By: Heidi Ingram

This post is part of a series focusing on Multiple Intelligences.

The ability to perceive and make distinctions in the moods, intentions, motivations, and feelings of other people (e.g., as a teacher, politician, actor, or philanthropist). The ability to process information both verbally and nonverbally through interpretation of all forms of dance, hand gestures, body movements, and music
  (e.g., as a dancer, mime, actor, or musician). This intelligence operates primarily through person-to person relationships and
communication.
 
From an infant's bonding with his parents to the meaningful relationships with others outside the family, the ability to  understand other people and their actions, moods, and feelings develops as  young children deal with person-to-person relationships and communication.  The learning environment should provide opportunities for children to relate to others by cooperatively participating, sharing, negotiating, and communicating in groups or with individuals.  Children who show interpersonal abilities learn through listening, cooperating in shared projects, demonstrating leadership skills, seeing things from other perspectives and organizing and  negotiating group activities.

 Interpersonal intelligence focuses on the ability to recognize and distinguish the moods, intentions, and motivations of other individuals.  These children often emerge as leaders and organizers.  They are sensitive to the needs and desires of others.  Young children with interpersonal talent:

 ·        interact easily with both children and adults
 ·        are sought out by other children for play
 ·         are able to enter an already-playing group of children and be accepted
 ·        can influence other children toward their goals (positive or negative)
 ·        understand cause-and -effect as it relates to behavior and consequences
 ·        recognize when their behavior yields certain predictable results
 ·        can take another child's perspective
 ·        are better at resolving conflicts and negotiating disagreements
 ·        can motivate and organize peers toward their goals (positive or negative)
 ·        have strong leadership abilities
 ·        have a sense of justice and fair play  for themselves and others

By: Heidi Ingram

Musical Intelligence is the capacity to perceive (e.g. music aficionado), discriminate (e.g., as a music critic), transform (e.g., as a composer), and express (e.g., a performer) musical forms.  The musical learner also has the ability to pick up sounds and remember melodies.  This intelligence is based on the recognition of tonal patterns, including various environmental sounds and also sensitivity to rhythm and beats.

Starting with the prenatal awareness of noises and rhythms and later imitations of sounds and pitches, a child soon develops the ability to produce and recognize simple and then complex songs and to perceive pitch, tone, and rhythmic pattern.  The child becomes immersed in the music and sounds of the world.  The learning environment should provide opportunities for singing, listening, movement activities, sound awareness, and musical instrument appreciation and practice, while emphasizing cultural awareness through music.  Children who are strong in musical-rhythmic abilities think in rhythms and melodies; enjoy listening to music, singing, dancing, humming, and playing musical instruments; and exhibit a sensitivity to environmental sounds.

Musical-Rhythmic Intelligence refers to the ability to use musical elements (pitch, rhythm, tone) at an unusually sophisticated level. Some children may have perfect pitch and the ability to identity a wide range of musical scores when only a few bars are played.  Musically talented children are intrigued with and noitce sounds in their environment.

By: Heidi Ingram

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence is the ability to use one's whole body to skillfully express ideas and feelings (e.g. as an actor, an athlete, or a dancer) and facility in using one's hands to produce or transform things (e.g., as a craftsperson, sculptor, mechanic, or surgeon).  This intelligence is related to physical movement and the knowledge/wisdom of the body, including the brain's motor cortex, which controls bodily motion.

From an infant's looking for and grasping different objects to
the strength and coordination of an older child, the ability to use the body for self-expression develops through information gained from muscles, sensations, reflexes, coordination, and movement.  

The learning environment should reflect opportunities for physical
challenges throughout the day, not just outdoors but indoors as well.  The classroom should facilitate tactile experiences and the use of manipulatives in math, science, and language arts.  Children who are resourceful in bodily-kinesthetic abilities learn through moving, doing, and touching.  They enjoy physical activities, such as those involving hand-eye coordination and hands-on experiments.

Psychomotor-kinesthetic intelligence refers to the ability to control one's body parts skillfully.  These children move expressively and are good at both informal and organized games and sports. 


Young children with psychomotor talent:
 ·        are skillful at movements such as running, jumping, and climbing, dancing and other movement activities.
 ·        have an accurate and relaxed sense of both static and dynamic balance (hopping on one foot, walking a narrow line, balancing a beanbag).
·        use gestures, body movements, and/or facial expression to show or mimic emotions and ideas and can
adapt motor skills in game situations

By: Heidi Ingram

The ability to perceive the visual-spatial world accurately (e.g.  as a hunter, scout, or guide) and to perform transformations upon those perceptions (e.g. , as an interior decorator, architect, artist, or inventor ).  This intelligence involves sensitivity to color, line, shape, form, space, and the relationships that exist between these elements.  It includes the capacity to visualize and graphically represent visual or spatial ideas.
From the infant's ability to discriminate among the faces around him to the toddler's first steps, the facility to
perceive the visual world with a great deal of understanding continues throughout early childhood.  Creating visual images with shape, color, and form opens up new understanding.  The learning environment should be a graphic-rich classroom that encourages opportunities for visual processing as well as thinking and planning in three dimensions.  Children who are highly capable in  visual-spatial abilities think in images and pictures; like to draw, design,  and create things, and often see things from different points of view.

