Blog Posts
Multiple Intelligences Newsletter, Vol 29, No 7
May 27, 2020
Hi MI Friends, Years ago, Pat Bolanos, the visionary principal of the Key School in Indianapolis, the first MI school, and I were on a panel, discussing MI implementation. In her opening remarks, she stated that they arranged their school schedule so that each intelligence received an equal number of instructional minutes during the school day. I expressed admiration because I knew how difficult this would be to do and […]
Multiple Intelligences Newsletter, Vol 29, No 6
April 2, 2020
Hi MI Friends, These are strange and scary times. Covid-19 continues to take its toll in actual lives and in the emotional distress and angst that we all share. As in any crisis – fortunately, as in every crisis – some people and roles step forward as heroes, even though they neither sought fame nor are comfortable with our praise. Gratitude and admiration go to everyone working in health care, […]
Principal Center Radio Podcast: Tom Hoerr
March 3, 2020
Tom was a guest on the Principal Center Radio Podcast talking about his new book Taking Social Emotional Learning Schoolwide: The Formative Five Success Skills for Students and Staff. Listen Now
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Thomas R. Hoerr – The Importance of Reaching All Communities
February 17, 2020
The most important educational factor in a child’s learning is the quality of the teacher. (Parents matter most, but classroom educators come in a close second.) Good teachers go beyond knowing content and pedagogy — they respect, understand and appreciate their students. Those are the teachers we remember; they knew us, cared for us and pushed us. Consequently, an important part of teacher preparation stems from the context in which […]
UMSL Daily: New Education Course Promotes Servant Leadership Model
February 11, 2020
Mindy Bier and Tom Hoerr are teaching a new graduate-level education course called “Leaders Cultivating Virtues,” which utilizes a servant leadership model. It’s designed to give education leaders the tools to fight against empathy fatigue in teachers and to promote social-emotional learning in students. (photo by August Jennewein) Empathy fatigue is an issue for many people. The phenomenon was first widely observed in the medical field, particularly in ICU nurses […]
Multiple Intelligences Newsletter, Vol 29, No 4
January 29, 2020
Greetings MI Fans, Are you ready for spring? Soon, schools in the northern hemisphere will have to confront the February Doldrums. Winter break was ages ago, spring break is too far away to contemplate, the weather is cold, and the skies are gray. Is it any wonder that students – and staff members – get a bit restless? Well, one strategy to de-doldrum (sorry!) is to ensure that people of […]
K12 Insight: How To Take Social Emotional Learning Schoolwide
December 11, 2019
This article by Tom was originally posted on the K12 Insight blog TrustED on December 11, 2019. Why do we do what we do? What’s the purpose of education? Is it to prepare students to perform well in school and become effective workers or is it to develop good people who will make a positive difference in the world? Of course, the answer is both–and yet, schools and curricula have […]
Multiple Intelligences Newsletter, Vol 29, No 3
December 3, 2019
Hello to MI Fans! This issue features an article by Pam Clark, a Resource Teacher for the Gifted and an Instructional Coach in VA, who has been using MI for almost 30 years. As you’ll see from her intentions and activities, Pam is a sensational teacher. It’s clear that she’s the kind of teacher who connects with kids and helps them grow in a powerful way. In no small part, […]
Multiple Intelligences Newsletter, Vol 29, No 2
October 10, 2019
Greetings, MI Fans! From an educational perspective, using MI simply means recognizing and capitalizing on how students learn. Who could argue with that logic?!? Well, the short-answer is quite a few people. Folks who don’t accept MI either don’t understand it or reject the idea because it doesn’t comport with their narrow and rather simplistic view of the world. Simply looking around and seeing who succeeds makes the case for […]
Multiple Intelligences Newsletter, Vol 29, No 1
August 14, 2019
Happy New School Year! Hi MI Fans, It’s the time of year when schools are embedded in enthusiasm. Everywhere (at least in the Northern hemisphere!), teachers, principals, and students are anticipating the start of another school year. Remember, educators, the kids are as nervous about day #1 as are you! Thinking about the role that MI can play in how classrooms are presented and how the year begins can start […]