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Sarah McGinley
Multiple Intelligences Chapter 11: MI Theory and Special Education 2/23/10

The multiple intelligences are techniques for education that relate to all subjects of teaching. This would include special education. Special needs students are usually tagged for having situations, conditions, or problems that can get in the way of the student’s learning. This does not mean students with special needs are unable to learn. When I was in junior high I was one of these students. I was able to improve my skills for learning and now I am not tagged as a special needs student. This does not mean every special needs student will eventually stop needing help to learn but this can happen to some of those types of students. Students with special needs are only one of the many students that learn well from the MI model of learning. We now know that all students can benefit from this model and that each student has a different level of each intelligence. This is another reason why I would like to use the different intelligences in my classroom. I would like to engage all students in the lesson or assignment that give them to complete and where every student has all eight intelligences, I will be able to do a lot of different types of activities.

One of my biggest concerns about teaching is working with students with disabilities because I have never had experience working them. After reading this chapter through I feel a lot more confident that I can help students with disabilities be successful. The multiple intelligence theory really provides a lot of opportunity for working with learning disabilities. Learning disabilities can take form in all of the eight different intelligences but usually only effect one at a time. There are several examples of people with learning disabilities who have gone on to be very successful. Albert Einstein for example struggled with the inter and intrapersonal intelligences but was an extraordinary logical thinker who brought us many theories and explanations dealing with math and science. Another example is Maine’s own Patrick Dempsey. Dempsey suffered from sever dyslexia; he even dropped out of high school because his disability went undiagnosed for so long. What his teachers did not realize is that Dempsey is a very kinesthetic and interpersonal learner. He has been able to take these strengths and become a very successful actor despite his linguistic disabilities. Part of my job as a teacher is to be a “multiple intelligence detective” (Armstrong 153) so that students like Patrick Dempsey don’t fall through the cracks. The sooner we realize that disabilities only affect a small part of a student’s life the sooner we can focus on that student’s strengths while working on developing his/her weaknesses.

Sarah Robinson
This chapter touches on something that many teachers find it hard to accommodate to and that is special education. This chapter has taught that teaching students with in a special education program is not about focusing on their weaknesses, but finding their strengths and using those strengths to build on the weaknesses. This chapter shows that studies have found that students in special education have learning disabilities within the eight multiple intelligences. There are many was to help teach students with learning disabilities, one way is to use an alternative symbol system, but one I know I will use is a assistive technology. For example I would like to use mathematical calculators that can help students with learning disabilities. This chapter has taught that the development of IEPs can be very beneficial to the students, as long as they are used to help students build on their strengths in the multiple intelligences which will in turn help them in their weaknesses. This chapter has also shown when using multiple intelligences with students in special education it can bring many benefits! One very important benefit to the students is having them feel equal to the other students because when teachers plan with special education multiple intelligences in mind they are able to have the students in special education stay in the classroom. Another good point this chapter makes is that with special education taught correctly this will increase the understanding of learning disabilities and the real strengths these students have.

Jason Malbon
Another fear expressed by a lot of practicum students is meeting the needs of the special needs student. MI theory teaches us to let go of physical and mental limitations and focus on what students can do. I want to be able to see every individual as a unique learner. Every student can learn in their own way. As referenced in the book, it is sad that schools focus on the “cants” instead of the special talents or skills of special education students. With the MI classroom, it is less likely that referrals will have to be made since the learning environment will be differentiated. With every student getting their learning needs met, added resources may not be necessary. The role of the special education teacher and maybe ed techs is changing. They will soon be charged with the role of MI advisor. These specialists will likely coach the classroom teacher with a unique set of MI skills that can be shared. This is far from the pullout system of before. The old way usually involved the special needs student spending time outside the regular classroom to work with a special instructor. MI theory is a better to way to insure a least restrictive environment.

Mike Lawson
Being ready for a special needs student in any classroom means a teacher who is well educated in the many legal and education details of special education. I feel as if I am somewhat prepared for teaching a special needs child. However, I know for sure that there would be a decent number of times that I would be..well..clueless. However, this does not mean that I would not try to teach them. Using the MI theory to help special needs students will make it much easier on them in terms of learning the curriculum and social skills. The MI classroom, being differentiated, allows learners of all levels to not only go at a pace that they feel comfortable at, but to learn as well. This chapter shows the reader that even though people may have special needs in order to grow. It is really interesting to see that dividing line between deficit and growth. This figure basically gives you some really good examples on how to help that student grow and learn instead of just labeling them. I liked how the chapter suggested focusing on strengths. I believe this not only helps the teacher, but allows that student to be confident in what they are learning and doing. I know that when I feel confident in a class it feels a lot easier and just more welcoming in general.

Alicia Kenison
If we treat people on a level in which they should achieve then they will achieve. Special education varies on a wide spectrum from speech pathology to ADHD or mental disorders and emotional disturbances. Armstrong’s MI model provides us with a model of understanding. Teachers are meant to detect the strengths of all their students through MI evaluations. Armstrong gives us here a few ideas and modes to follow to allow everyone to succeed. I fear having special education students merged into my class because I feel I won’t be able to accommodate. How do I make a unit plan that each student will find useful? How can I focus on everyone’s needs at once? How can I be assured that I will be able to communicate clearly with the paraprofessional in my class? I always found it awkward when there were paraprofessionals in my classes in high school because it became distracting. I know the “no child left behind” but at times it felt like she was running a different class in front of us and the “real” teacher. I find it a helpful tool for everyone, not only special education students, to point out the strengths in my students and not the weaknesses. It is not helpful to fix a leaking roof when it’s raining. We have to understand that students push forward through encouragement and if everyone works together, success will emerge.

