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All Kinds of Smart

  • January 15, 2025
  • Posted by: Caitlin McCallum
  • Category: Wow Story
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This year I’m teaching a middle school study skills course for the first trimester of school. I teach two sections of it back to back once a week, first the 7th graders, then the 8th graders. I have worked with middle schoolers before, but a lot less than the other grades that make up my TK-8 school’s population. I was nervous. Since I was teaching these classes to the entire grade levels and not just the students on my caseload, I didn’t know most of them. What would they think of me? Would they think I was dumb or boring? Would they think I’m wasting their time?

For the first day of class, we did a general overview of all the topics that would be covered, then discussed learning styles and Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory. As I walked through each of the 9 types of “smart”, I asked students to raise their hands if they thought they had that type of intelligence. I taught the 7th graders first, and their enthusiasm was strong. Several boys almost jumped out of their desks when I described spatial intelligence, or the ability to see things in 3D. A number of girls nodded their head when we talked about musical intelligence. It made me happy to see them so engaged.

Right after, with the 8th graders, I got a… less enthusiastic response. As we went through the first three types of intelligence, barely any of them raised their hands. However, when I got to the fourth type, interpersonal intelligence, something changed. They looked at their peers. One girl in the front pointed to her friend, who blushed. When I described bodily-kinesthetic intelligence and how many athletes have it, several kids pointed to one boy in the class, saying “He has that!” The boy, who had early shared that he loved sports, shrugged and shyly raised his hand.

It’s a beautiful thing when our students realize that they’re smart, when they become confident in who they are and in the unique gifts God gave them. I got to see that in my 7th graders’ smiles and joy. But in the 8th graders, I saw something even greater. They not only found their “smarts”, but that of their peers as well. There was no jealousy, no comparison with others; just happiness at seeing the good in those around them. While teaching middle school definitely has its challenges, I have loved the time I’ve spent with them. I have a lot of learn from the oldest kids on campus.

~written by Rebekah (Mehrley) Symank, LSEM Teacher at Abiding Savior Lutheran School in Lake Forest, CA