Book Post Midas Touch

In the book, Midas Touch: Why some entrepreneurs get rich-- and why most don't, by Donald Trump and Robert T. Kiyosaki,  I found a section that was pertinent regarding my research.

Howard Gardner, a development psychologist from Harvard University developed a theory that there are seven types of intelligence.  These include linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences.  He claimed these intelligences rarely operate independently; rather individuals have a unique blend.  As an educator, Gardner felt only the first two intelligences, linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences were valued in schools.  Musical, bodily-kinesthetic, and spatial intelligences were associated with the arts and the final two Gardner called personal intelligences. 

           

Academia should not place so much value on just these two intelligences.  Students with good grades should not graduate thinking doing good in math, reading, or science is more important than doing well in music, athletics, or art. 

           

Some students just have the ability to get better grades.  Some students find memorizing easy, especially if they have a photographic memory.  After all, a test is simply a measurement of knowledge at a particular moment in time, usually linguistic, or logical-mathematical knowledge.  The test measures nothing of what a student may retain or the effort an individual is willing to take to succeed.  A test does not measure drive or other intelligences; more appropriate would be a grading system that measures enthusiasm, effort, drive and knowledge, some method that would overcome a student’s momentary weakness or wrong answer.