Carol's Point

Carol's point is well taken. One would imagine that the impact of MI on a student would have real world implications due to the classroom interaction between the individual and the domain. At the Gardner School, for instance, we use an apprentice model. Our students practice in an authentic environment while in school as apprentices in a project-based curriculum. Each of our classes has a real world theme that defines a domain. Our eighth graders operate a newspaper and are apprenticed to local newspaper employees who volunteer to help in their project. Third and fourth graders run a student store that operates just like a real business and have a mentor from the community who teaches them business practices and the stock market. It would be hard to imagine that practicing in an environment that so closely mimics real world domains will not have lasting effects. By learning that they can produce builds confidence and competence. Working with "masters" their can see that their work has relevance and students rarely ask the question that haunts most teachers, "Why do I have to learn ______." In an MI classroom when you fill in the blank it is usually apparent why it is important to learn.

In essence MI helps students mine their talents as they find new ways to solve problems and complete tasks. It is a powerful lesson.