The best quotes from Howard Gardner

Read phrases from the controversial Howard Gardner that explain his way of seeing education and the current world

Hated and loved in equal parts, we are going to get to know a little better one of the most important figures in psychology of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Through Howard Gardner’s phrases, we can enter the mind of a genius for many or a salesman for others.

Howard Gardner has gained much relevance worldwide through his theory of Multiple Intelligences.. Based on his studies, the psychologist affirms that human beings are capable of developing various types of intelligence, up to eight. These intelligences would shape a particular profile for each person.

The Philosophy of Howard Gardner

According to the philosophy and theories of Howard Gardner, the concept of unique intelligence has become obsolete. His main problem would be his reductionism, identifying only a small part of the people who are intelligent as intelligent.

The most negative consequence of the conception of intelligence as a one-dimensional psychological process would be seen in education: it would only be taught for one type of intelligence, compared to the multiple ones that would exist.

Now, Gardner wonders what happens to those individuals who show high social, musical, graphic, spatial ability, etc. Could we say that they are intelligent?

For Howard Gardner, yes they are, although from a traditional perspective they were not identified as such. That’s why differentiates a total of 8 intelligences beyond IQ. These intelligences would be:

Linguistic intelligence. Logical-mathematical intelligence. Visual and spatial intelligence. Musical intelligence. Kinesthetic bodily intelligence. Naturalistic intelligence. Interpersonal or social intelligence. Intrapersonal intelligence.

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Now that we know a little better about the theories of this Harvard University psychologist, let’s learn more about him by reading some of his most notable phrases on various topics.

Limits

“Our limitations not only enable the first vital learning, but also allow occasional creative breaks.”

The learning process, according to Gardner, is not only built through talents and intelligence. Also limitation can be an interesting starting point for development.

The education

“The purpose of education is to make people want to do what they should do.”

Gardner has always been especially critical of the current educational system. Therefore, he considers that the current school must motivate the student to exploit their skills and abilities, so that each student knows their talents and develops them individually for their own benefit and also for society.

The intelligence

“It is very important to evaluate intelligence, but standardized tests are not the solution”

This phrase from Howard Gardner cannot be from anyone other than him. This Harvard psychologist is clear that The only way to measure intelligence cannot be the standard testsince it can stigmatize people and they could suffer from insecurity and not be aware of their full potential beyond mere IQ.

Multiple intelligences

“Every human being has a unique combination of intelligence. This is the fundamental educational challenge: to stimulate each student in a personalized way”

This is another of Howard Gardner’s phrases that is worth keeping in mind. According to the psychologist, each person is uniquesince it has a unique combination of intelligences that makes it special.

The school of the future

“The design of my ideal school of the future is based on two hypotheses: the first is that not everyone has the same interests and abilities; We don’t all learn the same way. The second hypothesis may hurt: it is that nowadays no one can learn everything there is to learn.”

Howard Gardner is clear about what the current and future school should be like. Not all human beings learn the same and we have the same interests. Today there is so much to learn that it is difficult to cover everything. However, if we focus on intelligence and potential, we could allow children to develop according to their interests and talents.

The technology

“The emergence of new technologies forces us to educate children in a different way.”

We finish this article by introducing one of Howard Gardner’s most current phrases. The rapid evolution of technology provides us with more and more means to provide an education appropriate to the profile of each student without increasing the cost of this training too much.

This idea represents an authentic revolution, the recognition and use of evidence: Each student is capable of learning more and better with a method that adapts to their intelligence profile; and not only more and better, but also responding to challenges that will provide a more secure pillar for your self-esteem, without forgetting of course that you will be more likely to get involved in tasks that make you flow.

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