Winner

School:
St. Cuthbert's R.C. Primary School

Name:
"Multiple Intelligences"

Packages Used:
Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Publisher

Information

Context

The Head teacher is head of two schools St Cuthbert’s and (more recently) St Bernadette’s.
He decided to raise the profile of ICT among the staff and self perceptions of pupils staff and parents in St Cuthbert’s by using an initiative based on Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences and Armstrong’s work on the seven kinds of smart concept extended to include two additional “smarts” nature and practical.

Who Was Involved

Staff - All Staff
Pupils - All Pupils
Parents - Parents were invited to attend assemblies and received materials at home.

Main Focus of Project

Based on nine kinds of smart.

Linguistic intelligence ("word smart"):
Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")
Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")
Bodily-Kinaesthetic intelligence ("body smart")
Musical intelligence ("music smart")
Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")
Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")
Natural intelligence (“nature smart”)
Practical intelligence (“practical smart”)

These would divide into intelligences based on internal ability (Self smarts) and those based on relationships (interpersonal smarts)

The head teacher was concerned that frequently the focus was inevitably on number smart and word smart to the detriment of other abilities individuals could display. 
He wanted to raise profile of the other smarts to give recognition to those who might not necessarily be word or number smart.

Curriculum Links

ICT and PSHE directly but also those areas covered by specific smarts e.g. music

What Happened

Every child in the school was given a self-graded checklist with a scale of 1-5 (low perception of ability to high perception of ability) for every smart. This form also went to parents for information and for them to try if they wanted.

The smarts concept was introduced at a first assembly with parents present. See documents section below.
The school made Smart badges for pupils, staff and parents to wear.

After the introduction assemblies continued running on a 3-4 weeks cycle on Fridays introducing a new smart every time. (Word and number were not done first.)

At assemblies staff were asked to introduce pupils who had been awarded a smart and give justification for their choice.  Each assembly was themed around the particular smart e.g. music smart had pictures of favourite composers, singers and artists, recorded music played and singing by the school choir.

Pupils who were awarded smarts were given a certificate, which had been individually designed by their class teacher for that pupil.
This helped developing teacher’s ICT skills. Teachers made individually customised certificates using publisher. 

Photographs of pupils receiving certificate were displayed in school.
Information was sent home in the school’s regular Friday newsletter.

Educational outcomes

Raised awareness of personal and interpersonal abilities.
Reward for development of skills in all areas.
Atmosphere of recognition.
Stimulus for endeavour

Physical outcomes

Records of achievement
Information for parents
PowerPoint files and other resources to be used in future
Display items rewarding achievement

Opportunities for future work

All smarts are to be covered in academic year with mixed smart assemblies after all smarts have been covered individually.
The cycle starts again with new intake.

Music Smart - Presentation