MI Chapter 14

Reflection on Reading

Name: Tyler Duran, Sam Brissette, Rebecca McIntire, Ryan Michaud
Date: 10-03-2007
Book Title: Multiple Intelligences
Chapter: Fourteen

Write a brief abstract of the chapter.
Chapter fourteen was an informative (but very brief) review of the proposed ninth intelligence; the existential. This would be an intelligence that would involve “a concern with ultimate life issues.” It is very heavy with religious connotations, but also has a very philosophical aspect to it. However, Armstrong warns about using it too much in the classroom because it can be hard to assess, and is the hardest to apply to most activities and assignments. He finishes the chapter by providing a few examples of which subjects existential intelligence could be applied to.

How did you connect to the reading and briefly reflect on your thoughts?
The thing that stuck out most to me in this chapter was the fact that it would be really hard to use the existential intelligence in schools. It makes sense that teachers would be reluctant to address it because they would get in trouble for a violation of the separation of church and state. While I do not think I will ever use the “ninth intelligence” in my classroom (at least until more research is done), I do think it is important just to be aware of it. It could also be integrated into history and geography, because religion is such a strong source of both conflict and knowledge.