I watch as two-year-old Thalhah works his way through a 60-piece puzzle. I’ve seen this child spend hours quietly working his way through puzzle after puzzle—which leads me to wonder if some children are just better at solving puzzles than others. Is puzzle-solving an innate skill? Or can any child become a puzzle master?

In his 1983 book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Harvard University psychologist and neuroscience professor Howard Gardner proposed that people have many different kinds of “intelligences.”

Gardner believes that there are nine intelligences, including visual-spatial intelligence, linguistic-verbal intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence and naturalistic intelligence. He also suggested that there may be a ninth type, which he referred to as “existentialist intelligence.” These various types of intelligence, according to Gardner, exist in different individuals in varying degrees and emerge over time.

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences can provide a helpful framework as you observe how your students approach learning. You’ll gain insights that will enable you to assess your early learners and their different learning styles in an entirely new way and help you determine the best learning environment and activities for each child.

So grab a piece of paper and a pencil! Many of your students’ names will come to mind as you read this post and reflect on the different ways that each child thinks, solves problems and learns.

VISUAL-SPACIAL INTELLIGENCE (Picture Smart)

Students with high spatial intelligence think and process information in pictures and images. They have excellent visual-receptive skills and fine-motor skills. They like to build with Legos, read maps and do jigsaw puzzles, which they can visualize accurately and abstractly.

BODILY-KINESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE (Body Smart)

Students who possess bodily-kinesthetic intelligence are keenly aware of the world as they explore it through touch and movement. Their bodies and minds work in harmony and they can control their bodies with grace, expertise and athleticism. These children can be taught through physical activity, hands-on learning and role playing. 

MUSICAL INTELLIGENCE (Music Smart)

Musical students think, feel and process information primarily through sound. They are sensitive to sounds in their environments, and they may learn better with music playing in the background. They can be taught by turning lessons into lyrics, speaking rhythmically and tapping out time.

INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE (People Smart)

Students with a high level of interpersonal intelligence have a natural ability to interact with, relate to and get along with others. They are good leaders. These students learn through interaction. They have many friends, show empathy for others and possess “street smarts.” They often learn best by engaging in group activities and dialogues.

INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE (Self Smart)

Children with strong intrapersonal intelligence have a deep awareness of their feelings, ideas and goals. These learners tend to shy away from others. They are strong-willed, confident and opinionated. They learn through books, creative materials, privacy and time. Students with this type of intelligence usually need time alone to process and create.

VERBAL-LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE (Word Smart)

Verbal-linguistic students love words and use them to “think through” and solve problems. These learners have highly developed auditory skills and often think in words. They like reading, playing word games and making up poems or stories. You can help these students learn by encouraging them to say and see words, read books, solve riddles and play rhyming games.

LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE (Math Smart)

Logical-mathematical students enjoy working with numbers. They can easily interpret data and analyze abstract patterns and have a well-developed ability to reason and think in terms of cause and effect. These children are able to see and explore patterns, solve puzzles and ask questions. They like to experiment. They need to learn by investigation and form concepts before they can deal with the details.

NATURALISTIC INTELLIGENCE (Nature Smart)

These children enjoy being in nature and want to preserve and protect the natural world. Students with strong naturalistic intelligence easily recognize and categorize plants, animals and rocks. They enjoy playing in the water or with pets and bugs and generally enjoy the outdoors. These children like to sit near windows and play with natural loose parts. They may learn better outdoors.

EXISTENTIAL INTELLIGENCE (Life Smart)

These children see the big picture and are deep and reflective thinkers. They are often capable of tackling deep existential questions such as “Why are we here?” and “Why do we die?” The best way to teach these children may be by diving into all the reflective thoughts that they throw at us. They love to think about how the world works, so topics such as gravity, weather, the planets and the universe all seem to pique their interest. These children like volunteering to help out in the classroom or support their latest cause. They also enjoy group discussions and discussions with adults.

When we focus on learning styles, we can see why children who have visual-spatial or logical-mathematical intelligence are more drawn to puzzles and may be better at solving them. If you’ve ever observed children who could complete puzzles that were clearly too advanced for their age, it’s likely that these children possessed high levels of visual-spatial and/or logical-mathematical intelligence.

When you learn how your students learn best, this knowledge takes your teaching up a notch and helps your students soar. Could this be the piece of the puzzle that changes how you present a topic to a struggling student?  Give it a try and find out!

 “We are not all the same, we do not all have the same kinds of minds and education works most effectively for most individuals if human differences are taken seriously.”

— Howard Gardner, Harvard University psychologist and neuroscience professor

In order to seize the “teachable moment” we need to be prepared.  If a child runs up to you with an earthworm she has dug up and she wants to measure it, it’s never going to happen if you have to go back inside the building to find a tape measure or ruler.  Although we can’t be prepared for every hypothetical math opportunity, we can maximize our chances by creating this math kit, and adding to it, as needed.

First, find a small to medium-sized backpack.  It doesn’t have to be pretty or new.  Pull one out of the old lost and found bin and use that. Label it in some way, so it is clear that it goes outside with the group and that it is for math (and science) opportunities.

Now, fill it with supplies.  This is a short list of the items I would choose, but if you have additional ideas, please put them in the comments section.

2 small tape measure

2 small rulers (or full-sized rulers)

a small bucket balance

several small, lined notebooks

pencils 

a camera (if you dot have a spare that can be left in the bag, be sure to bring a phone with a camera, or the classroom camera.)

markers

 

small thermometer (This is an analog thermometer.  You may want a digital one.)

