Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard, introduced his theory of multiple intelligences in 1983. It is a theory about the brain that says human beings are born with a single intelligence, that cannot be changed, and is measurable by a psychologist. Gardner believes that there are eight different intelligences in humans. These intelligences include language, mathematics, musical, spatial, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. Gardner believes that everyone acquires all 8 of these intelligences, and through environment, genetics, and different experiences no two people have the same make up of intelligences.
Because of these differences we need to look at educating students differently. We can either overlook these differences in our students and teach them all the same way, or realize that all students have different intellectual strengths and weaknesses, and factor these differences into the way we teach our students. Unfortunately in our schools if a student has an understanding of the intelligences language and logic, then they will have no problem passing the kind of tests that are given in school.
But another student who may have weaker language and logic intelligences, but is altogether just as intelligent as the other student, will never be able to pass the tests required in our schools. And in turn these students will grow up feeling as though they are not smart, when in fact they can be very intelligent.
Students and educators need to figure out how a particular mind works, for them to better learn and understand. If a student at an early age feels that they are not as smart as the other students, it will affect them for their whole lives. They will feel differently about themselves, and school. This will also cause a low self-esteem, which will hurt them, and keep them from reaching their full potential.