Hyderabad : Glendale Academy, the 15years old pioneer in establishing Multiple Intelligence organised Educators Forum Meet on “Role on Multiple Intelligence in Cultivating 21st Century Skills” here in the city on Thursday at its campus.

 

 Multiple Intelligence(MI) demos by students and teachers held and MI videos launched.

 

Addressing the gathering Chief Guest and one of the Panelists,  Kiran Bir Sethi, founder of the world-renowned Riverside School, an internationally acclaimed educationist for ‘I Can” approach said “your Smile is your greatest talent”.

 

Speaking about her school Riverside, Kiran said, we were conscious when we found it that we wouldnt want it to be the best school in the world, but, we always wanted the best school for the world.

 

In her crisp presentation Kiran said the saying “Our Children are our future” is the biggest lie, they are NOW. No one realizes it. And she showed few videos to prove her point.

 

She gave I CAN Formula, FIDS (Feel, Imagine, Do  and Share) for KIDS.

 

Age has nothing to do with competency, Kiran added.

 

Learning doesn’t need any resources. All it needs is You and your attitude, she informed.

 

A Panel Discussion held on the subject higher MI further. The panelists include Kiran Bir Sethi and Anjum Babukhan. The discussion was moderated by Seetha Murthy, Director Education of Silver Oaks International School.

 

Nearly 600 educators from many reputed schools in the city participated.

 

Addressing the gathering Anjum said we intend today’s forum to increase the enrichment of all students many fold.

 

This meeting is about how to ignite heads as well as enrich hearts, she said.

 

Anjum shared synergy between Multiple Intelligences and 21st Century Skills

 

According to Anjum, the 21st Century Skills are 5Cs— Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Character.

 

What type of world are our children inheriting?  Are we doing enough to prepare them, skill them, empower them?  for the unprecedented change that lies ahead, she stated

 

We have embraced Theory of Multiple Intelligences incorporated into our curriculum when most of the country’s schools had method of “chalk ‘n’ talk and unfortunately, in worst cases more like— drill ‘n’ kill.

 

It is our endeavor to make children future ready, Anjum stated.

 

Interacting earlier with the media she said “the more ways you teach, the more children you reach”.

 

Of the eight different ways we learn, schools focus on only two, ie verbal/linguistic intelligence and logical/mathematical intelligence. Add the other six, you can increase the chances of success and realization of human potential.

 

Further Anjum Babukhan stated that over the past few decades, research in the field of learning has led to the discovery of the Theory of Multiple Intelligence(MI). Though it is coined 30 years ago by Dr. Howard Gardner, a professor at prestigious  University, it is just now making its way into classrooms in India. However, Glendale was a pioneer in establishing this MI methodology over 20 years ago

 

MI is wholistic she Informed.

 

Dr. Howard Gardner, father of Multiple Intelligences even visited Glendale in 2012. Glendale was one of the 5 schools he visited in India.

 

Glendale Academy is the first school to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals after Anjum attended the Think Tank on Global Education at Harvard University last year. She was the only one from the subcontinent to attend.  In 2015, 193 world leaders gathered in UN to adopt 17 Sustainable Development Goals to achieve several extraordinary things by 2030. End poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for all, and protect the planet. The Sustainable Development Goals set a world course to achieve these objectives—for people everywhere, Anjum Babukhan informed.

 

Speaking further Anjum informed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is taking over most jobs. Whatever computers can do,  there is no point. We need to hone skills that are uniquely human. Teachers have to facilitate experiences that a smart device cannot.: Anjum Babukhan, An Educationist and MI Evangelist.

 

Many professional roles are being altered due to Artificial Intelligence. What about teachers’ role in the face of such rich technology? she asked.

 

Google Cardboard just launched its Pioneer Expedition product. Under this program, thousands of schools can go on an immersive journey. The kit contains everything a teacher needs to take his or her class on a virtual trip. While technology is really cool, we must focus on that which is uniquely human. Remember what Einstein said that knowledge is experience, everything else is just information. How can we facilitate learning experiences and how can we build students uniquely human potential? Remember, you are not redundant yet, even with technology- we still have 70% space to be a creative and empowering teacher through 5Cs, Anjum informed.

 

Over the past few decades, research in the field of learning has led to the discovery of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. In short, this theory states that each person has different ways of learning and different intelligences they use in their daily lives. Applying the Multiple Intelligences, coined by Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard University Approach in Teaching is catching up in India.

 

Howard Gardner outlined eight different kinds of intelligences; he claims are present in every individual in varying degrees. These include:

1 Logical/Mathematical – preference for logical reasoning, numbers, and quantification

2 Musical – sensitivity to musical rhythms and sounds

3 Visual/Spatial – preference for visual imagery such as drawings and pictures

4 Interpersonal – learning through the relationships with others

5 Intrapersonal – learning from personal reflection and meditation

6 Bodily/Kinesthetic – learning by doing – using the body to actually perform an activity

7 Linguistic – learning through language and by reading and listening

8 Naturalistic – learning through interactions with nature and the environment

There are some of the skills that children will need in order to be successful in the 21st century.

 

Hyderabad based Glendale Academy is one of the very few schools in the country to adopt Multiple Intelligence in their curriculum. The methodology is based on the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. In this forum, Glendale Academy made public their MI resource videos on youtube to be a reference guide for teachers throughout the country.