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Ginny - This is Ginny Hoover and I'm stepping in tonight as a guest author. My book, The Gifts of All Children, co-authored with Carroll Killingsworth is now available at http://www.geocities.com/ginnyks/buythebook.html The basis of the book is that all children possess gifts that should be recognized, acknowledged, and refined.
Ginny - The topic of tonight's discussion is to be Multiple Intelligences.
Ginny - So Mary/PA what grade do you teach?
Ginny - I'm not sure how much you have used MI in the classroom, but I really appreciated the difference it made in my classes.
Mary/PA - I teach kindergarten and Reading Recovery
Jenn - I am a senior in College and will completing my student teaching this fall. Currently I serve as Head Taecher for a Before / Sfter school program. I am very interested in the MI philosophy but unsure about how to begin implementing it in the classroom.
Ginny - Mary do you work with MI with your students?
Mary/PA - How do you use MI in the classroom?
Ginny - Well, I think about learning styles being a pathway to the brain
Ginny - Then I think about MI as being the way they process the information after getting to the brain!
Jenn - Do you follow Gardners 8 (9) intelligences?
Ginny - Actually, I've done nothing with the spiritual
Jenn - Yes that is very new.
Jenn - I wouldn't have any idea where to go with that.
Ginny - The rest, I would use a unit plan dividied into the intelligences and would make sure there were things included to meet the needs of children who were in each group.
Ginny - I didn't try to do all MI's every day.
Jenn - Do you teach thematicly?
Mary/PA - Ginny is that a bit like the 4 Matt model?
Ginny - For instance, I would use School House Rocks to learn the Preamble.
Ginny - Yes I am trained in Integrated Thematic Instruction which is heavily based on brain theory.
Ginny - Mary, I'm not familiar with the 4 Matt model, although I've heard the term.
Jenn - I love the Integrated thematic approach but I forsee a problem with many school systems "teaching to the test." How do you incorporate MI's into such a rigid curriculum.
Ginny - I planned my lessons thematically, listing all potential activities I might use. I just finished writing a lesson for Scott Mandel's new book using MI and cooperative learning.
Ginny - I don't think that curriculum stifles teaching.
Jenn - Do you place each activity into the appropriate intelligence?
Ginny - Sometimes when people make us change our ways, we think we can't do what we have.
Ginny - Yes, Jenn I put activities under each section.
Jenn - I have seen many teachers using worksheet after worksheet - the blame it on Mastery Tests.
Ginny - I DO NOT USE WorKSHEETS
Ginny - For instance, when I teach children how to decide of using "I" or "me" I use oral language.
Jenn - Super I agree worksheets are the wrong approach but that is all I'm seeing in classrooms.
Mary/PA - Ginny, does your book address the planning that we must do? Or how to go about planning?
Ginny - I have students say the right words in phrases, knowing that if I put it into the oral language, they will also use it correctly in the written language.
Ginny - My book is about recognizing, acknowledging, and refining the gifts of all children. It is based on the fact that ALL children have good things within them that will make them worthwhile in our society.
Jenn - Do you have learning centers in the classroom - in my opinion the MI approach fully supports a center based teaching style.
Ginny - Mary, I always plan by unit. As I said before, I then make sure I address the MI's in the unit.
Ginny - Jenn, I have learning centers and all of my bulletin boards are interactive. But I also do whole group teaching.
Cheri - Ginny, Sorry to have missed the beginning. What is your book-the one you referred to?
Jenn - What does your seating arrangement look like?
Ginny - Cheri, my co-author, Carroll Killingsworth and I wrote a book, The Gifts of All Children. It is feature in this month's Gazette. http://teachers.net/gazette/APR01/hoover.html
Ginny - Jenn, you'd laugh. You see I start out with my desk in neat rows. Then after I defined what I want, I have students move desks to where ever they need them.
janet - ginny, i love what you said about all children having good things within them! i teach kindergarten special ed.
Ginny - I like rows for attendance, collecting and distributing. It's efficient.
Jenn - So I'm I correct in saying that the year starts out structured and then becomes more child - directed after you "feel things out."
Ginny - Janet, my co-author and I feel very strongly about see the good in all children.
Mary/PA - "The Gifts of All Children" - http://www.geocities.com/ginnyks/buythebook.html by Ginny Hoover and Carroll Killingsworth.
Cheri - Do you prefer desks to tables? I'm thinking that I would prefer tables, but also think kids need their own space. Have desks now. Teach 2nd
Ginny - Recognizing their MI's is just another way to give respect!
Jenn - That seems like a good approach.
Ginny - I like desks as they are soooooo portable.
Ginny - Jenn, I use structure when necessary, and then whatever works! My students are on the floor, under tables, etc. as long as they are actively learning--I don't care.
Ginny - Marsh, glad you could join us.
marsha - Thanks Ginny
Cheri - We have found lots of creative ways to organize our desks. Kids are great about it. I'm so glad to see you allow kids under tables. So do I, but I wonder sometimes what others think.
