On June 2, 2010, Dr. Howard Gardner, who is on Ivy Advisory Board, visited two Ivy campuses - Ocean Express campus and Lijing campus. During these campus visits, Dr. Gardner visited two classes taking place in Ivy Schools: Chinese Circle Time and Orff Music. During the Chinese Circle Time, our Chinese teacher, Ms. Yu, demonstrated an activity on the law of conservation. Children listened attentively as they actively engaged in the activity. After the activity, Dr. Gardner had a good discussion and exchange with the teachers and Chief Education Officer, Londi Carbajal.

Dr. Gardner then sat down with the children as they participated in the Orff music class.  During the class, children were encouraged to use their bodies to make music as they followed along to the rhythm and beat of the teacher. Dr. Gardner was able to observe children interacting with our teachers and fluently discussing and conversing in both Chinese and English, even though the children came from all around the world.

In addition to interacting with the children, Dr. Gardner spoke with all the Ivy Schools campus directors on a one-to-one basis. Asking about the key challenges that each campus director faced, Dr. Gardner offered his advice and counsel to them.   

To the Chief Officer of Education, Londi Carbajal he asked, "What do you think is the most important thing for children to learn at your schools?" She replied, "Learn to make choices?" To which he responded, "Right, learn to choose."

In conclusion, we are honored to have Dr. Howard Gardner, Ivy Advisory Board, to visit our campus and talk to our teachers and staff. It was an invaluable and fruitful experience as Dr. Gardner provided guidance, direction and insights for Ivy so that the development and applications of Multiple Intelligences theory at Ivy Schools is assured.  
 

Dr. Howard Gardner at Ivy classroom
 

Dr. Howard Gardner enjoyed artwork by Ivy children


Chinese circle time with Ivy children


Conversation with Ivy campus directors


Group pictures with Ivy teachers

About Howard Gardner

Dr. Howard Gardner is the Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Senior Director of Harvard Project Zero.  The author of over twenty books translated into twenty-seven languages and several hundred articles, Gardner is best known in educational circles for his theory of Multiple Intelligences, a critique of the notion that there exists but a single human intelligence that can be assessed by standard psychometric instruments.  He has also written extensively on creativity, leadership, and professional ethics.  His latest book “Five Minds for the Future” was published in April 2007.  Gardner has visited China several times as an honorary professor at East China Normal University.  You can find accounts of these experiences in his 1989 book “To Open Minds.”