermore, one with great "power" at an age when children's personalities are forming and their self-esteem largely depends on what others say about them.
Intuitively, I always thought that intelligence couldn't be so easy to determine. One only had to observe how many people with exceptional results on this test turned out not to have many skills for relating to others, for coping, for overcoming difficulties or resolving conflicts... and conversely, how many people with not precisely outstanding results excelled in areas that had nothing to do with mathematics or language (it could be in drawing, music, sports, social skills, etc.) and therefore were not measured.
In 1983, Howard Gardner, awarded the Prince of Asturias Award decades later, spoke to us in his book about the theory of multiple intelligences: after many years of research, he pointed out that there are many types of intelligences or capacities. According to his theory, we ALL possess all of them, although innately we have some more developed than others.
What are the intelligences that Gardner describes?
- Linguistic-verbal
- Logical-mathematical
- Spatial
- Musical
- Bodily-kinesthetic
- Intrapersonal - refers to self-knowledge and related processes: self-confidence, self-motivation
- Interpersonal - involves the ability to establish relationships with other people
- Naturalistic
Furthermore, he has recently indicated that there are two more types of intelligences currently under study: pedagogical and spiritual.
I don't know if these are all the intelligences or if more will be added to the list over time, but personally, I have no doubt that Gardner was right when he said that there is not just one type of intelligence and that we all possess all of them, though, of course, some are more developed than others.
This change of conception seems fundamental to me for two reasons:
- First, because it discards the concept of "smart, dumb" which I never liked and which I don't believe exists anyway.
- Second, because it tells us that we can all develop them… they are not something static and fixed, a kind of divine gift that you either have or don't have, "this is what you got and that's it" but rather they can evolve and develop and thus, with work and effort, we can improve in all of them.
Those who follow me know that this is the approach I like to convey to my children: hard work and effort are what allow us to advance and evolve.
Based on this theory, Gardner believes that the purpose of school "should be to develop all intelligences and help people achieve goals appropriate to the intelligence they have most developed." To do this, he recommends addressing the individual differences of children and trying to individualize the teaching method and evaluations.
However, despite the fact that Gardner's theory is now widely accepted, the educational system has not yet managed to translate this approach into the classroom.
Steps are being taken, of course. For example, at my daughter's school, in the first trimester of kindergarten, they gave us a talk on this topic to break down preconceived notions of parents from the "IQ" generation. I don't know if they will be able to put it into practice, but at least many barriers are being broken.
I am convinced that although much remains to be done, we are witnessing a paradigm shift according to which our child can no longer be "labeled" as the smart or the dumb one in the class, but rather the aim will be to highlight and enhance their best qualities.
While the change in schools is gradually unfolding, we parents have a lot to contribute from home. We can provide them with that personalized education that allows us to "discover" their abilities and enhance what truly sparks their interest.
And why? you might think... To keep them motivated, which, in my opinion, is one of the keys to learning.
I'll leave you with a video of an interview with Gardner himself, in which he explains his theory and its implications very well. I hope you enjoy it:
