Customer Reviews: Read 21 more reviews...
 Stunning May 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
For several years I thought of things that are studied by the howard gardner " Frames of Mind" So far the book has been more than I expected, and makes parents think about what they have to teach their kids at home, and how to realize the different types of perspectives towards dealing with children. A very important trait is the defenition of theory and hypothesis, intresting that the MI is known as a theory with so many people antagonizing with it.
kids have an amazing potential waiting to be revealed and the only way to do it is to understand personally all the "Frames " that form your children hidden capacity and potential.
When you read the book you realize and understand a lot of reactions and the effect of your knoledge over their learning skills.
The book is oriented to teachers, but who could better teach our own children than us.
Freedom to Pursue Our Natural Gifts! May 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A Liberating and Spiritual Awakening Book!
Although the concept of Multiple Intelligences had existed for some time, Gardner brings fresh thoughts to the subject. His book "Frames of Mind" explains a non exhaustive list of human intelligences.
The book is an academic study primarily written for experts in his field. Although good, it can be tough to read for people outside the field. Thomas Armstrong helped interpret these intelligences for the general population in his book: 7 Kinds of Smart.
Having said that, Frames of Mind it is a powerful work that is worth investing the time to read and understand for those who want to understand the roots of the subject.
Whether there are seven kinds of intelligences or more is not that crucial, nor is the possibility that there are subsets to any or all of these different types of intelligences.
What is important is that if there are multiple intelligences, (and I for one agree), then a whole new world of opportunities awaits those who are willing to learn their true strengths and passions in life.
Formal schooling puts strong emphasis on Logical-Mathematical and Linguistic intelligence. Musical Intelligence (music class), Body Kinesthetic and Spatial-Intelligence (gym), Interpersonal Intelligence (intertwined in all classes--getting along with others), and Intrapersonal Intelligence (not taught much) are considered lower priority intelligences in our schools. Logical-Mathematical and Linguistic intelligences are clearly important. However, knowing about and exploring your other intelligences is beneficial as well.
Knowing that you possess other intelligences and the ability to pursue your natural gifts (full or part time) can be a liberating experience and a spiritual awakening!
The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking
7 (Seven) Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Multiple Intelligences
 Overwhelmed October 7, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was looking for an intro/overview of Multiple Intelligences. Written for a college student by a professor. Way over my head, dry, but incredible references. Not for a beginner.
Original and intelligent way of understanding human abilities May 16, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In one sense what Howard Gardner does in this book is expand our sense of what the human mind is and the human being actually does. For instead of accepting what had long been the standard model in which there are essentially only two different kinds of Intelligence, verbal and mathematical he takes note of other sides of our action which were not connected with the theory and study of Intelligence.
Gardner suggests that there are seven basic kinds of Intelligence. These kinds of Intelligence were defined by Mark K. Smith in Infed Encylopedia as follows.
"Linguistic intelligence involves sensitivity to spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals....
Logical-mathematical intelligence consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically....
Musical intelligence involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns....
Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements....
Spatial intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more confined areas....
Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others. ...
Intrapersonal intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations..."
Gardner also suggests that there may be at least two other kinds of Intelligence, a form of intelligence which enables us to connect with, understand relate properly to the natural world. And a spiritual intelligence .
This theory of Intelligences which Gardner sees as a new theory of human nature has its primary importance as educational tool.
It is also developed in some sense to overcome the straitjacketing of the standard model of Intelligence Testing.
As a layman I cannot say much about the scientific weight and value of this theory. It seems to make sense on common sense terms. But one might also want to ask if there is not a certain heirarchy in value , importance relating to the various kinds of intelligence.
What is clear is that this work is of major importance for all those who would study human abilities, and their development.
By broadening our understanding of what Intelligence is Gardner would also seem to have the goal of widening the circle of those people who we ordinarily think of and define as 'intelligent'. And also more importantly eliminating for many the sense of stigma at not necessarily being the most successful at the standard kinds of Intelligence Test.
 Nice start, but not an adequate theoretical model for intelligence and learning March 4, 2007
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
While it is an admirable attempt to create a more complex description of human intelligence than the traditional I.Q. measures, Gardner's theory is still pretty crude. He proposes that there are discrete types of intelligence that operate independently of each other--cognition is a lot messier than that, and if one thinks about it for awhile it is impossible to neatly separate different kinds of thinking.
Musicians, for instance, must constantly employ "kinesthetic intelligence" as well as "musical intelligence" just to manipulate their instruments or voices. There is also often overlapping between "musical intelligence" and "linguistic intelligence"; the great tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, for example, stressed the importance of "playing the lyrics", or using the words of a composition to guide the way he played. Certainly for blues, folk and rap performers it is impossible to separate language from music. Conversely, great writers use musical elements such as rhythm, repetition and assonance in their work; the same elements are an integral part of spoken language, and it was the ability to use them so powerfully that made orators such as King and Roosevelt effective.
There are many other examples of how inextricably bound Gardner's proposed modes of thinking are. Einstein stated that in addition to being able to move numbers around and think abstractly, it was his ability to visualize concepts, to "think in pictures", that enabled him to develop his theories.
On the other hand, Gardner also oversimplifies the enormous complexity that involves each type of intelligence he lists. Visual processing, for example, takes place in so many different parts of the brain that one can hardly consider it a discrete operation. Language is also dizzyingly complex.
Rather than focusing entirely on the kinds of intelligence needed for specific disciplines--a horizontal model-- it might useful to consider a more vertical understanding of cognition. Explicit (conceptual/factual/critical) intelligence is quite distinct from implicit (procedural/intuitive) intelligence--they employ separate parts of the brain and require different approaches to learning. ultimately though, they are also very interdependent processes that constantly complement each other. Mathematics requires us to memorize multiplication and addition tables in a very mechanical, thoughtless way; only when this rote learning is fluid enough can we explore the more conceptually challenging aspects of that discipline.
Gardner also states that people who are gifted in one type of intelligence are usually not gifted in others; there is certainly no shortage of examples that contradict this notion. Leonardo is the most obvious one-- aside from his accomplishments as an artist and scientist, he virtually stopped painting between the ages of 20-25 because he was in such high demand as a musician! Michelangelo, Cellini, Rubens, Blake and Newton are a few other multi-talented giants throughout history who come to mind. More recently, there was an entire generation of rock stars who started off as visual artists during the sixties and seventies--Lennon, Bowie, Eno, Ferry, and Byrne were all gifted in more than one mode. It is true that very few people become GREAT in more than one field, but few people become GREAT at anything-- that does not mean they are not multi-talented.
My hunch is that the very opposite of Gardner's statement is true: most people who are gifted excel in more than one of his dimensions of intelligence. The human brain is a restless organ and, if encouraged, a creative child will voraciously explore and combine different kinds of thinking. There are examples, such as Mozart, of astonishing highly-specified talents but I think these are not the norm. Ultimately, it is the ability to think metaphorically and see relationships and structures that allows us to create important work in any discipline, even though we might be attracted to particular avenues of expression.
Finally, self-esteem, identity and other emotional factors are obviously crucial elements in all learning--Gardner's approach to teaching creates the risk of prematurely labeling students as either gifted or limited in particular areas. many people are told at an early age that they are not good at math, art, writing, etc., and end up permanently stunted in their development. this is the classic "wizard of oz" scenario--we get a notion that we are dumb/heartless/cowardly and this becomes who we are until someone tells us otherwise. it is extremely important for teachers to make children aware of what a magnificent, versatile organ the human brain is and how great their potential is in many possible fields of endeavor.
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