Howard Gardner's biggest concern about American students is their lack of genuine understanding--the ability to apply knowledge, skills, and other attainments successfully in new situations. His book "The Unschooled Mind" develops a learning approach based on Piaget's cognitive development theory, Gardner's own multiple intelligences…

This introductory article examines how intelligence theory influences the way we identify and assess students, our attitudes toward giftedness and gifted students, the models upon which we base our programs and interventions, and many other aspects of gifted education. Past, present, and emerging intelligence theories are discussed. (Contains…

Reviews seven multiple-intelligence forms (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal) and adds naturalist intelligence, the ability to discriminate among living things. Considers a ninth form (existential intelligence), challenges the IQ concept and common testing practices, and urges…

Psychologist Howard Gardner argues that schools fail because they do not confront often flawed childhood theories about the world that students bring to the classroom. He claims teachers must acknowledge, challenge, and build on such assumptions so students can internalize lessons taught in school and apply them outside the classroom. (SM)

Howard Gardner reflects on how students who learn in different ways might grapple with deep epistemological questions. Gardner advocates teaching disciplines that present our culture's image of what is true, beautiful, and ethical. His understanding pathway should appeal to children possessing a strong existential intelligence. (MLH)

The current wave of school reform, with its emphasis on the learner, affords the opportunity to create environments that can foster excellence. The ability to support the development of excellence is threatened by commonly held beliefs that excellence depends on innate ability and that anyone who works hard enough will succeed, irrespective of the…

Argues that the arts provide a powerful means with which to promote future-oriented learning because they involve nonverbal, symbolic ways of knowing, thinking and communicating. Suggests that the arts in the emergent curriculum promote central education skills of discovery, pursuit, self-awareness, personal communication, social interaction,…