Ginny - When I teach, I think about many things. I think about good approaches to teaching--I use learning styles, multiple intelligences, and non-confrontational discipline.
Jenn - I find it hard to place fine motor activities or crafts - which intelligence do they fit under Bodily - Kinesthetic or Spatial?
Ginny - Cher, I did something rather blazen. I wouldn't let my principal evaluate me until he visited my classroom and I could teach him!!
Ginny - Jenn, some activities are in both. I think that crafts would be. I like activities that are cross overs. They meet the needs of more children.
Ginny - Look at puzzles. That would definitely be a cross over. the logical mind, the body
Jenn - I agree w/ you but there has been some confusion in one of my classes I will bring your point up in class tomorrow.
Mary/PA - What is the difference between using MI in the classroom and having a Brain Compatible Classroom?
Ginny - Cheri, I taugh him that my students needed to walk at times. I made him realize that it wasn't wasting time to allow each of them to get up and put their papers in the basket. When I finished teaching him what I did and why, I told him he could come in and evaluate me.
Jenn - Do you profile you students into their most dominant intelligence or do you avoid that?\
Ginny - Brain Compatible classroom takes in more than just MI
Ginny - Cher, I just got a break in typing. Thanks for joining us!
Ginny - Jenn, No I have an inventory sheet that I use. I not only inventory them, I teach them how to use their strengths to become better students.
Cher/2/CA (late) - Thank you Cheri and Ginny1 I am listening and learning from all of you!
Cheri - Good for you. I'm fortunate because my principal is supportive. It is however her first year and she has to report to the superintendent who is not up to speed on some current best practices--my opinion. He seems much more into the business side. So I think she has to be careful.
Jenn - What strategy do you use to teach them about their strenghts?
Ginny - They can tell me their MI and LS. They can tell me if they are Right or Left brained....or funny we call if "flip flop" if you function equally in both sides of the brain. I think it is important to give them that knowledge.
Ginny - First, I inventory them. They love learning about themselves!
janet - ginny, what kind of inventory sheet? remember, i'm kindergarten special ed...would this be appropriate for me? could you tell us more about it?
Ginny - Then when we are approaching a difficult tasks we talk about the different ways we could learn.
Ginny - Yes, there are simple inventories for lower grades.
canuk - What do you thhink about the current research that is showing that there is a lot more crossover between the hemispheres than was thought?
Cheri - How much time do you spend on inventorying?
Ginny - Janet, I have a site that is just multiple intelligences. There are several very good links there with copies of good inventories and for different age groups. You'll find it at http://www.geocities.com/ginnyks/classroom.html
Jenn - Cuurently, I refer to a Scholastic Press Book title Developing Students Multiple Intelligences - it covers a planning and defines each intelligences and gives a few strategies for using the MI theory in the classroom. How does you book differ?
Ginny - Cheri, not much time. We do it as a class activity. Of course I teach older kids (middle school)
Ginny - Janet, there are simple inventories. I hope you can find one on those sites. Many of them are elementary schools with ideas how to teach using MI.
canuk - How do you think the "esoteric" intelligence that Gardner is now investigating would show up in primary?
Ginny - Jenn, my book is not on MI. Mine is on looking for the gifts of children and helping them see their own value. The person who was to moderate tonight did write a book on MI. I am an official trainer of teachers. I was trained by Thomas Armstrong (the Seven Ways man) and Howard Gardner.
Ginny - Canuk, I really don't know. I've not read much about it. I am a practioner at heart. I read what will help children and USE it. So, my experience has been with the original 7 intelligences. Howard seems to find such joy in identifying even more...but I have trouble keeping up with him sometimes.
Cheri - Are MI and Integrated Thematic Instruction the same training you are referring to, Ginny?
Ginny - How do some of you incorporate MI in your rooms?
Jenn - Does you book give "easy to follow" startegies for using MI "individual gifts" in the classroom - I am not really looking for a long theory book I am seraching for more clearcut startegies. Would your book be helpful in that respect?
Ginny - Actually, I have trained with Susan Kovalik (sp) for ITI
canuk - I think it is important, as my team partner put it, to incorporate art with the eye of an artist, science with the eye of the scierntist etc, rather thatn just incorporate activities because they seem to fit with areas of intelligence
Ginny - My book helps teachers see what a child does well. If, for instance, a child is really into drama --(MI would be linguistic). I would address the intelligence that aligns with the gift.
Jenn - Super point Canuk!!! Do you mind if I share that phrase w/ some of my partners?p
Ginny - Canuk, MI doesn't interfere with teaching well--it enhances what we teach. Can something be to artifical? Yes, I don't believe in stretching things to "make them work."
Teach1Holloway - I was asked if it is necessary for students to be able to identify all the multiple intelligences. What do you think?