Jared Merrifield
Chapter 11: MI Theory and Special Education

I hate the fact that some people believe students to require special education just because of a single deficit. This chapter reveals that each deficit or disability students have usually impairs only one of the multiple intelligences, while the others remain intact, perhaps even masterful. This is why MI theory regards special education students as being part of a growth paradigm, rather than labeling them with an unattractive disorder. It makes more sense to focus on the strengths than the weaknesses. The figure of “high-achieving people” in this chapter helps explain this concept better. I was surprised with some of the people mentioned, in that I never knew that they possessed such difficulties, but they still managed to make a significant difference in the world. If they can do it, so can anybody else! Most of the methods for cognitive bypassing were familiar, and I do find them potentially useful, but the one that caught the most of my attention was the alternative symbol system. The examples used for this, primarily using Braille for dyslexic students, really impressed me. I know of some ways that this symbol system can be used on a less serious level (not pertaining to a disability), but I will certainly keep these ones in mind. I remember learning about IEPs in my previous education class, and I believed we incorporated the multiple intelligences with them too. This is where blending multiple intelligences is most important: if a student is having trouble in a specific area, incorporate the student’s strongest intelligence to help him or her improve in that area.

Eric Cole
It is one of the great fears of many practicum students to teach a special needs child. MI theory teaches us to treat everyone as an equal, and to look for the good in everyone even special needs children. This in turn will help boost the child’s self-esteem, it will allow the student to understand their own strengths more, and it will give students more understanding and a greater respect for special needs children. Now while I understand all this, and I want to apply it to my classroom, the act of actually accomplishing this is another matter all together. I have two siblings who work with special needs children everyday, and I have heard the horror stories. One student jumped out of the car into oncoming traffic. Another student tried to stab my sister with scissors. How can you teach someone who is trying to stab you? I understand that it takes time and patience to connect with a special needs student, and to get them to respect you, and like you, and I am absolutely ready to attempt this. My only question is though: How far do we go as teachers? When is “enough” enough?

Although some of my students will have disabilities, I like how the chapter points out that I should remember they also may have some pretty strong strengths. By exploring the different MI with students I can discover their stronger areas and help the “disadvantaged” students find unique and personal ways of communicating to me what they have learned. I loved the idea of dyslexic students using brail to write and read. Or the idea of a abstract picture to get an idea across. This isn’t something you see students doing everyday. But I think it goes to show how many different ways teachers can help students learn and become confident. I really liked the point that if teachers could fix more of the “special needs” problems in the classroom by using this way of learning, then there would be less referrals to special education classes for the students. It fits the saying: “you must find a way to treat the problem instead of treating the consequences and outcomes after the problem had been made.” If more teachers could help students slowly learn how they think, then less students would need to leave the classroom or need further assistance. I liked how the chapter ended by saying that if the teacher can help the student find their specialty, then they can help them improve. I really hope I can learn more about how I can do this, and I hope to see it done so that I will understand how to help my students further.

Scott A. Bowden
An interesting chapter and interesting material to consider. Since, in my high school, it was full inclusion (with the exception of study halls in the resource room for students identified as needing it), I haven't really seen much differentiation between special education and regular students. Most students who maybe had a resource room or academic assistance study hall were in my classes and not taken out, so they were hard to identify. I think that using MI as a way to help educate some "special education" students, the amount of these students will decrease as the ways they naturally learn will be addressed in regular education. This makes me want to use MI more in my teaching because it will help all students, not just those in danger of being labeled as "special education" students. This chapter brings a lot of different ideas into perspective and gives me something else to think about. IEPs are relatively drill-based and don't educate in many ways, ultimately hurting the students in the long run. All students can succeed, even "special education" students. We just need to help them along in different ways.

Jared Boghosian
Special education is my greatest fear. What if I can't figure out how to teach my content to a student? Or how do I teach an over active child with behavioral disabilities? However, the book reminds us that just because a student is deficient in one or two intelligences does not mean they are incapable of learning, they simply learn differently. I love the idea of thinking about what the students CAN do as opposed to what a student cannot do, this is the idea of a //growth paradigm//. The use of technology such as calculators has assisted not only mathematically deficient learners but also makes extremely complex mathematical problems easier to solve than doing it out on paper. MI theory makes the creation of an IEP with an in-class assistant a lot less awkward. It makes the relation between the teacher and the special education teacher a more cooperative role.

Amanda Fitzpatrick
I liked how this chapter started out by saying that as teachers we should refrain from classifying our students by how they do not learn and instead classify by they do learn. If one really thinks about it, (most) everyone is disabled in one aspect of their learning or another. A student who is exceptional when it comes to their logical intelligence may suffer when it comes to working together with other people, or their interpersonal intelligence. If we look at all students by what they can do rather than what they cannot do I do agree that not only will students be more likely to succeed, but other students will be more accepting in how they look at different learners. A tool from this chapter that I think could really help students is to actually look at the chart in the middle of the chapter about people who are famous for their achievements in different intelligences despite their different disabilities. They were not seen for what they could not do rather for what they could.