WHY SOME STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERED STUPID AND THE SIX TYPES OF INTELLIGENCE.
#Mental_Health_Wednesdays
The world's education system has been programmed to focus on one type of intelligence and if you can't thrive in that one type then you're considered stupid. But you and I know of people who didn't do well in school but ended up becoming great men in the society. In fact, a recent study indicated that nearly 30% of the world's living billionaires don't have even a bachelor's degree. Mark Zuckerberg, Bill gates and Steve Jobs dropped out of college while Jack Ma was denied at Harvard University ten times. Thomas Edison the guy who invented the light bulb was labeled by his teachers foolish. In fact they said, 'He was stupid to learn anything.'
But how comes these so called 'foolish' and 'stupid' folks end up becoming successful in life? Let's explore the six types of Intelligence and the areas they thrive best.
1. VERBAL LINGUISTICS.
People gifted in verbal-linguistic intelligence tend to be good at reading, writing, and memorizing words and dates. They learn best by reading, taking notes, and listening to lectures. These people are left-brain dominant.
School is relatively easy if you are strong in this intelligence.
Most "A" students are strong in verbal-linguistic intelligence. Many go on to become journalists, lawyers, authors, and doctors.
2. LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL.
Those gifted with this intelligence do well in math. They are comfortable with numbers, numerical problems, logic, and abstractions. These people are often left-brain dominant. Students with this intelligence also do very well in traditional education environments and often become "A" students. Many go on to be engineers, scientists, doctors, accountants, and financial analysts.
3. BODY-KINESTHETIC.
These students are often gifted physically. They tend to learn better by moving around and by doing.
This intelligence comes out through the gym, football field, dance studio, acting studio, woodshop, or auto shop. Professional athletes, dancers, actors, models,surgeons, fire fighters, soldiers, police, pilots, race car drivers, and mechanics are often gifted with this intelligence.
4. SPATIAL.
This intelligence is strong in art, visualization, design, and solving puzzles.
These people are generally considered right brain dominant.
Students gifted with this intelligence tend not to do well in traditional education environments. They do better in schools that focus on art, design, color, and architecture. These students go on to become artists, interior designers, fashion designers, and architects.
5. MUSICAL
.
This intelligence is sensitive to music, rhythm, pitch, melody, and timbre. This person often sings and plays musical instruments well.
This intelligence does not do well in a traditional education setting. A person with this gift is better off in musical environments of learning, such as schools for the performing arts and end up becoming great musicians or songwriters.
6. INTERPERSONAL.
These people are communicators. They are usually popular and extroverts displaying sensitivity to others moods, feelings, temperaments, and motivations.
A person gifted with this intelligence often does well in school, especially in popularity contests such as running for student government. These people tend togo into sales, politics, teaching, and social work.
They are also the type of guys who become great entrepreneurs and businessmen.
Our education system primarily focuses on the first two types of intelligence and if you can't thrive in that category then you're labeled 'stupid.'
But are you really stupid?
Albert Einstein wrote, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
The answer is No. But it boils down to an individual level. You need to be more self-aware and understand your strengths and weaknesses. If you are poor at something then you must be good at another. You ought to figure out what you're good in and start investing your time and energy to pursue it.
My biggest turning point in life was when I was in Form two back in highschool. I read a book by Howard Gardner, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, titled "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences."
I discovered that I suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. (ADHD)
ADHD is a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. This condition can be treated but can't be cured.
ADHD often begins in childhood and can persist into adulthood. It may contribute to low self-esteem, troubled relationships and difficulty at school or work.
ADHD is basically being absent minded. Like I would be in class physically but my mind was somewhere else fantasizing. I struggled with concentrating, paying attention and generally being seated at one place for hours and having a teacher talk at me instead of talking to me. My teachers never understood me and where I was coming from but instead thought I was simply cheeky and playful.
Discovering my situation at an early age helped me since I immediately stopped comparing myself to other students who were considered 'bright' and started exploring my creative side. I began reading dozens of innovative and research books in the school library, joined the environment club and participated in both music and drama activities.
During the holidays, I pushed my parents to pay for my swimming and dancing classes, learnt how to play all musical instruments except the guitar and joined a mentorship program that helped me discover my talent and purpose in life. I simply decided to maximize and utilize my intelligence in the last three categories and ignore the first two that I wasn't doing quite good.
By the time I was completing my KCSE at 16 years - Yes, I finished my highschool at 16, I was almost a jack of all trades. I participated in global writing competitions, started selling other people's ebooks online and founded an environmental conservation organization together with like-minded friends, which later crumbled down - a story for another day.
I later joined campus and did full time for six semesters but again ADHD wouldn't allow me to thrive in that kind of a setup and so I changed to online classes to allow me have more time and space to explore and pursue my creative side.
I'm writing all this to let you know that don't allow society to label you a fool or make you feel like you're good for nothing. Don't be locked in between the first two types of intelligence but give yourself the permission to explore the remaining types and see which category you fit in well. You're smart and inteligent, only that you haven't discovered the category you thrive well.
Next Wednesday we'll look at the symptoms and how you can know if you're suffering from ADHD.
Have a great day and remember to #Stay_Mentally_Fit
#Not_a_Motivational_Speaker_just_a_Peddler_of_hope
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