8 Great Smarts: Discover and Nurture Your Child's Intelligences

by Kathy Koch, John Stonestreet (Foreword)

Your child is smart, but does he or she believe it?

"Smart" is a power word. Children who believe they’re smart excel more in school and approach life with greater confidence. But children who don’t can struggle to apply themselves. Do you wish your child could see how smart he or she is?

Find hope in 8 Great Smarts. You’ll be empowered and equipped with new language and creative ideas for how

Accept and affirm your child’s unique smarts Motivate your child to learn and study with all 8 smarts Reawaken any "paralyzed" smarts Redirect misbehavior in new, constructive ways Guide your child spiritually, relationally, and to a good career fit

Dr. Kathy Koch loves seeing children flourish and helping parents make it happen—and it’s never too late to start. Now is the time to help your child be all that God designed him or her to be.

For children of all ages, this application of the theory of multiple intelligences is a revised edition of How Am I Smart?

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Education, Psychology, Christian, Self Help, Family

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2007

About the author

DR. KATHY KOCH is the Founder and President of Celebrate Kids, Inc., a Christian ministry based in Fort Worth, Texas. She is an internationally celebrated speaker who has influenced thousands of parents, teachers, and children in over 25 countries through keynote messages, workshops, seminars, assemblies, and other events. She also blogs regularly at www.DrKathyKoch.com.
Dr. Kathy's newest book, coauthored with Jill Savage, No More Perfect Kids: Love Your Kids For Who They Are, helps parents understand why they must get to know their children to parent them wisely. How Am I Smart? A Parent's Guide to Multiple Intelligences helps parents understand their children's learning strengths. Finding Authentic Hope and Wholeness: 5 Questions That Will Change Your Life provides a solution-focused, enriching approach to real problems. Her book, Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World, will be published in March, 2015.Dr. Kathy earned a Ph.D. in reading and educational psychology from Purdue University. She was a tenured associate professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, a teacher of second graders, a middle school coach, and a school board member prior to becoming a full-time conference and keynote speaker in 1991.

Reviews

[Natalie [genreneutralreader] · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book, though Christian, would be great for any parent to read. My eyes and mind were so opened by the information presented about 8 different types of "Smarts". I have two children, each very different than the other. One would be considered "smart" by anyone. The other's intelligence is not what I have been taught to think of as the traditional "smart", yet I knew that child was smart in a different way than the other. I feared the less traditionally smart child would be destined to being labeled as less intelligent than (what the book describes as) Word Smart peers. There were moments in the Logic Smart, Nature Smart, and People Smart chapters that were so spot on describing my child that I was humbled to think that I might have continued to think of these smarts as less valuable than what they truly are. This book helped me know each of my children better and I KNOW it is going to help me teach each of them in ways more suited to the way they learn.

I love how the book talks about how each "smart" has strengths and weaknesses. This was also something covered regarding how they react and learn spiritually from a Christian perspective, which I loved. This book should be read by all parents who worry about their children's intelligence. It may not answer every question, but I guarantee it will open your eyes to aspects of your child you have never thought of.

The only thing that might have made this book a full 5 stars for me is if there had been quizzes or charts in the book itself rather than having to go online to do. However, I love that I can go online and learn more about how my kids, my husband, and I fit into each Smart.

[Jennifer Squire]

This type of content isn’t new to me, but it was fun to think about many kids I love while listening. A good refresher that often the thing most frustrating about a person is also what’s really great about them. Interesting to think about these types of “smarts” independent of gender or brain development as the book didn’t address either of those categories.

[Graydon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a game changer for parenting! This describes eight types of intelligences that are broader than typical understanding of being “smart.” After reading this, I feel empowered to creatively steward and disciple my children with their unique intelligence and strengths!

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative and helpful read, highly recommend for parents and educators alike!

[Abi Sasscer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book weather they’re a parent or not. You’ll learn so much!

[Justin Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book is enjoyable and easy to read, three stars might be too generous.
The best way to categorize it is to call it pseudo-science. A genre that was popular 100 years ago (such as Elsie and Ralph Benedict's "How to Analyze People on Sight" for example) this book sounds to be a legitimate scientific study. However, it neither makes such a claim, nor provides scientific evidence. These kinds of books are often fun to read, but the reader should be aware that the author's sources are opinion and conjecture, rather than scientific or religious studies.
Another knock on this work is that the author could have put more effort into it. Instead of going out and doing research and interviews, most of the examples given are autobiographical.
Finally, this work is written at a low reading level, and repeats itself on many occasions. It is easy to read but offers no literary stimulation.

[Abbey Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the concept of this book - that we each have smarts that are stronger and those that are weaker, and that we can parent our children better when we understand how God made them. I heard an interview with Kathy on a podcast and learned a lot. Unfortunately, I don't feel like I learned much more in the actual book.

