Nursery World - Learning & Development: Intelligence

Published to critical acclaim, the book New Kinds of Smart argues that intelligence is expandable. Here, co-author Professor Bill Lucas considers the opportunities this new thinking presents for early years education.

It seems to us that the education system is the victim of a number of enduring myths with regard to intelligence, and that these are at best unhelpful and at worst downright harmful.

Here are eight corrosive beliefs which illustrate this:

1. Intelligence is essentially a one-dimensional commodity largely to be found in the kinds of thinking required by IQ tests.

2. Intelligence is relatively fixed: educators make use of it, but do not really alter it.

3. Mind and body are separate, and truly intelligent activity is located in the mind.

4. Intelligence is rational and conscious.

5. Intelligence is a personal 'possession', and using tools which have the effect of making you smarter is a kind of cheating.

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