I was thinking, in my lesson last Sunday (not yesterday; MT and TW and D are all at an event), about the different types of intelligence. I was trying to explain to MT how it is that I could have been giving overpowered leg aids All This Time, and I'm not sure I was very clear. That said, the types of intelligence are (as commonly accepted):
1. Naturalist Intelligence (“Nature Smart”)
Designates the human ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). This ability was clearly of value in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers; it continues to be central in such roles as botanist or chef. It is also speculated that much of our consumer society exploits the naturalist intelligences, which can be mobilized in the discrimination among cars, sneakers, kinds of makeup, and the like.
2. Musical Intelligence (“Musical Smart”)
Musical intelligence is the capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre, and tone. This intelligence enables us to recognize, create, reproduce, and reflect on music, as demonstrated by composers, conductors, musicians, vocalist, and sensitive listeners. Interestingly, there is often an affective connection between music and the emotions; and mathematical and musical intelligences may share common thinking processes. Young adults with this kind of intelligence are usually singing or drumming to themselves. They are usually quite aware of sounds others may miss.
3. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence (Number/Reasoning Smart)
Logical-mathematical intelligence is the ability to calculate, quantify, consider propositions and hypotheses, and carry out complete mathematical operations. It enables us to perceive relationships and connections and to use abstract, symbolic thought; sequential reasoning skills; and inductive and deductive thinking patterns. Logical intelligence is usually well developed in mathematicians, scientists, and detectives. Young adults with lots of logical intelligence are interested in patterns, categories, and relationships. They are drawn to arithmetic problems, strategy games and experiments.
4. Existential Intelligence
Sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get here.
5. Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart”)
Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand and interact effectively with others. It involves effective verbal and nonverbal communication, the ability to note distinctions among others, sensitivity to the moods and temperaments of others, and the ability to entertain multiple perspectives. Teachers, social workers, actors, and politicians all exhibit interpersonal intelligence. Young adults with this kind of intelligence are leaders among their peers, are good at communicating, and seem to understand others’ feelings and motives.
6. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (“Body Smart”)
Bodily kinesthetic intelligence is the capacity to manipulate objects and use a variety of physical skills. This intelligence also involves a sense of timing and the perfection of skills through mind–body union. Athletes, dancers, surgeons, and craftspeople exhibit well-developed bodily kinesthetic intelligence.
7. Linguistic Intelligence (Word Smart)
Linguistic intelligence is the ability to think in words and to use language to express and appreciate complex meanings. Linguistic intelligence allows us to understand the order and meaning of words and to apply meta-linguistic skills to reflect on our use of language. Linguistic intelligence is the most widely shared human competence and is evident in poets, novelists, journalists, and effective public speakers. Young adults with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, telling stories or doing crossword puzzles.
8. Intra-personal Intelligence (Self Smart”)
Intra-personal intelligence is the capacity to understand oneself and one’s thoughts and feelings, and to use such knowledge in planning and directioning one’s life. Intra-personal intelligence involves not only an appreciation of the self, but also of the human condition. It is evident in psychologist, spiritual leaders, and philosophers. These young adults may be shy. They are very aware of their own feelings and are self-motivated.
9. Spatial Intelligence (“Picture Smart”)
Spatial intelligence is the ability to think in three dimensions. Core capacities include mental imagery, spatial reasoning, image manipulation, graphic and artistic skills, and an active imagination. Sailors, pilots, sculptors, painters, and architects all exhibit spatial intelligence. Young adults with this kind of intelligence may be fascinated with mazes or jigsaw puzzles, or spend free time drawing or daydreaming.
Now, me? I'm extremely intelligent linguistically and logically/mathematically. (More on the logic than the math, but that's another story.) Secondary are intra-personal and musical intelligences.
What I am absolutely not are: Spatially intelligent or bodily-kinaesthetically intelligent.
It takes a lot for me to learn a physical skill. Once I learn it, I can be quite athletic, but ... it's hard for me to take "okay, now squeeze with your legs" and translate that to "use the inside of your calf muscles and just tap the horse on her side a little, with about a pound of pressure, and then immediately release it." Because I can't actually *see* the pressure when I watch MT ride, I had no way of knowing what he was going for.
However ... after we had the discusson of "Is this how you do your leg aid? No? This? No? THIS? No? Oh god.", MT mentioned a conversation he'd had years ago with a clinician or teacher he'd worked with. The clinician said to MT, "Well, yknow, when you learn to use your leg right, your horses will go great."
So at least I'm not the only one, and at least I know now what I ought to be doing!
We also had some good progress with rhythm -- lifting my hands a bit seems to be hugely helpful. She finds release when stretching her head down and working through her neck in this position, so we'll go with it for a while, until the better position becomes routine.
So -- in other news, I've been tagged! :D onthebit tagged me with this meme:
Write 7 things about yourself and then pass is along to 15 bloggers!
Hm. I don't actually follow 15 blogs here, but you can have 7 things. Here you go:
1) I'm a published author and editor. I've worked for a variety of roleplaying game companies. So if you google me, you'll find a bunch of my books. I'm not entirely sure this counts as being a real author, but hey -- my words are published and translated into a zillion languages.
2) I love the aforementioned roleplaying games. I'm a cheerfully unashamed D&D geek! However, I don't play online games ... no attention span for them, and see above spatial ineptitude. ;) I've tried, and every time it's come down to "ack! Where is that damage coming from! Guys, help, I'm drowning, and I can't find the tunnel you all went down! ACK!"
3) I am a Detroit Red Wings fan. My favorite players on the team are probably Pavel Datsyuk and Niklas Kronwall, with a fan nod to Justin Abdelkader. Of course, it's impossible to not respect players like Lidstrom, Zetterberg, and Cleary, too.
4) If I had the financial freedom to do so, I'd be a working student forever. I love taking care of horses, even the smelly parts. I love learning from MT and TW, and I'd cheerfully clean stalls from here on out in exchange for lessons and training.
5) I have a probably ill-advised dream of riding a musical freestyle dressage test to Shipping Up to Boston, by the Dropkick Murphys (one of my two or three all-time favorite bands). It's got the right rhythm, and it's so energizing. Why not?! Don't judges and audiences get tired of the same old instrumental, orchestral music? :) Let's bring a little attitude to the arena!
6) Although I enjoy dressage and I recognize why we're doing all the flatwork, all the heavy lifting, now ... I am SO ready to start jumping! Mentally, anyway. Since MT hasn't started us jumping, he must believe that I'm not ready physically, so ... I'll wait. But I am SO EAGER to get back to jumping!! I think I'll be better at it than the flatwork/dressage ... I always was. We'll see.
7) My dream horse is a red leopard Appaloosa sporthorse. I had a chance to have one, years ago, and I just wasn't up to the challenge/opportunity, so I missed out. I am just crazy about spots. :)
That is too funny that you love Appys! Why are all the Appy's wasted on people like me who just want a nice bay or black horse? Thanks for playing along!
ReplyDelete