The whole country is celebrating the auspicious Nine days of Navratri. Commemorating the nine colours of nine days. Rejoicing with fun, laughter, happiness, kinship, etc. If we talk about the relevance of Navratri in our Indian Education system, more specifically to Indian schools. These nine days are always observed as the religious days doing Saraswati Vandana, dressing children as nav Durgas, holding fast, playing dandiya or Garba, etc. Some schools are doing it in a blended model, some are doing it virtually but none of the schools is left behind celebrating these holy days in a way or the other. To these auspicious days of Navratri, we tend to connect innumerable aspects in context to the present society. We take pride and feel happy if our child recites Gayatri Mantra in the virtual class or narrates the story of celebrating Dusshera, we get convinced that the Right ‘sanskaras' are being given to our kids. Though I am not denying the possibility of conveying the righteous sacraments through such activities, rather I am trying to paint a larger picture, i.e. relevance of these nine days in our education system in real sense or how can we celebrate the symbolic nine days of Navratri in the educational ecosystem. As each day of Navratri symbolizes eight avatars of goddess Durga, who altogether are different having different powers, different capacities but all of them still symbolizes one divine cosmic energy which energizes the whole world. Similarly, our children who are part of one single cosmos, are different from each other. None of the children can be compared in any way. No two children have the same power, the same capabilities to thrive through the world.

In the early years, psychology advocated the traditional notion that there is one single type of intelligence, sometimes known as ‘g’ for general intelligence that only focuses on cognitive abilities. But this notion was challenged by the Multiple Theory of Intelligence proposed by Howard Gardener in 1983 through his book ‘Frames of Mind’. In our society and schools, linguistic and logical-mathematical modalities are the most valued and acknowledged ones. This theory broadens the definition of intelligence and outlines several distinct types of intellectual competencies. It emphasizes that there isn’t just one, single form of intelligence that a person either has or doesn’t have, but there are multiple intelligences that each individual may have in varying degrees and no two people have the same combination.

Imagine if along with other festive activities, the nine days of Navratri is celebrated with the nine major intellectual competencies, if each child’s mental capabilities and potentials are celebrated in a real sense then automatically the whole education system will be revived and rejuvenated.

In context to the major nine modalities of intelligence as proposed by Gardener (1983), here is a quick list of different teaching-learning activities pertaining to each type of intelligence.

1. Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence: As the name suggested this type of intelligence is majorly related to an individual’s ability to reason, solve problems and learn using languages. Verbal linguistic learners tend to do well in the typical school/college setting as so much of the curriculum is taught verbally. They have a strong ability to recall spoken words. Visual linguistic learners learn best when taught using spoken or written materials. For such students, teachers should conduct activities that are based on language reasoning rather than abstract visual information. Word problems, written projects, speech, debate, and presentations are best suited for such learners.
2. Logical/ mathematical Intelligence: This type of intelligence refers to the ability to think logically, provide reasoning, and can identify connections. These learners are good at working with numbers, undergo scientific investigations, to work on complex and abstract ideas. Different type of teaching and learning activities in context to Logical and Mathematical intelligence includes playing puzzles, riddles, strategy-oriented activities, research projects, experiments, coding, mathematical games, recognizing patterns, working with symbols, making up analogies, etc.
3. Visual/Spatial Intelligence: This refers to a person’s ability to perceive, analyze and understand visual information from different perspectives and angles. These learners are often good with directions, visual maps, mind maps, charts, videos, and pictures. Such learners have a good visual memory and learn best when taught using diagrammatic, modeled, written, or visually appealing teaching-learning material. Activities such as art, drafting, shop, geometry, computer graphics, or designing are best suited for such learners.
4. Bodily/Kinaesthetic Intelligence: This type of intelligence refers to the proficiency of ‘learning with the hands’ or physical learning. Learners having this type of intelligence learn more easily by doing, exploring, and discovering. Teaching and learning activities such as role-plays, skits, simulations, tinkering, movement-based education, etc. have to be kept in mind while dealing with learners having a higher level of Bodily intelligence.
5. Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: As the name is suggesting this type of intelligence refers to those learners who think, feel and process information primarily through sound, rhythm, and tonal patterns from the surrounding. These learners have a superior ability to perceive, compose or perform music. Such learners should be given an opportunity of writing their own songs and music about any particular content/area/topic, setting poems to music, listening to music from different historical periods, using rhythm or a particular sound, or clapping to memorize math facts and information from other content areas.
6. Interpersonal Intelligence: Having a higher level of Interpersonal Intelligence reflects the natural ability to interact with others effectively. Good leaders generally have a higher level of Interpersonal intelligence. Such learners learn best when expose to cooperative learning. Group projects or group study works well with them. Giving responsibilities to achieve any objective in particular area/content along with the group of learners motivates them to go ahead.
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence: Word ‘Intra’ means ‘within’. Therefore, this type of Intelligence refers to have a deep awareness of one’s own feelings, ideas, goals, range of emotional responses, thinking process, self-reflection. Different types of teaching and learning activities that can contribute to the learners having a higher level of Intrapersonal Intelligence include writing reflective papers on given content/area/topics, writing essays, keeping reflective journals, making their own schedule or calendar. Such type of learners usually needs alone time to process and create.
8. Naturalistic Intelligence: Those learners who are more inclined towards nature and environment, who can easily recognize and categorize plants, animals, rocks, soil, who can recognize patterns in nature and classify objects, who are sensitive to other features of the natural world are said to be naturalistically intelligent. Teaching and learning activities for this kind of learners can include observing surroundings, organizing, or participating in different project drives related to clean-ups different areas, beautification projects
9. Existential Intelligence: This form of intelligence is possibly the most significant form of intelligence which involves big picture thinking, critical thinking, ability to use intuition, thought, and metacognition to ask deep questions about human existence. Various teaching-learning activities which can be conducted for this group of learners may include pondering the meaning of life, working with NGOs, charity groups, volunteering for special causes or community service, journal writing, holding group discussions or discourse to ponder on deep questions.

After going through these nine modalities of intelligence, one can be assured that none of the people may have the same level or same kind of intelligence. Then why we as a parent, teacher or any caregiver keep on cribbing on the fact that our child is not doing well. Maybe our child is not getting the opportunities to thrive in the right direction towards his own and unique form of Intelligence. Therefore, celebrate the intelligence of your own child, celebrate these nine types of intelligence on nine different days of Navratri. Identify your child’s type of intelligence and give them ample opportunity to flourish and grow in their own way. For fulfilling the essence of enjoying the Navratri festival in all the educational institutions in a real sense celebrate different days of Navratri with different types of intelligence which a child may have.