Visual-Spatial intelligence is the ability to perceive the visual world accurately and the re-create that visual experience in art or graphics.  It involves mental imagery and the ability to manipulate and transform images.  These children are adept at puzzles and other spatial problem-solving activities. 




Visual talented young children:

·       show advanced drawing, painting, and sculpting with both technical skill and fine detail
·       remember in detail items ,places and pictures they have seen
·       have advanced eye-hand coordination
·       show attention to texture, color, and balance
·       respond emotionally to photos, paintings, or sculpture
·       share feelings and moods through drawing, painting or sculpture

Starting with babies inspecting their world to the recognition of similar characteristics of objects by toddlers, the ability to categorize and to use numbers, patterns, sequencing, and cause and effect to solve problems continues to develop and grow throughout early childhood.  The learning environment should offer opportunities to relate math and science to real life situations while providing activities that make math and problem solving fun, relevant, and challlenging. 
Children who are adept tin logical-mathematical abilities learn through asking questions in a logical manner, making connections between pieces of information, exploring, and developing strong problem-solving and reasoning skills.

The capacity to use numbers effectively (e.g. as a mathematician, tax accountant, or statistician) and to
reason well (e.g. as scientist, computer programmer, or logician). This intelligence also follows traditional teaching practices, using number facts and scientific principles, as well as observation and experimentation. 
Children who are logic smart respond well to "what if" questions.

Logical -Mathematical intelligence is characterized by scientific reasoning, a love for abstraction, and an interest in mathematical operations.  These children are interested in graphing, counting, and manipulating numbers.  They are fascinated by how things work. 

Mathematically talented young children:

·        use advanced arithemtic skills
·        use highly orginal reasoning
·        ask a series of logical questions focused on solving a problem
·        apply reason to solve concrete and abstract problems
·        enjoy using hands-on tools such as uniflex cubes, blocks, puzzles, and abacus to solve logical-                      mathematical problems
·        enjoy computer games and applications related logical-mathematical reasoning

Linquistic (Word Smart)  is the capacity to use words effectively, whether orally ( e.g. as a storyteller,orator,or politician)orin writing ( e.g.as a poet,playwright, editor or journalist).  Most teaching today is geared to the expectation that children absorb information by listening, reading, speaking, and writing.  From the babbling of infancy to the toddler's simple sentences, the ability to use language and words continues to grow throughout early childhood.  Whether written or
spoken, it develops with sensitivity to the order and rhythm of words. The learning environment should include a language-and print-rich classroom with opportunities for reading, writing, speaking, and creative writing.  Children who are accomplished in verbal-linquistic abilities enjoy reading , writing, telling stories, playing word games, and communicating effectively.  

Verbally/Linguistically talented children:
·        Speak and read clearly
·        Have accelerated literacy skills in stories, poems, drama, and writing
·        Use advanced vocabulary
·        Employ longer and more advanced sentence structures ( may use words like however and although )
·        Make up elaborate, coherent stores and fantasies
·        Describe experiences with unusual depth and accuracy
·        Memorize and recite stories and poems
·        Prefer books with more words and plot than pictures
·        May be bilingual or interested in learning a second language
·        Are interested in language in its many forms

This post is the first in a series contributed by Heidi Ingram to discuss the overall theory of Multiple Intelligences, the different intelligences and ideas to do with your children to promote growth in these areas. 

When you try to learn something new, you may prefer to learn by listening to someone talk to you about
the information.  Others prefer to read about a concept to learn it, and still others need to see a demonstration of the concept.  Learning Style Theory proposes that different people learn in different ways and that it is good to know your own preferred learning style.

Most of us have a particular preference as to how we channel information to our brain. Some of us are auditory. This means that it is easiest for us to pay  attention to information that is presented to us orally. 
Others are visual, which means that we learn best when we are allowed to actually look at what is being presented to us.  Still others are kinesthetic.  This means that we pay attention best when we are allowed to explore “hands on" the information we are trying to learn.  In few cases, individuals are equally balanced, which means they use each learning style to the same degree when attempting to learn.

