When I was at university, I came across a very interesting and useful piece of research- Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. This Harvard professor and developmental psychologist had identified 9 distinct types of intelligences. As teachers, we were meant to utilise these to better understand and therefore better cater for our students, by recognising the ways in which each of them thinks and using that to modify our modes of instruction, assessment etc. I've found this just as useful outside of the classroom, whether it be in better understanding my own children, the people in my life and even myself. It's also a useful tool to apply to the broader context of one's life, not just to problem-solve, but to interpret the world and all it contains. Whilst most people will have a unique blend of these intelligences, they will often have a leaning towards one more than others. Importantly, however, by understanding the different types, people can potentially work on developing aptitude in those types that they might be weaker in.
Take the logical-mathematical mind- I have at least one child who has one! Known for their great ability to think abstractly, they are highly analytical and logical in their approach to problem-solving. In a nutshell, they 'think in numbers' and can identify and attach numerical patterns to almost everything. Whilst I am not a born logical-mathematical minded thinker, I can see the value in viewing the world in this way. There is much scope for clarity and order when using this approach to everyday functioning.
By thinking in numbers, one can better monitor their thought
patterns, noting the proportions one spends thinking about things. And, if they
notice a pattern emerging that is counter-productive, where, for example, they
have thought of something negative a dozen times more than something positive,
then they can address that more readily and constructively.
Scenario: So, I read to my children 8 times in the last 2 weeks, and that gave me a great
sense of satisfaction. But I can recount 30 times that I focused on my
impending commitments that would entail me being away from my children.
That is disproportionately more than that 8 times. So how can I change that?
Well, in any number of ways, but firstly, one must identify that often, it is
the negatives that we tend to focus on, especially when it comes to
self-reflection, and whilst there is a great deal of good that comes from that,
there should be at the very least, an
equal and opposite amount of positive self-reflection and focus. By doing
the math, we can actively calculate the gap that needs to be filled, in this
case, 22 positives. Like, ‘I really enjoyed listening to that nasheed’, or ‘I
am very happy with how productive I’ve been around the house’ etc etc. Make
lists if necessary. Whatever it takes to ensure that equation is balanced.
The other advantage to tapping into that intelligence is that, in my humble opinion, it would keep emotions in check. None of this 'spiralling into a deep depressive state'- you'd be better able to catch yourself before it got that dire. You are more able to rationalise and reason, more equipped to focus on the nuts and bolts of any given situation. Which can only be a good thing. I reckon at least one person in any relationship needs to think in this way. To keep things grounded, to offer momentum when its needed, and offer an anchor when its not.
So that's my 2 cents on the issue. I'll be off to work on some logical-mathematical capacity building exercises. Until then, adieu!