It's a good book, but I feel like I already know my kids well enough that this didn't give me any great insight. There seemed to be some repetitive information, and it didn't all flow together. I also did not enjoy her particular writing style.

Overall, I think it would be good for parents and anyone who works with kids to read this book, but go in knowing that it may not be full of revolutionary wisdom for you.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great smarts! I struggle noticing strengths if they aren’t the classic book smarts or people smarts... so this was a good eye opening book to help me recognize my kids strengths. And I’ve been speaking them to my kids so that they know they are smart in different ways. Some people may find this book totally enlightening, but I found it more of a complementary book along with Mindset - you have smarts (talent) in certain areas but you can develop them through experience and exposure to others. I really liked it!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't mind if a religious author inserts a bit of religion into a parenting book, but this was way over the top religious. (Christian) It is really a Christian book disguised as a parenting book.

An example is this book will describe an intelligence and then discuss how that intelligence can be used to glorify God or to lead away from God. And there is TONS more Christian stuff than that, endlessly. I got pretty tired of it.

I just barely give this two stars.

[Cacey Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powered through this book on audiobook. Definitely worth the read! It takes a look at 8 different types of intelligence. The things I really liked about it is that she talks about which ones are valued by our current educational system and which ones are not as well as some pitfalls/shortcomings different intelligences can have. I’m putting this on my read again in a few years list when my kids are older and hopefully have a couple more.

[Tegan V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really neat way to think about the different giftings God has given us and our kids. I love her practical applications to parenting kids in their smarts, teaching kids in their smarts, and the prideful tendencies that could come out of their smarts.

[Emily Grullon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book gave me so much insight into my kids, my husband, and even myself!! I am so glad I have reference now into how we all are smart and why we do the things we do! The checklist that goes with it is super helpful as well!! =)

[Toniann Churches · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kathy Koch's writings. This book was fantastic. As a homeschool mom of two very different children, this gave me good insight, clear vocabulary, and tons of applications for teaching and nurturing my kiddos well, and understanding myself better.

[Seth Atwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas and material but the writing was not the most engaging.

[Krista Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read--very helpful information to consider, especially when working with kids and wanting to understand them better!

[Ammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful refresher and an enjoyable look at how God has made each of smart in our own way according to His will and glory.

[Holly Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to help understand what your strengths are and others as well. Ive gained a lot of insight about myself as well as why others are harder for me to get along with.

[Victoria Keyser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helpful parenting book, especially if you have kiddos who don't think just like you and you want to be able to understand them and encourage them better, both in school and in life. I'm eager to check out the homeschooling version of this book. Definitely one I want to own a physical copy of so I can reference it again.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very simple overview of the 8 smarts but incredibly helpful as a teacher.

[Amy Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as a prerequisite for “8 Great Smarts for Homeschool”. There is a lot here that I think will be helpful for education methods for different kids, and I appreciated how advice was hedged by biblical principles. I don’t think the framework of the smarts should be used beyond education, or that they should be among the primary principles of education

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enlightening read! And so simple as well. I really appreciated her explaining the different smarts as they relate more to learning styles and more than just being an extrovert or introvert. Fascinating! Highly recommend for anyone to read but especially if you have school aged kiddos.

[Deb Carver · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much goodness in this book. I did the online questions for one of my children and was disappointed when he didn’t come back strong in any one area. In reading the book though I can completely see where his smarts lie, as well as my other three. Will need to reference back for each child how yo nurture their smarts and let them know how they are smart. A great read for any parent.

[Kelsey Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you have kids or are married, YOU NEED TO READ THIS!!! it’s SO GOOD. it opened my eyes to the intelligences and needs of the people i’m closest to and myself and how they can be nurtured and loved well. i will come back as we enter new seasons of parenting to honor and love well.

[Tatum Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I completely disregarded everything ‘God’ related in this book, and just took away the easy-to-digest information/POV put forth. Very interesting and insightful.

[Ali Vbeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Positives
1. I walk away from reading teeming with ideas for teaching or homeschooling. Each chapter suggests learning methods that pair traditional academic requirements (like math) with a child’s bent(s).
2. The book doesn’t attempt to put people in a box like some personality categories do. Instead it says we all have all the smarts, but some are more natural to one person than others.
3. The idea of “smarts” encourages adults to promote kids’ natural character bents over rejecting the ones we don’t understand as “weaknesses.” In other words, it helps the reader understand and appreciate people different from himself.

Negatives

1. The book really isn’t science-based…at all. Aside from a study mentioned in the intro chapters, nothing is cited. As my friend would say, it’s “snackademic.” That doesn’t mean there’s no truth to be gleaned, but I’m afraid it poses as an academic book without a single reliable source.

