Which Group Does Your Child Belong To?

Nowadays, many parents would complain about their children being too active. These children are full of energy and just cannot sit still. Is there anything wrong with these children? ABSOLUTELY NOT! They are just another type of learner called the Kinaesthetic Learner.


I have attended a workshop on teaching skill, a great workshop conducted by an ex-lecturer of UM (one of the local universities in Malaysia) and have read the “Parenthink” magazine about an interesting topic called the multiple intelligences.


I quote from “Parenthink Magazine”, October issue:


“Howard Gardner talked about multiple intelligences which gave a definition of human nature in a cognitive perspective and he said that humans develop the most when their intelligences are discovered and promoted.”

Gardner’s model of the seven multiple intelligences at a glance:


Intelligence Type --------- Capability and perception
Linguistic -------------------- Words and language
Logical-Mathematical ------- Logic and numbers
Musical ---------------------- Music, sound, rhythm
Bodily-Kinaesthetic ---------- Body movement control
Spatial-Visual --------------- Images and space
Interpersonal --------------- Other people’s feelings
Intrapersonal --------------- Self-awareness


Often, when people see children who like to run, jump and touch everything, they would shake their heads and say that these children are naughty. When you think further, are these children really that bad? I really don’t think so. They are just not the quiet type who can sit in front of the television for hours without turning their heads and they are just not the type who would turn left when you say left. These children are often the smart children who want to explore and learn more and they are the ones who have a mind of their own and want their voice to be heard.


If we force these children to sit still and read or write, do you think they are happy? Happy children learn best! So, when they are not happy, reading and writing become a waste of time as nothing will go into their head. It doesn’t mean that these children will never learn how to read and write but it rather means that these children need other learning methods to produce results. There are many fun ways to promote learning. For me, I like to try different learning methods and make the lessons fun. I want to see my children enjoy while learning and I want them to pick up faster and remember better. (I will share with you some fun learning methods in my subsequent posts. Do remember to read about it.)


So, have you analyzed your children? Which group does your child belong to? When you get the answer, maybe you would learn how to say yes to certain things that you said no previously.