INTELLIGENCE IS NOT THE MERE POSSESION OF KNOWLEDGE, BUT THE ART OF KNOWING HOW TO USE IT WISELY
INTELLIGENCE HIGHLY USED YET MOSTLY MISINTERPRETED
Rohan came waltzing in my office, he was absolutely clueless and directionless as to what he really wanted to do for college since he did not score well in his school. He claimed that all the “intelligent” students of his class were preparing for either Delhi University or were leaning towards being a Chartered Accountant. He said that since he was not intelligent enough, he had no idea how to decide his career path.
Here is a conversation between me (a counselor) and Rohan:
Me: Rohan, this word that you are using “intelligent” what does it mean? Can you explain?
Rohan: Obviously it means someone who is very smart and knows everything. They remember everything that has been taught to us and they remember all the news too.
Me(laughing): You sweet little kid! I must tell you that everyone is intelligent on their own. Intelligence is basically the ability to acquire a skill and the ability to apply that skill in the appropriate way.
Rohan: I know that! But definitely everyone is not intelligent na, look at that stupid Kunal in our class, he always gets 70% and is never present in the class. He is always on the cricket ground, playing matches, representing our school.
Me: How can you say that Kunal is not an intelligent student, Rohan? Didn’t you say that he represents your school? He is that good in sports that the school sends him off in some competitions. Maybe he ends up playing for team India as well, who knows right? This boy Kunal is definitely intelligent, but a different type of intelligent, he might be Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligent. He might not get very high marks in class but his skill to control his body while bowling a high-speed bowl or the skill he has while catching a ball or while hitting a ball during batting is definitely an intelligent man at work!
Rohan: I never thought of intelligence from such an angle. So, what kind of intelligent am I?
Me: You need to take an intelligence test in your parent’s presence to compute that. Bring them in, I will explain everything.
Rohan: Okay, they will come tomorrow.
Student Engages in Intellect Assessment: A Day of Testing Intelligence
Rohan’s parents: Miss Surbhi, I haven’t seen my child so motivated, what have you done to him? He is so keen to learn about himself and he wants us to discuss his career prospects with you.
Me: You kid is so sweet, I just told him that there are different types of intelligence and described him as one of them, he then got excited to know his.
Rohan’s dad: That sounds interesting, what is the procedure to do that?
Me: Okay, so there’s this “Multiple Intelligences” test by Dr. Howard Gardner. In this theory, Dr. Gardener has suggested that a human being possesses a natural inclination for learning and engaging in the world. This theory broadly categorizes intelligence in 8 different types, that is, Natural, Musical, Logical-Mathematical, Interpersonal, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Linguistic, Intrapersonal, and Spatial Intelligence.
Rohan’s mom: I am confused, how can this help Rohan?
Me: So, Rohan takes this test under my supervision and then I identify what kind of intelligence or a group of it he holds.
Rohan’s dad: Okay let’s do this! We are here, you can do whatever you need.
Rohan is given the test and conducted under my supervision. After he is done, Rohan and his parents leave and I analyze his test. Following are the possible outcomes for Rohan:
Types of Multiple Intelligence (Possible Outcomes)
Natural Intelligence
Musical Intelligence
Logical -Mathematical Intelligence
This type is related to nature, it basically means that a person possessing this type of ability has a certain sensitivity towards animals, plants, etc. Such people are strongly connected to nature and are interested in exploring and understanding it. They nurture the nature they can lay their hand on.
The people who rank high in this type can choose to be astronomers, geologists, marine biologists, nature photographers, farmers, etc.
People who have the ability to identify chords, pitch, rhythm and tone have a different type of intelligence named “Musical Intelligence”. Such people’s intelligence gives them the power to create rhythm and songs and make the whole world gasp in awe with their musical prowess!
The people who possess this type can pursue a career in music by being a singer, songwriter, sound editor, audiologist, music critic,etc.
This type describes a person’s ability to solve mathematical problems with the drop of a hat! People high in this type are drawn to arithmetic problems, puzzles, games, etc. It is basically the ability to calculate, compute and solve simple and complex mathematical problems.
The people who excel in mathematics and are able to solve problems can choose to become a math teacher, economist, lawyer, accountant, physician, mathematician, etc.
Interpersonal Intelligence
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
Linguistic Intelligence
A person who has the ability to interact with people freely and socialize without any hindrance while having excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills can be categorized under this type of intelligence. A person high in this type is generally able to identify the temperaments of others and act accordingly. They have the ability to judge the sensitivity of a situation and then they act accordingly.
The people high in this type can consider being a politician, social worker, coach, manager, diplomat, leader, etc. as a career.
The people who are involved in physical activities like cricket, dancing, football, athletics usually possess such type of intelligence. The holders of this type have fantastic hand-eye and body-mind coordination. These people might not be able to solve complex mathematics problems but their physical coordination supersedes any verbal and non-verbal cues.
The people high in this type are usually dancers, athletes, cricketers, actors, physical therapists, carpenters, etc.
The people who can articulate well and are able to use language to freely express complex emotions are said to be high in linguistic one. Such people are fantastic orators and their use of words mesmerizes all present around them.
The people who are high in this type can become editors, content writers, English teachers, journalists, public speakers, etc.
Intrapersonal Intelligence
Spatial Intelligence
A person who is able to understand themselves thoroughly and are able to direct their emotions in planning and directing one’s life. Self-awareness is a boon for everyone as it helps people to understand what they need and want.
The people who have good intrapersonal skills can pursue careers like writer, psychologist, consultant, criminologist, career counselor, etc.
Spatial intelligence is the ability to think in three dimensions. People high in this parameter have qualities like good mental imagery, spatial reasoning, image manipulation, graphic and artistic skills, and an active imagination. Such people usually have a precise eye for visual dimension and structure.
The people who have a high score in spatial one, can consider careers like fashion designer, interior designer, architect, engineer, photographer, pilot, etc. for themselves.
After conducting and analyzing Rohan’s test, he came out to be high in Interpersonal Intelligence and Linguistic Intelligence. The careers that I suggested he pursue are Journalist, teacher, counselor, public speaker, social worker, human resource manager, etc.
