NEWSLETTER
Integrated learning and Multiple Intelligences
The Beginning of a new era?
At the recent highly successful N.Z. Principal's Conference held in Palmerston North July 98, an address on Multiple Intelligences by American Bruce Campbell impressed members.
Last year in Auckland at a Conference on thinking, that one of the Editors attended, Thomas Armstrong gave an address on the same topic which was equally well received.
'The empires of the future will be empires of the mind'
Sir Winston Churchill
Educational 'Voices'
Other speakers at conferences in recent years such as Art Costa ('future proofing' students by teaching 'Intelligent Behaviours') James Bellanca (Integrated teaching) and Prof Sternberg (different ways of being intelligent) along with the recent emphasis on Learning Styles, Accelerated Learning and Co-operative Teaching, all indicate that exciting things are happening.
'All life is an experiment'
Oliver Wendell Holmes
An echo of the past?
Are we seeing a 1990s revival of the child centred learning of the 60s? The 60s were an era of educational experimentation that itself replaced the arid formalism of earlier decades. The 60s were exciting times and by the 70s Integrated Programmes, Developmental Learning, Language and the Creative Arts were all the rage.
Educational Pioneers
The 50 and 60s weren't easy days for the innovative pioneers like Sylvia Ashton Warner and Elwyn Richardson, and later for many creative teachers throughout N.Z., but they won through.
At the same time teachers had to make all their students conform to the then 'scientific' 'normal' curve and assess all their students on a 1 - 5 scale! This was equivalent to todays assessment demands. If the bureaucrats have their day we may yet return to basic testing!
The role of the Art Advisers
In earlier day the Art Advisory Service led the way in supporting creative teachers - acting as 'critical friends'. Today this support structure is but a shadow of its former self and nothing new has yet emerged. This Newsletter is but one attempt.
Every discovery contains an 'irrational element' or a creative intuition.
Karl Popper
The battle is lining up!
The energy of the earlier 60s child centred movement had lost its energy by the early 80s and too many students were felt to be falling through the cracks. The educational scene, along with the whole welfare system, has now been captured by the 'right wing' ideologies with their linear technocratic mindset. The state Curriculum Frameworks now all conform to an international style of strands, levels, and myriads of objectives and lurking in the background is the spectre of national testing of individual students and at worst school league tables.
Market forces have had their day?
As 'market forces' is being shown to be a less than perfect doctrine more humanistic concerns are coming to the fore to face up to the dislocation and alienation that has been created.
Hopefully as the 21st C draws near perhaps a new educational voice will emerge as part of the reinvention of a 'decent society'? A new vision for a new Millennium?
What is Worth Fighting for in Teaching?
There are no shortage of ideas.
Fullan, author of two small booklets under the above title, and a speaker at last years NZPF Conference, writes:
'what is worth fighting for is about how to make schools more interesting and fulfilling places'
This is already to be seen in many individual NZ schools where there is a shared vision and real leadership.
As Fullan states:
The 'most creative and dynamic teachers will always find ways of resisting curriculum guidelines and adapting them to suit their own purposes'.
To achieve real change however will mean whole school creative development - or better still lots of creative schools working to the same agenda
As Fullan quotes:
'imagine that you would become a better teacher, just by virtue of being on the staff of a particular school - just from that one fact alone
Fullan's Advice for teachers
- Articulate your 'voice'
- Reflect on your actions
- Develop a 'risk taking' mentality
- Trust processes as well as people
- Trust people
- Commit to colleagues
- Avoid 'Balkanisation'
- Be a leader
- Balance your work and life
- Push and support Principals
- Commit to continuous improvement
- Judge yourself by how you are making a difference to students
Fullan believes that teachers and principals: ' must be given more control over curriculum' and 'that current curriculum demands have created overload and dependency'. He feels that we should be dissatisfied with current systems and use our energy to create the sparks for dramatic change
'Where there is no vision people perish'
Proverbs 29:18
Fullan's Starting Points For Principals
- Avoid If only statements
- Start small, think big. Don't overplan.
- Focus on important things - teaching.
- Focus on school culture.
- Practice fearlessness. Say no - just do it!
- Empower others
- Build a shared vision
- Decide what you are not going to do!
- Build allies
- Know when to be cautious
'Learning is not a spectator sport'
Anon
Why we need a More Informed Vision for the 21stC
The new curriculums are a political response to falling standards perceived worldwide in education along with a need for a more vocational economic basis for learning.
An educational answer has to be strong enough to provide a real alternative, and be one that is aligned to wider societal issues of creating a better world for all. This will require the reinvention of community to replace Market Forces winners and losers model.
The best of Both Worlds
The model we are suggesting is one that combines the best of child centred learning with new ideas about how students learn. This is a 'best of both worlds' model not an either or approach. We believe that to avoid the 'fragile' learning of the 60s we need to base innovative ideas such as multiple intellegences on solid focussed teaching ensuring basic numeracy and literacy are in place as a prerequisite. Some things it seems are not natural and will have to be taught e.g. the alphabet base ten maths, in fact a high level of achievement in anything. We believe in the importance of effort and practice, as long as students see the point. We believe in doing things well - In Quality rather than quantity. These thoughts may be in conflict with some new age thinkers who see learning as always being fun.
A Visual Metaphor
The visual metaphor for our approach is our logo - the top of the triangle - combining the best of everything!
The Metaphor of the Learning Community
The metaphor that underpins this model is that of a learning community based on shared values.
It is not new
Some aspects of our beliefs e.g. consructivism, Essential Skills, integration and Values, are already part of the NZCF, but they currently do not receive the emphasis they deserve. Too much attention is being paid to accountability and assessment.
'Education is at a turning point'
Howard Gardner
New Perspectives for learning?
Why do so many of our students still fail?
