The Walden Project
Assessment
Multiple Intelligences
(As Conceived by Howard Gardner)
As noted in the Assessment Overview, students will be assessed mainly from the Gardnerian perspective of Multiple Intelligences. This approach embraces the concept that an individual’s style and way of “knowing” as well as “assessing” is a unique blend of many factors. In the 70’s Howard Gardner mapped out seven areas that he thought embraced the totality of one’s cognitive ability. He has since included several more in various updates to his theory. The debate as to which is the “magic” number of intelligences could be long and inconclusive. What matters most is that a student’s ability and sense of perception is seen as an ever changing relationship with a wide variety of ways to receive, digest, make sense of and react to her/his experiences; be they academic or life-survival.
The Walden experience is rooted in the belief that understanding is not merely a linear experience that can be defined by the empirical model. We feel strongly that life is a mosaic and that the tools for experiencing and having a meaningful understanding of this mosaic are far more complex than the exclusive use of Linguistic and Mathematical skills. While we highly value these more quantifiable skills and require Walden students to develop their proficiency with them, we heartily support the notion that “not all roads lead to Rome” and that sometimes “Rome” is not the only destination worth considering.
Consequently, we urge Walden students to explore all the “ways of knowing” that might make sense to them. With this in mind we actively teach to these other styles of “knowing” and encourage students to pursue their studies using this broader format of discovery, assessment and expression
In this document, the seven basic intelligences (with reference to the more recent intelligences, as conceived by Gardner) are pictorially displayed and then outlined. Additionally, for the interested reader a “wheel” depicting numerous examples of Multiple Intelligence Capacities has been included.
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The Walden Project
Youth Programs:
The Walden Project
Brief Description of the Seven Basic Multiple Intelligences
(as conceived by Howard Gardner)
Verbal/Linguistic:
This intelligence deals with words and language, both written and spoken.
Related Tasks/Interests: reading, vocabulary, formal speech, journal/diary keeping, creative writing, poetry, debating, impromptu speaking, humor/jokes and storytelling.
Logical/Mathematical:
This intelligence deals with deductive thinking/reasoning, numbers and the recognition of abstract patterns.
Related Tasks/Interests: using formulas, outlining, graphing, number sequencing, calculation, deciphering codes, showing relationships, problem solving and pattern games.
Visual/Spatial:
This intelligence deals with the sense of sight and being able to visualize an object and create internal mental/pictures.
Related Tasks/Interests: guided imagery, active imagination, color schemes, patterns/designs, painting drawing, mind-mapping, pretending, sculpture and pictures.
Body/Kinesthetic:
This intelligence deals with physical movement and the knowing wisdom of the body, including the brain's motor cortex, which controls body motion.
Related Tasks/Interests: folk/creative dance, role playing, physical gestures, drama, martial arts, body language, physical exercise, mime, inventing and sports/games.
Musical/Rhythmic:
This intelligence deals with the recognition of tonal patterns, including various environmental sounds, and a sensitivity to rhythm and beats.
Related Tasks/Interests: rhythmic patterns, vocal sounds/tones, music composition/creation, percussion vibrations, humming, environmental sounds, instrumental sounds, singing, tonal patterns and music performance.
Interpersonal:
This intelligence operates primarily through person-to-person relationships and communication. It relies on all the other intelligences.
Related Tasks/Interests: giving feedback, intuiting others' feelings, cooperative learning, person-to-person communication, empathy practices, division of labor, collaboration skills, receiving feedback, sensing others' motives and group projects.
Intrapersonal:
This intelligence deals with inner states of being, self-reflection, metacognition and awareness of spiritual realities.
Related Tasks/Interests: silent reflection methods, metacognition techniques, thinking strategies, emotional processing "know thyself" procedures, mindfulness practices, focusing/concentration skills, higher-order reasoning, complex guided imagery and centering practices.