 

 

 

 

small field guide to birds (I like this edition.  It is designed for young bird watchers and costs $4.95)

and a small field guide to insects and spiders

Here are some ideas of how to use the Math Kit with the children.

Before bringing it outside, introduce the kit to the children during group time.  Take out each of the items and let the children explore them by passing them around the group.  Allow them to ask questions.  Once you gather the supplies back together, explain that the bag will be accompanying the group outside and the children can use them whenever they want.  You can then go through each item, one by one, and provide concrete examples for how they might be used.  Ask the children for their ideas as they will probably think of things that you never even considered.

I would imagine that depending on where you live, there are ample opportunities to look for birds and bugs in the great outdoors.  Even if you have a small outdoor space, there are probably places to dig and explore.  You probably have a few children who Howard Gardner would categorize as having a Naturalistic Intelligence.  People who are nature smart, have a strong affinity for the outdoors and are very interested in human and animal behaviors.  These children may know where to find bugs even when you don’t.  You can support these observations by using the field guide books to help in identifying the species and the names.  Encourage the children to draw pictures of what they find, take pictures of the bugs or birds, and then help the children think of ways to document their experiences.  Keeping records of their discoveries is a great way to encourage early math skills. Have the children keep count of how many they have found using tally marks, and then how many of each species.  That way they need to think of sets and subsets.  They can sort their categories by attributes (brown birds, red birds, small birds, big birds).  This will also encourage them to categorize their discoveries as they look for similarities and differences.

Use the outdoor thermometer to chart the temperature.  Begin using the thermometer simply.  Have the children look at the gauge and show them how to read the temperature.  Older children will have an easier time with this.  For younger children, you can use permanent markers to show where the “hot,” “warm,” “cool,” and “cold” ranges are.  That way, if they can’t yet read the thermometer, they can tell the range of the temperature.  Keep a daily record of the temperature in one to the little notebooks.

Use the tape measures and the rulers to measure all sorts of outdoor stuff.  Encourage the children to use these tools whenever an opportunity arises.  You may have to remind them that you have these tools in the math backpack and suggest some measurement ideas from time to time.  It might be fun to bring out a longer tape measure and try to measure things like how high the children swing, or how far they can jump. Make accurate records of these measurements in the notebooks and help the children compare the numbers.  Who jumped the furthest?  Who swung the highest?

What other ideas do you have for your Outdoor Math Kit?  Send them along!  See you on the playground.

Howard Gardner of Harvard University argues that we all have various intelligences that manifest themselves in varying amounts and degrees and reveal themselves over time.  He calls these the Multiple Intelligences (MI).

The 9 Multiple Intelligences are as follows:

Visual-Spatial
Think in terms of physical space, as do architects and sailors. Very aware of their environments. They like to draw, do jigsaw puzzles, read maps, daydream. They can be taught through drawings, verbal and physical imagery. Tools include models, graphics, charts, photographs, drawings, 3-D modeling, video, videoconferencing, television, multimedia, texts with pictures/charts/graphs.
Bodily-kinesthetic
Use the body effectively, like a dancer or a surgeon. Keen sense of body awareness. They like movement, making things, touching. They communicate well through body language and be taught through physical activity, hands-on learning, acting out, role playing. Tools include equipment and real objects.
Musical
Show sensitivity to rhythm and sound. They love music, but they are also sensitive to sounds in their environments. They may study better with music in the background. They can be taught by turning lessons into lyrics, speaking rhythmically, tapping out time. Tools include musical instruments, music, radio, stereo, CD-ROM, multimedia.
Interpersonal
Understanding, interacting with others. These students learn through interaction. They have many friends, empathy for others, street smarts. They can be taught through group activities, seminars, dialogues. Tools include the telephone, audio conferencing, time and attention from the instructor, video conferencing, writing, computer conferencing, E-mail.
Intrapersonal
Understanding one’s own interests, goals. These learners tend to shy away from others. They’re in tune with their inner feelings; they have wisdom, intuition and motivation, as well as a strong will, confidence and opinions. They can be taught through independent study and introspection. Tools include books, creative materials, diaries, privacy and time. They are the most independent of the learners.
Verbal/Linguistic
Using words effectively. These learners have highly developed auditory skills and often think in words. They like reading, playing word games, making up poetry or stories. They can be taught by encouraging them to say and see words, read books together. Tools include computers, games, multimedia, books, tape recorders, and lecture.
Logical -Mathematical
Reasoning, calculating. Think conceptually, abstractly and are able to see and explore patterns and relationships. They like to experiment, solve puzzles, ask cosmic questions. They can be taught through logic games, investigations, mysteries. They need to learn and form concepts before they can deal with details.
Naturalist Intelligence (“Nature Smart”)
Designates the human ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). This ability was clearly of value in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers; it continues to be central in such roles as botanist or chef. It is also speculated that much of our consumer society exploits the naturalist intelligences, which can be mobilized in the discrimination among cars, sneakers, kinds of makeup, and the like.
Existential Intelligence
Sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get here.

So, people who have Visual/Spatial Intelligence or Logical/Mathematical Intelligence are probably more drawn to puzzles- and may be better at solving them.  Have you ever met a child who could complete a puzzle that was clearly far too advanced for his age?  Chances are, that child has a strong leaning toward one or both of those Intelligences.