As an example, Koch contrasts “kinesthetic learners” with “body smart” people (see Body Smart chapter). She also frequently refers to auditory and visual learners. For one, the idea of “auditory versus visual versus kinesthetic learning” has been largely debunked in psychology. Two, she doesn’t cite a single thing…it feels like she’s making up the difference between the two (she says kinesthetic learners remember their movements but body smart kids learn with their bodies.) It’s either just an idea that came from her head and assumptions, or it really is out there in science and she plagiarized it. But I’m betting on the former.

2. Almost all examples are about either the author or someone she knows. Why not a famous successful name as an example? Or a study that demonstrates the benefit of a particular “smart?”

3. Simplicity. Koch claims from the get-go that she is “word smart,” yet she doesn’t seem to use her gifting in the book’s prose. The book reads like a seminar with unprofessional interjections and exclamations. At the beginning she lists the science-y names for the smarts then says she’s going to dumb down those names. From then on I felt like I was being talked down to. Granted, Koch is accustomed to teaching these concepts to children, who would probably appreciate the small words.


Summary: this book wasn’t a waste of my time. I came away with brainstorms, an increased self-understanding, and a better understanding of my daughter. The negatives don’t mean that the idea of 8 smarts is wrong or unhelpful, it just isn’t strictly scientific and yet poses as fact. I’d categorize the concept with Meyers-Briggs testing—it’s not from scientific study, but it can be a tool to understand ourselves and others.

[Alli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure I attribute 5 stars to this book because it is a fitting word for my current season of life. With 4 young kids, all with different personalities, I was seeking guidance and a way into understanding their hearts. And along came 8 Great Smarts!

I wouldn't call the writing eloquent, but the content is incredibly intriguing and significant. I gained new insights into how my kids, my husband, my closest friends and even I function. I love that Koch explains each smart and then gives her audience layers upon layers of ideas to sympathize, work with, and nurture each intelligence.

I found this book pragmatic and tremendously encouraging. I'm excited to incorporate some of these ideas in our every day life. There may be parents out there who think all this stuff is basic; I would say that their parents probably provided them a wide range of experiences. For me, it was eye-opening.

[Kristina Aziz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that you're going to want in your Parent's Survival Kit. It's a book you want to give at a baby shower, or at an adoption party. It is Christian-based, but if you have any qualms about that take a sharpie and hide the word 'God' if you need to, because the actual information in this book is valuable for everyone.

Doctor Koch reviews different types of intelligences, named 'smarts' in her running theme of making the language in this book easy to understand and process. We already know every pregnancy, labor, child is different. If you get three mothers in a room you'll inevitably hear 'every child is different' drawled out like they're at a mother's anonymous meeting within an hour. This book goes a step further and lays out some points to bring up and help your child if they have one or more or a mixture of different smarts and are bummed out, maybe, by being different.

When I was growing up, different wasn't necessarily good. To put it in terms of this book, I was Word smart but not really Logic or People smart. Everyone else, it seemed, were Logic and People smart people. Bringing up a child's strengths may help them out because I didn't realize until High School that no one could read a book quite like I could and even less people wrote books for fun.

If you're not sure, pick it up from a library. But you'll probably end up buying it.

[Christie Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a parent or work with children, you MUST read this book! It has helped me to not only understand my own children but also their friends and other youth in my life. For that matter, this book will help you understand ALL people better.
There were times during reading it that I wanted to cry because I saw one of my children in a description and read about how their God given abilities are paralyzed by the way we react to them. It broke my heart to read that I have done and said some of those things. I wish I had read this book years ago. There is nothing I can do about the past but now that I have read this, I can change how I deal with them in the future.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good.
I’ve always had the goal of letting my kids be who they are; introvert, extrovert, kooky, quiet, whatever! And I still wholeheartedly want that, but this book really made me think. Have I stopped letting them be as free as they can be as they’ve grown older? Or have I let some of their uniqueness fall by the wayside, while pressure to raise good humans has made me focus a little more than I should on the ‘school’ smarts?
In a way it’s convicting. At the same time, it’s a good reminder to ensure that if I have been doing that I need to stop it! Bc my goal hasn’t changed; sometimes it’s just good to get a refresher and reminder!

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish the blurbs for this book had pointed out the "faith based" writing style/belief system of the author. It was distracting to me when I was trying to follow the explanations of the different intelligences. I found myself skipping whole passages in every chapter about how my child could use her "smarts" for serving the church and how the author had used her "smarts" to build up her business. This book has a much narrower audience than its cover blurbs suggest. I will turn to material by Dr. Howard Gardner who developed the theory of multiple intelligences originally instead.