The document discusses awakening the genius in every child by rediscovering their natural motivation and curiosity from birth. It presents that every child is born with 12 qualities of genius like curiosity and creativity. However, these qualities can be shut down by dysfunctional home environments, standardized testing in schools, and mind-numbing media. The document proposes awakening genius through providing simple experiences, seeing intelligence in many forms, and creating a supportive environment with freedom and no judgment.

1. Awakening the Genius in Every Child
Discovering and Reviving the Natural Motivation that
Exists in All Children at Birth
Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D. (www.institute4learning.com)
Early Childhood Education Council
Conference 2014 – ‘’The Journey Continues’’
Edmonton, Alberta – November 7, 2014

2. Three Basic Principles
• Every child is born a genius.
• The genius shuts down in most of us.
• We can (re)awaken the genius.

3. 12 Qualities of Genius
• Curiosity
• Playfulness
• Imagination
• Creativity
• Wonder
• Wisdom
• Inventiveness
• Vitality
• Sensitivity
• Flexibility
• Humor
• Joy

4. 4
Neoteny
The retention of juvenile
characteristics in the adults of a
species
“a major evolutionary trend in human
beings" is ‘greater prolongation of
childhood and retardation of maturity.’“
J.B.S. Haldane

5. Theoretical Foundations
• Every Child is a Genius
– Neurological Basis
– Evolutionary Basis
– Biographical Basis
– Phenomenological Basis

6. What Shuts Genius Down?
• Home-miliation
• Dysteachia
• Media-ocrity

7. Home-miliation
• Dysfunctional Family
• Disadvantaged Family
• Fast-Track Family
• Rigid-Ideology Family

8. Dysteachia
• Testing and Grading
• Talk and Tedium
• Textbooks and Worksheets
• Tracking and Labeling

9. Media-ocrity
• Mind-Numbing Violence
• Trivial Content
• Insipid Language
• Stereotypical Images

10. The Eight Intelligences
 Word Smart
 Logic Smart
 Picture Smart
 Body Smart
 Music Smart
 People Smart
 Self Smart
 Nature Smart

11. How to Awaken This Genius
• (Re)awaken Genius in Ourselves
• Provide Simple Experiences
• See Genius in Many Colors
• Create a Genial Climate

12. Create a Genial Climate
• Freedom to Choose
• Open-Ended Exploration
• Freedom from Judgment
• Honoring Every Child’s Experience
• Believing in Every Child’s Genius

13. Resources
Thomas Armstrong, Awakening Genius in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development, 1998.
Thomas Armstrong. In Their Own Way: Discovering and Encouraging Your Children’s Multiple
Intelligences, 2nd Ed. New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2000.
Thomas Armstrong, Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, 3rd Ed. Alexandria, VA: ASCD: 2009.
Marian Diamond and Janet Hopson. Magic Trees of the Mind: How to Nurture Your Child’s
Intelligence, Creativity, and Healthy Emotions from Birth through Adolescence. New York: Dutton,
1998.
David Elkind. The Hurried Child. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1981.
Lucas CG, Bridgers S, Griffiths TL, Gopnik A. ‘’When children are better (or at least more open-minded)
learners than adults: developmental differences in learning the forms of causal relationships.’’
Cognition. 2014 May;131(2):284-99.
Jane Healy, Endangered Minds. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990.
Jonathan Kozol. Savage Inequalities. New York: Crown, 1991.
Ashley Montagu. Growing Young. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1983..
Teaching Tolerance magazine. Southern Poverty Law Center (400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL
36104).

14. Contact Information
• Email: thomas@institute4learning.com
• Website: www.institute4learning.com
• Blog: http://institute4learning.com/blog/
• Twitter: @Dr_Armstrong