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Musical Intelligence
"People like me are aware of their so-called genius at 10, 8, 9 . . . I always wondered, 'Why has nobody discovered me?' Why didn't they put me in art school? Why didn't they train me? I was different, I was always different. Why didn't anybody notice me?"
- John Lennon, quoted in Howard Gardner's Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Basic Books, 1993)
Musical Intelligence is the earliest of the intelligences to emerge, according to Howard Gardner, originator of the theory of Multiple Intelligences--which means if you have a child with this learning gift, it shouldn't be hard to spot.
These kids make music part of almost everything they do. Musically Intelligent people, says Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D., author of 7 Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Multiple Intelligences (Plume, 1999), often have pleasant singing voices and can play musical instruments. When they aren't listening to music, they frequently have a song playing in their heads. They tap, sing or hum while they study, or when they are learning something new.
Your musically intelligent child might also be able to tell when a note is off key, tap along in perfect rhythm to music, or sing or play back melodies they have heard only once or twice, says Armstrong.
To encourage a child with a Musical Intelligence, Ellen Weber, Ph.D., director of the MITA (Multiple Intelligences Teaching Approach) Center, recommends working to stimulate your child's musical thinking. "Relate as much as you can to the child's musical perspective," Weber suggests. "Go for a walk and ask, 'What do you hear in the air? Relate that to music.'" Weber also recommends setting goals with your child to help her make the most of her musical ability. These might involve performing for an audience, or writing a song.
Pick a project, says Gardner, and firm up the details. Decide, for instance, when the song you are writing should be finished, its topic, how many lines it will have, and whether the lyrics will rhyme, etc. Next, break the project down into small, specific tasks.
When the goal is reached, help your child reflect on the project. Weber recommends having your child first ask, "What did I do well?" and then, "What could I do better next time?" You might follow this up by having your child think about what a classical composer such as Beethoven, or a current popular singer, might have done with his song. "You're getting the child used to reflecting on his own learning," Weber explains.
Knowing the ease with which your child can work with music, you can also help her with other areas of learning. Armstrong suggests things like playing background music while working or studying, or turning a list of facts he needs to memorize into a song.
"A child who is good at music should be encouraged to integrate music with other learning," says Weber. "Don't let music just stay within music."
Kinds of Multiple Intelligences
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