2. Five Characteristics of Intelligent Behavior
• Finding humor
• Striving for accuracy
• Creating, imagining, and innovating
• Managing impulsivity
• Taking responsible risks
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
