Characteristics of Intelligent Behavior

Five Characteristics of Intelligent Behavior

• Finding humor

• Striving for accuracy

• Creating, imagining, and innovating

• Managing impulsivity

• Taking responsible risks

Finding Humor • Examples:

• A child who finds humor can laugh at themselves and their missteps; they can appreciate ironies or humorous situations (intentional or not) in the material we study.

• How I support this characteristic in my classroom:

• I try to make my classroom a welcoming and safe environment where children can laugh at themselves and each other in a way that is free of ridicule or taunting. I also point out humorous situations in the literature we read and apply it to a modern situation.

Striving for Accuracy

• Examples:

• A child who strives for accuracy will not turn in their work without meticulously checking it over; this is a child who will not come to conclusions without careful thought (Kellough & Kellough, 2011).

• How I support this characteristic in my classroom:

• I encourage my students to take their time and never rush through their work; I will hand something back to a student if it looks rushed; I will give a student extra time to get something just right.

Creating, imagining, and innovating

• Examples:

• A child who creates, imagines, and innovates can see possibilities a teacher never imagined in their own assignment; this child will produce novelty in their classroom work and ‘think outside of the box.’

• How I support this characteristic in my classroom:

• I leave many assignments and assessments open-ended; I encourage my students to come up with alternate assessments when I assign projects; I encourage independent thought.

Managing Impulsivity

• Examples:

• A child who manages their impulsivity will raise their hand before answering a question; the child will “think before acting” (Kellough & Kellough, 2011).

• How I support this characteristic in my classroom:

• I do not always respond to a shouted out answer, rather I will call on someone with their hand raised; I give my students ‘think time’ before asking them to answer any questions.

Taking Responsible Risks

• Examples:

• Children who take responsible risks are unafraid to try something different, these students will not (always) ardently adhere to social norms.

• How I support this characteristic in my classroom:

• I will ask my students to be unafraid of judgment from anyone in the room; I foster a safe learning environment where students feel empowered to stretch the limits of their thinking.

References

• Kellough, R.D., & Kellough, N.G. (2011). Secondary school teaching: A guide to methods and resources (4th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.