Howard Gardner, creater of the theory of Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner

The theory of multiple intelligences were created by Howard Gardner in an effort to define the concept of intelligence and to answer the question of whether or not methods which claim to measure intelligence are scientific. We mainly focus on the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, Dr. Gardner says that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who make our world much more interesting.

The good news is that the theory of multiple intelligences has grabbed the attention of many educators around the country, and hundreds of schools are currently using its philosophy to redesign the way it educates children. The bad news is that there are thousands of schools still out there that teach in the same old dull way, through dry lectures, and boring worksheets and textbooks. One of the most remarkable features of the theory of multiple intelligences is how it provides eight different unique learning styles. If a teacher is having difficulty reaching a student in the more traditional ways of teaching, the theory of multiple intelligences suggests several other ways in which material might be presented for learning.