Video One: Multiple Intelligence in the Classroom

After watching the assigned video the objective of this blog was to answer the following questions:

1. How the two teachers in the viewed video are using multiple intelligences in the assignments given?

2. What other activities could these teachers have assigned to engage students’ multiple intelligences?

3. Provide a type of software application or tool (e.g., concept mapping, WebQuest, PowerPoint) that would help teachers teach toward diverse learners.

The first teacher in the video stressed the importance of knowing each student. She elaborates on understanding each student’s needs, motivations, strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore she incorporates different approaches for her topics by discussion tools, written tools and verbal tools. I believe this teacher utilizes linguistic, and interpersonal intelligences within her class. In my opinion, I believe more involvement from the students end could be beneficial which she could have incorporated into this lesson but not included it in her video clip. Visual resources such as a video or a PowerPoint or perhaps a concept map of how the definitions related to each other might be beneficial for diverse learners.

The second teacher utilized personal experiences/preferences in creating student meaning with the content being taught. For example, when writing definitions her students some students drew a picture to connect the meaning of the word to that definition while others might have given an example of the definition that occurred through a personal experience. The main intelligence used in this example was intrapersonal however one could make the connection to linguistic and spatial intelligences as well. I believe this teacher does a good job of ensuring every student creates his/her own model of learning for this assignment however it be nice to incorporate some groupwork as well. Maybe this teacher could utilize WebQuest to send the students on a journey to discover the meanings of particular definitions in a story. Or perhaps, groups work together to identify the definitions and create stories that incorporate the definitions within them.