Let's look at an example from the early childhood classroom.  When a teacher reads a story, she speaks, which benefits the auditory learner.  She shows the illustrations as she read which assists the visual learner. 
The kinesthetic learner is involved if allowed to actually hold the book (or a copy of the book) or help turn the pages as it is read.  If teachers use all three approaches to learning when they are providing information to children, it is more likely that they will use the channel that is their preference and attend to what is being
presented.

The theory of Multiple Intelligences comes from the work of Howard Gardner and was first published in
1983 in his book, Frames of Mind.  Until Gardner proposed the existence of seven, and now eight, ways of demonstrating one's high ability levels, popular belief held that intelligence was measured by the score obtained when taking an intelligence test, primarily the Stanford Benet.  The problem with intelligence tests was that they measured only an individual's linguistic and mathematical skills. Gardner argued that there were other ways an individual could be smart.  For example, musicians demonstrate a high ability to perceive, discriminate, transform, and express musical forms.  Actors, dancers, and athletes demonstrate an expertise in using their whole body to express ideas and feelings.  Craft persons and sculptors show facility in using their hands to produce to transform things.

Gardner not only expanded the identification of the number of ways an individual can be intelligent, but
also the definition of intelligence.  He suggests that intelligence has more to do with the capacity for
solving problems and fashioning products in a context-rich and naturalistic setting than it does with performing isolated task on a test. 
 
Gardner believes that intelligence does not just exhibit itself in the score on a test. As a matter of fact, he used a stringent system of eight criteria through which all potential skills, talents, and mental capacities have to pass before they are determined to be true human intelligences.  Thus far, only eight ways of being smart have passed the test to be recognized as intelligences.

Gardner also believes that everyone possesses all eight intelligences in varying magnitudes. Some
intelligence is stronger than others, and the profile of intelligences varies from person to person. Each of the
intelligences can improve with practice and will continue to be enhanced over a lifetime.

In the next part of this series, we will break down the various intelligences. Stay tuned!
~Heidi

Advisor Heidi Ingram:

We take alot of road trips this time of year due to the holidays and stopping and getting fast food is at times unavoidable.  If we do end up stopping what are some healthier choices to get?

Typically, fast food is low in nutrition and high in trans fat, saturated fat, sodium and calories..for example, a single meal of a Double Whopper with cheese, a medium order of fries and an apple pie from Burger King contains more saturated fat than the American Heart Association recommends we consume in two days!! Moderation is key.    It's OK to indulge a craving for French fries every now and then, but to stay healthy you can't make it a regular habit.  Finding a healthy, well-balancd meal in most fast food restaurants can be a challenge, but there are always choices you can make that are healthier than others.  

Use common sense guidelines to help you make your meal healthier.  For example , a seemingly healthy salad can be diet-minefield when smothered in high-fat dressing and fried toppings, so choose a salad with fresh veggies, grilled toppings, and a lighter dressing.  Portion control is also important, as many fast food 
restautants serve enough food for several meals in the quise of a single serving.

Tips for making healthier choices at fast food restaurants
 ·       Make careful menu selections- pay attention to the descriptions on the menu.  Dishes labeled deep-fried, pan-fried , basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy, scalloped, Alfredo, au graton,or in cream sauce are usually high in calories, unhealthy fats, or sodium.  Order items with more vegetables and choose leaner meats

 ·       Drink water with your meal -Soda is a huge source of hidden calories. One 32-oz Big Gulp of regular cola packs about 425 calories, which can quickly gulp up a big portion of your daily calorie intake. Try adding a little lemon to your water or ordering unsweetened iced tea

 ·       "Undress" your food.  When choosing items be aware of calorie - and fat packed salad dressings, spreads, cheese, sour cream, etc.  For example, ask for a grilled chicken sandwich withour the mayonnaise. you can ask for a packet of ketchup or mustard and add it yourself controlling how much you put on your sandwich

 ·       Special order.  Many menu items would be healthy if it weren't for the way they were prepared. Ask for your main dishes to be served without the sauces.  Ask for olive oil and vinegar for your salads or order the dressing "on the side" and spoon only a small amount on at a time.  If your food is fried or cooked in oil or butter, ask to have it broiled or steamed.


·       Eat mindfully.  Pay attention to what you eat an savor each bite.  Chew your food more thoroughly and avoid eating on the run.  Being mindful also means stopping before you are full. It takes time for your body to register that you have eaten.  Mindful eating relaxes you, so you digest better, and makes you feel more
satisfied. 

Tips for what to AVOID at fast food restaurants

 ·       Supersized portions.  An average fast food meal can run to 1000 calories or more, so choose a smaller portion size, order a side salad instead of fries, and don't supersize anything. At a typical restaurant, a single serving provides enough for two meals. Take half home or divide the portion with a dining partner.

