Multiple Intelligences
While the writing activities still may favor my traditionally high-achieving students, the active simulation activities engaged a vast majority of the class. Active simulation activities have the potential to address students with certain intelligences that are not often valued in the traditional classroom setting. Students with high kinesthetic/spatial and interpersonal intelligences really excelled in these active simulation activities, demonstrating a high level of historical empathy and imagination that was not present in their written work. When these students revealed their strengths, all of the class benefited from their work.
In my lesson on WWI alliances, I had the specific intention of creating an activity that addressed my very tactile and kinesthetic learners. Students created a physical diagram of the multiple alliance systems with yarn and desks [See Artifact 8: WWI Alliances Images, Reflections and Improving Practice]. The student leaders I chose to create these ‘yarn alliances’ were tactile learners that often struggled in class. In this activity these students were able to not only create a magnificent diagram; their classmates also benefited from their work. The pictures demonstrate how all of the students used the yarn alliances as a resource both for their notes and for their ‘formal declarations of war’ Ultimately, the diagram helped students practice historical empathy, understanding the motivations of their country’s leaders.
Simulation activities also have the potential to access the knowledge of students with very verbal and interpersonal intelligences. In the Trial of Socrates I had a group of talkative boys, who often learn through conversations, act as justices for the Trial. “…Students who are struggling in traditional classroom work, can take their simulation role-play extremely seriously. They corrected an anachronistic analogy given by the defense and they asked more questions than the requirement.” [See Artifact 5: Trial of Socrates Observation Notes, Reflections and Improving Practice].
Upon reflection, I should not have been surprised that this particular group of boys excelled in a debate-like activity. Through their question and answer session, they demonstrated how to stay in character while forming new questions without preparation. Additionally, they were able to act as a check on their peers. When they identified an anachronistic analogy they helped emphasize to the entire class that historically appropriate language and comparisons is essential in empathetic role-play. This was a particularly exciting moment in my teaching experience so far. The students contributed to the entire class’s understanding of historical empathy and imagination.
Throughout my work with RAFT assignments, I have also noticed that simulation and role-play activities do more than just provide the space to reach learners of multiple intelligences. RAFT assignments also allow all students to build an intelligence often neglected in the strictly academic setting, interpersonal intelligence. Interpersonal intelligence essentially considers how we relate to and understand others (Campbell et al, 1996). Historical empathy and imagination, therefore, directly accesses this intelligence. The final RAFT assignment, the WWI Letters, highlighted that a majority of my students dedicated themselves to creating believable characters and stories. The details of these characters life were personal and thoughtful. Most students were able to then reinterpret events and historical evidence from these characters’ perspectives [Artifact 9: WWI Letters, Reflections]. For me, these letters demonstrated sincere growth in a majority of my students’ interpersonal intelligence.
In my lesson on WWI alliances, I had the specific intention of creating an activity that addressed my very tactile and kinesthetic learners. Students created a physical diagram of the multiple alliance systems with yarn and desks [See Artifact 8: WWI Alliances Images, Reflections and Improving Practice]. The student leaders I chose to create these ‘yarn alliances’ were tactile learners that often struggled in class. In this activity these students were able to not only create a magnificent diagram; their classmates also benefited from their work. The pictures demonstrate how all of the students used the yarn alliances as a resource both for their notes and for their ‘formal declarations of war’ Ultimately, the diagram helped students practice historical empathy, understanding the motivations of their country’s leaders.
Simulation activities also have the potential to access the knowledge of students with very verbal and interpersonal intelligences. In the Trial of Socrates I had a group of talkative boys, who often learn through conversations, act as justices for the Trial. “…Students who are struggling in traditional classroom work, can take their simulation role-play extremely seriously. They corrected an anachronistic analogy given by the defense and they asked more questions than the requirement.” [See Artifact 5: Trial of Socrates Observation Notes, Reflections and Improving Practice].
Upon reflection, I should not have been surprised that this particular group of boys excelled in a debate-like activity. Through their question and answer session, they demonstrated how to stay in character while forming new questions without preparation. Additionally, they were able to act as a check on their peers. When they identified an anachronistic analogy they helped emphasize to the entire class that historically appropriate language and comparisons is essential in empathetic role-play. This was a particularly exciting moment in my teaching experience so far. The students contributed to the entire class’s understanding of historical empathy and imagination.
Throughout my work with RAFT assignments, I have also noticed that simulation and role-play activities do more than just provide the space to reach learners of multiple intelligences. RAFT assignments also allow all students to build an intelligence often neglected in the strictly academic setting, interpersonal intelligence. Interpersonal intelligence essentially considers how we relate to and understand others (Campbell et al, 1996). Historical empathy and imagination, therefore, directly accesses this intelligence. The final RAFT assignment, the WWI Letters, highlighted that a majority of my students dedicated themselves to creating believable characters and stories. The details of these characters life were personal and thoughtful. Most students were able to then reinterpret events and historical evidence from these characters’ perspectives [Artifact 9: WWI Letters, Reflections]. For me, these letters demonstrated sincere growth in a majority of my students’ interpersonal intelligence.