2. Intelligent Behavior
This behavior is measured by what a student knows and by observing
how they act/ behave when they don’t know something and are trying to
solve a problem. It is achieved through maturity of the individual and
through mastery of higher level thinking. Intelligent behavior is more of
a “common sense” behavior. It requires teachers to help students develop
their thinking skills through activities and assignments in the classroom.
As their thinking skills develop, students develop a sense of “I can,” with
an accompanying feeling of “I enjoy”, which generates learning
(Kellough and Kellough, 2011).
3. Six Characteristics of
Intelligent Behavior
Drawing on Knowledge and Applying it to
New Situations.
Listening with Understanding and
Empathy
Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation
Thinking and Communicating with Clarity
and Precision
Managing Impulsivity
Finding Humor
4. Drawing on Knowledge and
Applying it to New Situations
This characteristic has student’s take what
they have learned in class and apply the
information to everyday situations.
As a teacher, you can support this
characteristic by having student complete
projects that allow them to take
classroom information and explain how
they will use this information in life.
5. Drawing on Knowledge and
Applying it to New Situations
Examples
Personal Finance- Students will collaborate in pairs and
plan a weekend vacation (to a place of their choice). They
will research costs of hotels, food, transportation,
entertainment, etc. Students will present project to class
using 21st Century technology.
Early Childhood Education- Students will take information
learned in class and apply it in the Internship classroom.
6. Listening with Understanding
and Empathy
Some psychologists believe that the ability to listen to others,
to empathize with and to understand their point of view, is
one of the highest forms of intelligent behavior (Kellough and
Kellough, 2011).
Teachers can support this characteristic by allowing students
to brainstorm ideas in a learning group while listening to other
group members ideas and opinions.
Examples: 1) Learning team group projects, Brainstorming;
2) Having students debate a topic in class; 3) Teachers can
have elementary students care for a small animal (hamster,
guinea pig, fish) in class to learn empathy.
7. Imagination, Creativity
and Innovation
Encouraging students to use their imaginations and to
be creative and innovative permits higher level critical
thinking skills to emerge.
Teachers can use assignments like projects,
developing brochures and pamphlets, and posters to
encourage creativity in the classroom. They can also
include 21st Century technology such as power points
and Prezi presentations to nurture creativity.
My Personal Finance students created commercials
with cameras/ video to demonstrate how advertising
can be misleading. This activity succeeded in
allowing their imaginations and creativity to soar to a
higher level.
8. Thinking and Communicating
with Clarity and Precision
Communicating in oral or written assignments will allow
students to express themselves in creative ways.
Communication skills are very important for students to
learn, as they are needed in many jobs and careers.
Teachers can build on a students thinking and
communication skills and improve their clarity and
precision of these skills by having students make oral
presentations in class and by writing letters expressing
their opinions during journal writing (first 5 minutes of
class).
An assignment for my Personal Finance students is they
had to write a letter of complaint to a company who
sold them a product that is not working.
9. Managing Impulsivity
To manage impulses, students must be able to
wait their turn (in line or to answer questions).
Research states that students who can exercise
self-control, empathize with others, and work
collaboratively and cooperatively are more
likely to be successful in the workplace (Kellough
and Kellough, 2011)
Teachers should teach students to think before
speaking by having them raise their hand and
wait their turn in class instead of shouting out an
answer.
10. Finding Humor
Humor creates a relaxing atmosphere in
the classroom, which will lead to more
creativity from students. It will open the
door for students to problem solve and
use critical thinking skills.
I have used games such as Pictionary and
Charades to add humor in my class. We
would take our vocabulary words or
phrases and the students could either act
it out or draw it out on the board.
11. References
Kellough, R.D. & Kellough, N.G. (2011). Secondary school teaching: A
guide to methods and resources (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Allyn & Bacon.
