My Intellectual Strengths

This week we were asked to take a multiple intelligence test to determine what our top 3 intelligence styles are.  It gave me the results that I expected. 

My top 3 intelligences are:



1-Naturalistic, which I scored a 3.86 out of 5.

 

 

2-Language, ,

which I scored a 3.14 out of 5.

 

 

 

 

 

3-Social (Interpersonal) Intelligence

         In this category I also scored a 3.14 out of 5.



The rest of my scores were as follows:   

Spatial Intelligence-3

Self (Intrapersonal) Intelligence-2.86

Logic/Mathematical Intelligence-2

Body Movement Intelligence-2

Musical Intelligence-1

One of the foundations to differentiation and effective teaching states that, "the environment in which students are asked to learn must invite that learning" (Sousa, 2011 p. 9).  With my strengths in mind, my ideal learning environment would include elements of nature, written works, and group activities.  Some of these such as the elements of nature could be working with animals, working outside, or bringing the outside in, for example a water feature or outside noises like bird calls.  The written works would be stories or books that we can read on our own and then discuss in a group.  Projects or other activities that can be done in a group would also be utilized. 

All of these ideas would allow myself to be more comfortable and reduce stress which plays a role in how well I would comprehend the lesson being taught.  According to our textbook, "Learning environments have profound implications for learners both effectively and cognitively" (Sousa, 2011 pg. 31).   This is why the learning environment is important to me.


Reference

Sousa, D. A. & Tomlinson, C. A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience

supports the learner-friendly classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.    

Assessments & Me

A Meaningful Lesson

            It has been a very long time since I have been on a traditional classroom.  Therefore, the only lesson I can recall from my school days is one on reading comprehension.  The only reason I remember this lesson is because of the project I made.  The details of the lesson are vague but the final project is what I remember the most.  I needed to design a diorama on a book that I had chosen to read.  The book I chose was The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. 

It was about a little girl that was picked on in school because she was different.  She decided to tell the children picking on her that at home she had one hundred dresses in her closet.  The project I designed was a diorama of her closet containing all one hundred dresses.  As I said before I do not recall the lesson just the final project that I made.

                                          

Assessments

            The type of assessment that stressed me the most was the summative assessments that were standardized tests.  I did not stress if the final assessment was a project or report of some kind.  However, final exams and pop quizzes whether multiple choice, true/false, or essay, unnerved me every time.       

According to the text, “stress produces cortisol which directs the brain’s attention to what is stressing the individual.”(Sousa, 2011)  That is why students, myself included, may do poorly on assessments if they are stressed about them. 

The least threatening assessments were the ones where I got to choose how to present what I learned.  This gave me the option to excel in my assessment in a way that was comfortable and less stressing to me.

       

 

            Teachers should use multiple types of assessments for students because every student is different.  Just like every brain is unique every students learning style is unique.  Therefore, every student will excel in different assessments.  Some students may be very good at recalling what they have learned very quickly so are good at timed tests.  Some may be good at presenting projects about what they have learned.  And some may be good at neither but excel in a different assessment.  Teachers need to take this into account when planning their lessons and assessments.

            My learning would improve with options where I can show what I learned.  I am better at project based assessments than ones where I need to recall specific facts.  I feel that in my earlier education I would have done better in school if I had had those options instead of just taking the standardized tests.

 

Reference

Sousa, D. A. & Tomlinson, C. A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience supports the learner-friendly classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.