 ·       Salt.  Fast food restaurant food tends to be very high in sodium, a major contributer to high blood pressure.  Don't add insult to injury by adding more salt.

 ·       Bacon.  It's always tempting to add bacon to sandwiches and salads for extra flavor, but bacon has very few nutrients and is high in fat and calories.  Instead, try ordering extra pickles, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, or mustard to add flavor without the fat

 ·       Buffets - even seemingly healthy ones like salad bars.  You'll likely overeat to get your money's worth. If you do choose buffet dining, opt for fresh fruits, salads with olive oil& vinegar or low-fat dressings, broiled entrees, and steamed vegetables.  Resist the temptation make sure you are hungry before going back for more.

Less healthy choice                                       
 
Double-patty hamburger with cheese, mayo, special sauce, and bacon. Fried chicken sandwich, Fried fish
sandwich, Salad with toppings such as bacon, cheese, and ranch dressing, Breakfast burrito with steak, French fries, milkshake, Chicken"nuggets" or tenders, Adding cheese, extra mayo, any special
sauces

Healthier choices

Regular, single-patty hamburger without mayo or cheese, grilled chicken sandwich, Veggie burger, Garden salad with grilled chicken and low-fat dressing, Egg on a muffin, Baked potato or a side salad, Yogurt parafait, Grilled chicken strips, limiting cheese, mayo, and special sauces.

Heidi's BiMonthly Nutritional Questions Answered!  Check out Cape Cod Moms latest nutrition questions to Heidi... if you have questions for Heidi, please email us at info@ccmommies.com or comment below! Also check out Heidi's Daycare page on Facebook!

What are your thoughts on LAKE Dyes (artificial dyes, in U.S. foods, banned especially red 40 - rash, head banging, loss of eye contact, basic Dr. Jeckle, Mr. Hyde. After I stopped eating red 40 - I stopped having migraines.  If these chemicals have such a bad effect and or reactions, can these chemicals be good for anyone?  Why are these chemicals still found in our foods?  

What makes Twinkies appear unchanged, even after months on the shelf? In part, it’s the food dyes.  Some government -approved food dyes also cause hyperactivity in children, leading the British government to ask food companies to stop using them.  Industrialization of the food system, including a rise in food processing, has increased the use of food additives such as food dyes; preservatives and sweeteners.  The FDA maintains of list of over 3,000 food additives, which includes those that are FDA-approved as well as those bypassing the approval process because the FDA  has designated them as GRAS (generally recognized as safe). 

Scientists have long been concerned that synthetic food dyes and other additives may contribute to hyperactivity and other disturbed behavior in children. Water soluble "dyes" are added to beverages, baked and dairy goods, and other products; non-soluble dye versions of the colors, called "lakes,” are used in hard candies, chewing gums and to coat tablets.  Since 1990, all synthetic food dyes must be listed in food products by their common name. In 2008, based on recent science, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to ban the use of the existing food dyes in the U.S., and to require for the first time that new food additives be tested before going on the market for their toxicity to the brain and behavior.  The petition also demands that the FDA remove the obviously false statement from its Web site that there is "no evidence that the food color additives cause hyperactivity or learning disabilities in children."  We know synthetic food dyes are unnecessary.  So, while more study could shed light on the exact impacts of food dyes on children, we know enough right now to choose safer substitutes, whether as parents, consumers or as food companies. 

Things you can do?  Eat whole foods, whole foods are better for you, and allow you to avoid the inspection of food labels necessary to avoid toxic food dyes.  At home or at restaurants, avoid foods with synthetic food dyes, especially if your child duffers from hyperactivity, ADHD, or other learning or developmental disabilities and finally garden with your kids, visit a farm or join a CSA to help teach your children how ripe whole foods should actually look, smell and taste.

My son is 5 and has been beyond a picky eater since we started solid food.  He literally gags and vomits when asked to even lick a new food.  As the years have gone by he has now begun eliminating foods he has always eaten.  He is now down to about 5 foods he will eat.  When we bring this up to his pediatrician we are told that he falls on the height/weight chart so we shouldn't worry.  This doesn't sit well with me.  He basically eats pasta.  I am concerned all those carbs are not good for him.  We have an appointment for a feeding evaluation, but it's not for a few weeks...Do you have suggestions?

I would recommend involving your child in the preparation of the meals he is to consume, making it a fun time where he has some control and enjoyment in the process. I think the more you allow him to participate, the more he would be willing to try different and new foods. It may also be a matter of texture. Sometimes the texture of the food is a turnoff.  I would experiment with different texture foods or possible using smoothies to add nutrients he may be lacking from not eating a variety of foods.