St. Mary’s School introduces Kinesthetic Intelligence Education

The St. Mary’s Preparatory and Junior High School in Sunyani, a leading basic school in the Bono Region run by the Catholic Church, has again lifted the bar in academic excellence with the introduction of Kinesthetic Intelligence Education (KIE) program for all students, beginning next month, when the school returns from the Easter break.

To this end, each pupil is to pay Gh.c 36.00 towards this program.

“We are excited to share that St. Mary School has been selected as one of three schools by the Diocese to pilot the Kinesthetic Intelligence Education (KIE) program”, Mr. Samuel Asare, the Administrator of the school said in a notice to parents whose wards are in the school.

According to the administrator, Kinesthetic Intelligence Education was developed by Open Mind Africa and involves a hands-on learning approach that uses physical activity and play to build emotional intelligence, resilience, and essential life skills in students from Pre-K to Grade 9.

“It supports both academic growth and overall personal development”, he added.

Kinesthetic intelligence

The word kinesthetic refers to the movement of the physical body. A kinesthetic learner is one who learns by moving their body in their environment.

Bodily kinesthetic skills include dexterity and strong gross and fine motor skills. Typically, athletic skills and muscle memory abilities are beyond average.

Kinesthetic intelligence, also known as bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, is the ability to use your body skillfully, manipulate objects, and coordinate your movements for expressive or goal-directed purposes.

It’s one of the nine intelligences proposed by Howard Gardner, an American psychologist, in his theory of multiple intelligences. Individuals with strong kinesthetic intelligence often excel in areas like sports, dance, crafts, and surgery.

This intelligence also involves a sense of timing and the perfection of skills through mind–body union. Athletes, dancers, surgeons, and crafts people exhibit well-developed bodily kinesthetic intelligence.

Kinesthetic learning requires the integration of body and mind to maximize the learner’s strengths. Activities involving movement and sensations support this type of learning.