GE 10 – DD

What is whole person education and multiple intelligence?
Link: https://www.knewstep.com/what-is-whole-person-education-and-multiple-intelligence/

My Insights, Realizations, and Reflections
Traditionally, when we hear the word “intelligence” we immediately relate it to academics. However, it is important to note that intelligence does not always pertain to academics because it encompasses a wide array of disciplines. There are multiple intelligences that a person may dominantly excel in, from financial intelligence to social intelligence. Hence, indeed there are a lot of intelligences that one single person can have which ultimately, affect their decisions in life, shape how they carry out certain functions in life, and direct or influence their outlook in life. As diverse as we may be, I think that it is safe to assume that each of us have different intelligence levels, and what one may excel with may also be one that another person struggles with because as complex beings, we all have different experiences, and we all were brought up separately. Thus, our minds are conditioned to function and think differently based on what and how we were taught.

As per reading and reflecting on the article “What is whole person education and multiple intelligence?” I realized that it is very important to recognize, appreciate, and enhance the intelligences that we have because somehow these may dictate how our lives may turn out. Every time we make decisions in all aspects of life, we use these intelligences to critically assess the situations that we are facing. Therefore, if we do not interact and hone these intelligences, I believe that we will constantly make poor decisions in life. So, allowing ourselves to dive into the endless chamber of multiple intelligences will allow us to improve and grow as individuals who are not just book smart, but rather, life smart, money smart, emotionally smart, and so on.

In the article, the different intelligences were briefly discussed, and I was struck by how the article introduced the concept of intelligence. Instead of thinking about it in a traditional way, the article defines intelligence as the development that a person undergoes in a particular area of intelligence. That said, the article allows us to recognize the fact that intelligence is not only limited to our IQ because as humans, we are capable of doing a lot. Hence, we are filled with various types of abilities that we should try to develop so that we may maximize these abilities and use them optimally to make our lives easier and bearable.

Furthermore, the article briefly mentions Adversity Intelligence (AQ) and that it is the ability of a person to withstand the hurdles and struggles in life, Financial Intelligence (FQ) along with its significance in shaping a person’s decisions in life, and Social Intelligence (SQ) which deals with the ability of a person to interact with other people. Through these definitions, I was able to realize that we are packed with intelligence and that we should learn to enhance our critical thinking so that we become more logical and rational in the decisions we make and eventually become smarter in life and develop the different intelligences that we possess.

Finally, at the end of the article it is mentioned that based on a research conducted by Goleman, schools integrating EQ and SQ curriculums have a 10% higher achievement in terms of academic results compared to those schools that do not integrate an EQ and SQ curriculum. With that, the article yet again reiterates the importance of honing not just our academic intelligence but also the intelligences that we use when we deal with people because at the end of the day, each of us are contributors to a whole, therefore we must learn how to bear with each other, understand each other, and relate to one another so that we all may live harmoniously and at the same time progressively together. Additionally, the article also serves as a wake-up call to all educational institutions as it sheds light on the importance of whole person education in order to fully nurture and maximize the potential of learners in every type of intelligence that they possess.