Multiple Intelligences

As a parent of two small boys, I am concerned about the intellectual development of my children. My wife and I are both academically intelligent, having first met as members of the debate club of the premier university in the Philippines. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences has become so popular it is almost taken for granted that verbal and mathematical intelligence do not constitute the full range of human intellectual capacity. It may have been revolutionary when it was first published, but today, like many parents, I find it normal to want to raise multidimensional children able to think logically, but also to express themselves creatively.

Multiple Intelligences is a an assessment of the status of the theory 25 years after it was first expounded. Parts of the book, especially those detailing the mechanics of pedagogy, were not particularly interesting for me, but the first few chapters, which critiques the limited approach provided by IQ tests, pave the way for a broader and deeper understanding of human faculties. As someone who has read about and seen the success of people with low verbal and mathematical intelligence, this really sounds like common sense. It also reminds me to be open minded about the talents of my children. They may not turn out be as good as me when it comes to standard IQ tests, but might turn out be geniuses in the arts or in sports. Ultimately, I think, MI engenders a more tolerant and inclusive attitude to talent, providing more opportunities for growth and recognition to those who would otherwise have been branded as not being smart enough by narrow measurements of intelligence.