Ana Carolina Affonso’s Casa Arte Vida and How it Implements the Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Written By: BOSS Editorial
Reading Time: 6 minutes
At the end of the 20th century, American psychologist Howard Gardner developed the theory of multiple intelligences. His theory has been used to this day by schools and non-profit organizations focused on inclusive education, such as Casa Arte Vida, established by Brazilian philanthropist Ana Carolina Affonso.
By applying Howard Gardner’s concepts, educational institutions can create inclusive environments that address the diverse cognitive abilities present in every classroom. Read more below about Ana Carolina Affonso’s non-governmental organization, Casa Arte Vida, and how it has been implementing Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory to empower children and teens living in Rio de Janeiro’s underserved communities.
About Casa Arte Vida
A non-profit organization based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Casa Arte Vida – or House Art Life, in direct translation –, was established in 2007 by former lawyer and executive Ana Carolina Affonso.
To serve people living in Rio’s West Zone, Casa Arte Vida promotes local social development through education-related programs. These initiatives are for children and teenagers who live in Pedra de Guaratiba, which is considered one of the poorest areas in Rio, ranking 118 in the Human Development Index among the 126 regions.
Since its foundation, Casa Arte Vida has impacted hundreds of people in Rio, which is reflected in the numerous awards it has received over the past decade. For instance, Ana Carolina Affonso’s institution has been considered one of the best 100 NGOs in Brazil for the past six years.
Who is Ana Carolina Affonso
A Brazilian lawyer, artist, and philanthropist, Ana Carolina Borges Torrealba Affonso currently lives in Portugal, where she makes art with ceramics and tile painting. After working for many years in the areas of commercial law, tax law, and hospitality, Ana Carolina Affonso began her career in the art world.
While she studied fine arts and served in museums, Ana Carolina Affonso decided to start Casa Arte Vida. This project, which has been helping create an equitable society in Rio, combined the artist’s desire to make education accessible and her love for the arts.
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
The concept of multiple intelligences (MI) was introduced by Harvard scholar Howard Gardner. According to his research, there are several types of intelligence that IQ tests and other evaluation methods and activities cannot measure. In his theory, Gardner defends that all human beings are capable of developing skills in different areas, and each of those areas represents one type of intelligence.
Gardner’s MI theory has drawn widespread attention to his work. It started being implemented nationally and internationally by teachers, schools, and other learning institutions dedicated to inclusive education, such as Casa Arte Vida, established by Ana Carolina Affonso.
What Are the Multiple Intelligences
Initially, Gardner pinpointed seven different types of intelligence. However, with time and advancements in his research, the psychologist included the naturalistic and existential intelligences, totaling nine types:
- Logical-mathematical: one of the traditional types of intelligence that represents strength in reasoning, pattern recognition, logical problem-solving, and mathematical skills.
- Linguistic-verbal: represents the ability to use language and signs for expression and communication, encompassing strong speaking and interpretation skills and aptitude for learning new languages.
- Interpersonal: favors relationships and shows an aptitude for leadership, empathy skills, and the ability to connect with other people’s feelings and personalities.
- Intrapersonal: intelligence that represents self-reflection, introspection, and awareness of one’s own feelings and emotional states.
- Visual-spatial: represents a strong ability to recognize the world and its dimensions and to deal with phenomena related to movement, perspective, and positioning of objects.
- Body-kinesthetic: relates to the ability to use one’s body as a means of expression and problem-solving.
- Musical: intelligence that represents the aptitude to interpret and produce sounds, rhythm, and patterns with or without the use of musical instruments and tools.
- Naturalistic: intelligence that represents an awareness of their environments and affinity to the natural world.
- Existential: the ninth type of intelligence suggested as an addition to the original theory, it relates to the ability to see the bigger picture and ponder on existential matters.
For example, a student with strong musical and interpersonal intelligence might excel in rhythm-based exercises and group discussions. Still, some intelligences, such as logical-mathematical and linguistic-verbal, are often considered more valuable in traditional classrooms, potentially excluding students who have more aptitude in other areas.
However, after the popularization of Howard Gardner’s theory, some learning institutions have been considering all types of intelligence to evaluate children and teens and help them develop in different areas. One of these institutions is Ana Carolina Affonso’s Casa Arte Vida, which provides inclusive education programs for people in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Applications of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom
In the universe of education, the theory of multiple intelligences can be implemented to promote the development of several skills among students, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-expression.
The article “Multiple Intelligences: Theory and Application” by Hope Philips details several ways that teachers can apply the theory of multiple intelligences in the classroom. After determining the students’ strengths and weaknesses, teachers can also use Gardner’s theory to provide meaningful learning experiences for their particular intelligence.
Philips highlights that assessment should follow a holistic approach instead of a singular linguistic-based paper-and-pencil test. Additionally, teaching should not be uniform: students must be able to learn concepts in various ways.
Casa Arte Vida’s Alignment with the MI Theory
Since it was created, Ana Carolina Affonso’s Casa Arte Vida has been carrying out projects and activities that seek to develop students’ multiple intelligences. The range of multidisciplinary activities offered to children and teens at the institution is designed using various active learning methodologies, such as the STEAM framework, gamification, project-based learning, and maker education.
Besides Gardner’s MI theory, Casa Arte Vida also uses Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of Autonomy as a guide to develop and enhance its projects. These concepts transform learning into a meaningful and compelling experience for each student.
Casa Arte Vida’s Projects and Activities
Among the projects developed by Ana Carolina Affonso’s organization that align with the MI theory are CRIA and Maker Lab. Maker Lab, for one, is composed of classes planned to promote skills such as innovation, critical thinking, and autonomy, as well as to develop multiple aptitudes that students may present, including in the logical-mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and visual-spatial domains.
Casa Arte Vida also offers weekly activities that focus on advancing different intelligences for teens, kids, and their families. Workshops are standard in the organization’s daily schedule and may include fine arts workshops, beauty courses, programming and robotic courses, as well as community-building workshops and meetings.
During the extracurricular activities offered by Ana Carolina Affonso’s organization, children play while learning, which encourages their artistic skills and motor coordination, among other capabilities.
In short, under the visionary leadership of Ana Carolina Affonso, Casa Arte Vida shows how Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences can be applied effectively to create an inclusive educational experience.
