The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Learning to love the subject

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 03, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Learning to love the subject

Correspondent

Seminar on multiple intelligences held at Inventure Academy

Key School has incorporated Gardner’s theories
Seeking knowledge has its own reward

SHARING EXPERIENCES: At a seminar on multiple intelligences in Bangalore.

BANGALORE: At the first Multiple Intelligences Explored seminar at the Inventure Academy here on Tuesday, the founders and the principal of Key Learning Community, a school based in Indianapolis, U.S., shared their experiences with the participants. Key is the world’s first school that has incorporated Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences theories.

What is called in India as government school, the curriculum at Key Learning Community values intrinsic motivation and believes that seeking knowledge has its own reward.

Finding meaning

The school helps students find interest and meaning in their daily work through multi-age, multi-ability groups in a project-based environment.

Key School principal Christine Kunkel, founders Beverly Hoeltke and Kathleen Sahm and faculty member Gari Williams spoke on how the programmes there have enhanced students’ performance.

Ms. Kunkel spoke about the Pod Experience. During this session, participants discovered the importance of Pod, the daily elective at Key Learning Community.

In preparation, teachers choose an activity for the Pod Class in an area of their intelligence strength.

Efforts are made to ensure that a wide variety of classes that cater to all multiple intelligence strengths are then offered to students.

When the students arrive at the beginning of the year, they choose a Pod Class that holds their interest for the school year.

Students and teachers of the same strength area then work together to enrich their intelligence strength in significant ways — all the while enjoying the work.

Enjoying work

Ms. Kunkel explained to the participants how students are ensured at least one class per day where they can enjoy work in their strength with others who share this intelligence.

This is just one example of how the multiple intelligences are used in the curriculum at the Key Learning Community.

Ms. Hoeltke explained to the participants about project assessment, while Ms. Kathy and Ms. Beverly spoke on flow theory.

Collaboration

Noraine Fazal, Chief Executive Officer of Inventure Academy, said that there is need for educational institutions to collaborate to ensure that the learners are beneficiaries of an education relevant for survival and excellence in the 21st Century.

She felt that the children of privileged schools will respond to the needs of those in underprivileged schools and strengthen the social fabric.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka