Exploring Gardners Theory on Multiple Intelligences Essay -- Educatio

Howard Gardner used to define intelligence as the ability to solve problems or to create products that ar valued within one or more cultural settings (Gardner 33). The modern day human being would most likely include the words quick-witted and dumb in their definition of intelligence. Gardner questioned the belief of only one intelligence so he created his own theory that involved seven different discoveries. He didnt want to call these discoveries skills or talents or gifts because those all suggested a drawback so he decided on the word intelligence, creating his theory of multiple intelligences (Gardner 33). Gardners theory of multiple intelligences including, linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, intrapersonal and interpersonal, has many implications for modern education and culture. Howard Gardner grew up in Pennsylvania in the late 1940s, although his parents were originally from Germany. He attended Harvard as an undergraduate with the hope s of becoming a lawyer and with a major in history. However, as soon as he became the mentee of Erik Erikson, a well-known psychoanalyst, his interests started to change. Gardner entered the doctoral political program at Harvard and received his PhD in 1971 with a dissertation on style sensitivity in children. During his years of doctoral study he became a per centum of the Project Zero, which does research on arts education, and he now co-directs the project. Gardners work with Project Zero led to the Project on Human Potential, which resulted in his first well-known book, Frames of Mind. He has written many books since then including, The Shattered Mind and Multiple Intelligences, and he is currently Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Har... ...ly. Its not Gardners goal to take over the education system and have it all reformed, but he does want educators to rethink their public lessons and see if they can improve them using his theory in order to broaden the c omprehension of ideas to all students. Now all our society has to do is happen upon how to use this theory as an advantage and put all the intelligences to work. Gardner has started this concept of multiple intelligences but no one knows where it pull up stakes end and what other implications it will have along the way.Works CitedGardner, Howard. Intelligence Reframed Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York, NY Basic, 1999. Print.Smith, Mark K. Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences and Education. The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.