Sample Activity
Mentor Teacher Group Guide: Adult Multiple Intelligences
4. MI-Reflection Activities (30 minutes)
- Remind participants that for the first classroom observation, they will be asked to try out a Multiple Intelligences (MI)-Reflection activity. They could choose to use one that is in the AMI Sourcebook or they may create something that they feel is more suitable for their own context.
- Post the Reasons for Introducing MI Theory newsprint. Explain that the Adult Multiple Intelligences (AMI) teacher researchers introduced MI theory for three different reasons.
Reasons for Introducing MI Theory
1. to learn about MI: helping students understand the rationale for unconventional learning activities and encouraging them consider the activities a promising change
2. to learn about ourselves: supporting students as they learn about themselves and their strengths, thereby building students’ sense of worth and self-efficacy
3. to learn about our ways of learning: helping students connect their strengths with effective learning strategies
- Explain that the purpose of this next activity is for participants to discuss the various activities and strategies the teacher researchers developed to introduce MI theory to students and to consider how these activities would work in their own contexts.
- Ask participants which of the three reasons for introducing MI theory to students they are most drawn to, and group participants by the reason they select. Because reason 3: “to learn about ways of learning” has few suggested activities and is tied to reason 2: “to learn about ourselves,” it may work out best to form two groups, one that explores reason 1 and the other that explores both reason 2 and reason 3. If all participants are interested in exploring the same reason, they can work together as a whole group or pair off if they would rather work with fewer people.
- Post the Questions for MI-Reflection Activities newsprint. Explain that the task of each group is to discuss the MI-Reflection activities in the AMI Sourcebook, Chapter 2, “MI Reflections,” pp. 33-48, that correspond to their selected reason for introducing MI theory. Ask them to use the following questions as a guide:
- What are your reactions to this activity?
- What questions or concerns do you have about how to do the activity?
- How could you adapt this activity to fit your own context?
Questions For MI-Reflection Activities
Suggest that they first skim through the activities that fall under their chosen area and then pick three activities that seem interesting to discuss. Allow 20 minutes for participants to read through and discuss each of the activities they have chosen.
- Reconvene the whole group. Ask each person to share what she thinks she may want to try out for the upcoming classroom observation. It could be one of the activities from the AMI Sourcebook or it may be something that she would like to adapt or create. If some participants are not yet sure, reassure them that they will have more time to think about it later and ask them to share just their preliminary thoughts about what they may like to do.