There is a psychologist at Harvard
named Howard Gardner who is trying to
revolutionize the study of intelligence.
He says that we have been studying I.Q. all wrong.
Almost all the intelligence tests the institutions of
learning and employment conduct only measure one or
two forms of intelligence. Gardner says that there are
actually seven forms of intelligence.
1. Some people are gifted with linguistic intelligence,
he says. These are our writers and poets.
2.Others have what he calls logical/mathematical
intelligence. They make good accountants and scientists.
3.Some people are gifted spatially. These are our artists
and architects.
4.Some are gifted kinesthetically. Their bodies are
unusually graceful and coordinated. These are our
athletes and dancers.
5.Others are gifted interpersonally. They know
instinctively how to get along well with the people
around them. These are our sales persons, counselors
and teachers.
6.Some are gifted in their ability to look within. These
are our philosophers “our wise people.”
7.Some are gifted musically.
Gardner claims that everyone he has tested so far has
scored high on at least one of these seven forms of
intelligence. He is of the opinion that all of us are gifted
in our own way. Unfortunately many of us go through
life thinking that we are not gifted with intelligence.
This negative attitude towards oneself gets planted in a
person because of the fact that his/her form of
intelligence was not valued at the school where he/she
studied.
God has created us differently
so that different tasks will
get done in this world. Imagine a situation where in God
created human being only with the gift of singing. Then
who would cultivate, who would write, who would
dance, who would play, who
would take care of health
matters, who would teach, who would make houses and
furniture etc. Parents and teachers have the important
responsibility to help a child to discover the area in
which God has gifted him/her and help him/her to
maximize that area of intelligence for the good of him/
her as well as for the good of the society.