Ginny - Opps that is "too artifical" I need to proofread before I hit the button!
Ginny - No, I don't think it is necessary for students to be able to list all the MI's. I teach them to my students. They recognize them. They can tell me their strengths.
canuk - Ginny - I'm not arguing against MI. Sometimes though I feel teachers go with the word rather than the spirit
Ginny - I believe in immersion learning and that makes it easy to add MI's to the list that are appropriate.
Jenn - Ginny and members thank you for the wonderful sharing - I am going to purchase the book right now - my email is jennywag@yahoo.com if anyone would like to correspond further - got to go - thanks again.
Cher/2/CA (late) - Ginny, where can I purchase your book?
Ginny - canuk, I understand, because sometimes people go to far. They stretch things beyond reason. They lose more than they gain.
Ginny - Cher it is available at http://www.geocities.com/ginnyks/buythebook.html
Ginny - Canuk, I also believe it is good to question. We don't have time to "play around" with something that doesn't work.
Cher/2/CA (late) - Thank you, Ginny! Am going to purchase it right now! By all! Just keep on learning new things every day
Ginny - But I believe in BBL BECAUSE I believe it respects the child as an individual!
Cheri - canuk,can you give me some examples of what you mean by seeing with the eye of an artist, etc. I'm not sure I understand what you mean.
canuk - For example, when you look at a picture book, the artist would focus upon color, unity, rythm, pattern, whilst the linguist would focus on the Word picture, turn of phrase. The scientist would make a prediction about the story, then test it against subsequent eveidence
Ginny - Canuk, can you also see that the same activity could provide both responses and how that might enrich the classroom?
Cheri - Thanks, I'm with you.
janet - Immersion learning" i like that ginny! that's what i do now! my kinders have strengths and weaknesses all over the place...i figure if i immerse them in what we're learning, something's going to reach them!
canuk - absolutely, and the interchange between the differences opens up a whole world of connections
Ginny - Immersion is the highest level of learning.
Ginny - Canuk, that's why I like teaching in a classroom that honors MI's. There people can share in regards to their frame of reference and it is rewarded!
Teach1Holloway - How long have you been using the multiple intelligences in your classrooom?
Ginny - Teach1, I have been a trainer of teachers in MI for more than 6-7 years. I started using it right after I participated in inservices. I was already trained in Learning styles.
Cheri - The difficulty I have is that while we honor MI's in the classroom, standardized instruments do not allow for all of them and kids suffer.
Teach1Holloway - Did you start on a small scale or did you jump in with both feet?
Ginny - I think it is good to stretch children too in their weak areas. We've talked about using for their strength, but we also need to address weaknesses.
Teach1Holloway - I am making a special effort to include more art, drama, music, and drama in my first grade classroom.
Teach1Holloway - The second drama should be body movement. I have found that all students can respond to a story if they are allowed the freedom to choose the way in which they can respond.
Ginny - I started right out. Teach1. I took that inventory and started working. The next year I was "appointed" the study skills teacher and I taught students how to recognize their strengths and then spent the time showing them how to use their strengths to overcome weaknesses. (This was during electives. )
Cheri - I'm going to buy your book, Ginny. Thanks, everyone, for sharing.
Ginny - In every literature unit, I include art, life skills, music, and other core courses.
Ginny - Cheri, thanks for being here tonight. I just found out that I would be moderating this late this afternoon. So I appreciate your participation!
Ginny - I think body movement and liguistics would be very important in lower grades. DRAMA!
Ginny - When I studies learning styles, I learned that younger children were more likely to be right brained and as they grow older would function out of the left brain and that the common population would be 50-50 as adults. (on the average)
canuk - With my partner, we try consider how to address each area authentically in each unti. What would be a worthwhile activity that could increase understanding rather than just being an addon
Teach1Holloway - It has been a struggle some days because I am not a musical person.
Ginny - That means that younger children will enjoy oral language and bodily kinesthetic.
Ginny - Canuk, I hope you'll love the results like I did!
Ginny - Teach 1 I used tape recording a LOT!
Teach1Holloway - We have used some tapes, but we are trying to write some songs to familiar tunes. This is one way that students are showing that they understood a piece of literature.
canuk - project approach units seem to include many areas of MI naturally, giving weight toall areas
Ginny - Well, I think it is time to log off now. I appreciate the good conversation. Again, I invite you to stop by my site... http://www.geocities.com/ginnyks/ and see what is there. I enjoy providing good ideas for teachers! Thanks again for an enjoyable chat. --Ginny
canuk - Thanks, Ginny
Ginny - Canuk I think you will find that it will fit naturally because it should!
janet - ginny, thanks for the information tonight! our district is building a new primary school for all kindergarten classes, and it will be an MI school. i'm going to check out your site for some ideas!
Teach1Holloway - Thank you for sharing and leading us to a good resource. THANKS!!!
Ginny - Teach 1, the pleasure is mine.