Why do high IQ kids not always do well in real life?
'I never let my schooling interfere with my learning'
Mark Twain
Why do some 'failing' students at school do so well later in real life?
Multiple Intelligences associated with an appreciation of Learning Styles offer an opportunity to ensure all students can learn.
We need to question the way we organise our schools.
Why do we shift primary students at the end of each year just when teachers are beginning to understand their students?
In secondary schools why do we divide learning in compartments and give students a fragmented approach to knowledge? Why do we divide learning into 40-minute time blocks?
'School can be a tool torture or an instrument of inspiration'
Higgins & Dolva Educators
A new look at Integrated Learning
Recently the Ministry has given out Integrated Learning Contracts. This small move must be applauded recognising as it does one of the past strengths of primary teaching.
Primary teachers are increasingly again using integrated themes as a means not only to help students see connections between Learning Areas, but also as a means to cover the impossible demands of all Learning Areas.
Integration provides some difficulty with assessment demands, but this is being solved by teachers selecting a narrow range of objectives to ensure all students achieve 'official' learning.
Integrated learning 'failed' in the past because the various content areas were lost in the process.
It is vitally important that teachers ensure that their students see connections between Learning Areas.
Teachers must make this transfer explicit e.g. When covering taniko patterns (triangle shapes) while doing a unit on Maori Art and Design (Art or Social Studies?) it would be important to point out that they are also a maths shape (isosceles triangles) and also that they are a strong shape in technology.
Thematic Studies
The selection of interesting Themes will be important to allow natural integration and to motivate learners interests e.g. such as:
- Patterns - an excellent theme which covers all Learning Areas
- Change - in nature, history, art, chemistry (cooking), physics (time / pendulums)
- Developing a Local Museum on a Web page - technology, history, science etc.
- Explorers - from early day to space, and personal traits
- Conflict - a theme in literature, music, art, and between countries
- The Local Bush, A Pa site, the Seashore, Bicycles, Cooking Putting on a musical.
- Collegial Theme Planning
A good idea is for a teaching team to 'brainstorm' ideas for themes and when finished check them off against the official Curriculum and then fill in gaps that you haven't covered using the suggested study areas.
'A study without real content is a study at risk'
Elwyn Richardson NZ Pioneer Educator
An Example of Integrated Studies bases on sensory education
Take your class each day out to see a tree using one way of 'seeing' each day. Tell them it will be as if they are using special glasses (a frame of reference)
- Day One. Look at the tree as an artist.
Artists would look for lines, shapes, colours and patterns. Record using a biro or pencil. Back in school develop your impressions.
- Day Two. Look at the tree as a poet.
Look for phrases and metaphors that capture the tree. How does the tree make you feel? Back in class write out some small poems
- Day Three. Look at the tree as a scientist.
Scientists would ask what sort of tree, why does it have bark, buds, leaves etc.?
Back at class prepare a study on trees
- Day Four. Look at the tree as mathematician.
Mathematicians would want to know how high, how wide the tree is, the average size of leaves etc? Back in class write a maths report.
Continue looking as a Musician, Dancer, Historian - the 'framework analogy' is endless… each way of seeing is another form of intelligence and expression. Use these frameworks on all field trips.
Today there is a real need to educate the senses and to value the aesthetic/artistic dimension of life.
Imagine looking at a bridge.
What frameworks could you use? What metaphors could a bridge stand for? Could you plan integrated unit around a bridge?
Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner introduced this theory in the early 80s.He believed that traditional IQ made too much of a narrow range of intelligence (logic and language) and too little of others (music art and so on)
Multiple Intelligence has the power to really transform school as we know them - particularly secondary schools. It is an answer to why so many students leave schools feeling failures, and why some of these failures when they discover their talents, do so well.
It is a complementary approach to integrated learning, but the focus is on discovering student talents.
You cannot teach people anything. You can only help them discover it within themselves
Galileo
Multiple Intelligence research has confirmed that all our intelligences work independently of each other, and that each individual has their own unique intelligence profile. Not all who are artistically intelligent for example are the same - intelligence can be seen only in action or by performance.
This has real implications for assesment, as there can be no absolute measurement of intelligence.
Eight ways of being smart
All of us have elements of all intelligences. We can learn to develop talents in all of them to some degree.
When they tell you to grow up, they mean stop growing Pablo Picasso
In your class make your students aware of all the ways they can be smart - and give them recognition when they use an intelligence. List them on the wall with examples.
Assess yourself, or each student in your class, for each intelligence. Develop a talent profile for each student. Give yourself a mark out of ten.
- Linguistic Intell.
The ability to read, write, and communicate with words. Authors, poets, orators, comedians are examples e.g. Dickens Gerry Seinfield
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- Logical Mathematical
The ability to reason and calculate. Maths and physics, accountants, lawyers and Ministry planners.
e.g. Einstein
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- Visual Spatial Intell.
The ability to think in pictures and visualise things. Imagine in your minds eye. Photographers, strategic planners, sculptors, architects, navigators
e.g. Picasso,
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- Musical Intelligence
Ability to make and compose music To keep rhythm.
e.g. Mozart, The Beatles
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- Bodily - Kinaesthetic
The ability to use your body skilfully. Athletics, dance, sports, acting, making things- good with your hands.
e.g. Jonah Lomu,
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- Interpersonal Intell.
Social intelligence. The ability to work with others and to be empathetic. Good teachers, politicians, facilitators. E.g. Oprah Winfrey
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- Interpersonal Intell.
The ability for self-analysis and reflection. To make plans and set goals. Philosophers, councillors, most 'peak performers'.
e.g Sigmond Freud
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- Naturalist Intelligence
The ability to recognise flora and fauna interested in natural history. Farmers, botanists, conservationists.
e.g Darwin
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