Characteristics of Intelligent Behavior

1. Characteristics of Intelligent
Behaviors
Christina Bailey

2. Intelligent Behavior
Intelligent behavior is a characteristic that all
teachers should model, teach, and observe
developing in students

3. Drawing on Knowledge and Applying it
•Students should be drawing on knowledge and
then applying it to new situations
•Teachers aim to prepare students for the real
world in their classroom
•Students should apply school-learned knowledge
to real-life situations
•Students should develop skills on how to use past
knowledge and apply that knowledge to new
situations
•Students must practice problem recognition,
problem solving, and project-based learning

4. Example and Support
•Example of characteristic:
–problem recognition, problem solving, and project-
based learning
•How to support this characteristic in your
classroom:
–Using problem recognition in Language Arts if the
character in counters a problem in the story (have
students identify the problem)
–Problem solving in Math
–Project-based learning in areas of Language Arts,
History, Science, or Math (all subjects can be used for
project-based learning)

5. Finding Humor
•Humor releases creativity and provides high-level
thinking skills
•Anticipation and visual imagery are formed
•Having a sense of humor follows a
developmental sequence similar to what Piaget
and Kohlberg used
•Initially, young children and immature
adolescents find humor in wrong things such as
racial humor or profane riddles
•Creative young people succeed on finding humor
when problem solving.

6. Example and Support
•Example of characteristic:
–Using jokes or riddles in Language Arts
–Reading comical stories
–Making up your own word problems in Math
•How to support this characteristic in your classroom:
–Pick out books for students to read that you know are
entertaining
–Use volunteered students names in Math word problems
–Use jokes for editing punctuation (after you incorporate
errors into it)

7. Creating, Imagining, and
Innovating
•All students must be encouraged to learn
•Students should be discouraged from saying “I can’t”
•Students must be encouraged to not rely on outside
sources
•Teachers must offer constructive criticism in a way
that the student understands the criticism (and doesn’t
take the criticism as how they view themselves)
•Students must learn to value feedback
•Students must learn to value their intuition and realize
they are capable of learning anything

8. Example and Support
•Example of characteristic:
–Incorporate assignments that value self expression
–Use open ended questions where all answers are valued
–Use encouraging remarks
•How to support this characteristic in your classroom:
–Give writing assignments that let the student express their
personality and values
–Use open ended questions where there is no wrong
answer
–When a student is wrong, instead of saying “no” point out
something they said right or thank them for trying

9. Listening with Understanding and
Empathy
•Psychologists believe that listening to others,
empathizing others, and understanding points of view
is one of the highest forms of intelligent behavior
•Empathic behavior is nearly the exact opposite of
egoism (this is an important skill for conflict resolution)
•Listening and understanding thinking is used in class
meetings, brainstorming sessions, think tanks, town
meetings, advisory councils, board meetings, and
legislative bodies
•Sharing thinking, exploring ideas, and broadening
perspectives is done by listening to ideas and reactions
of others

10. Example and Support
•Example of characteristic:
–Using think tanks
–Incorporating class meetings into the classroom
–Brainstorming sessions
•How to support this characteristic in your classroom:
–Using think tanks for Math for students to refer back to
throughout lesson
–Performing class meetings for students to share their
opinions and ideas
–Reminding students of how this will be valued in the
future for board meetings, town meetings, etc.

11. Managing Impulsivity
•Students start out in school without impulsive control
•Impulsive control is to develop an act of thinking before
doing
•Impulsive behavior can make conflict worse
•It can affect problem solving
•Students can be taught to think before shouting out an
answer, wait their turn, raise their hands to be called on
before answering, and think before beginning a project or
task and before coming to a conclusion without the right
evidence
•Research clearly indicates that the quality of one’s
emotional intelligence is a significant prediction of success
in the workplace

12. Example and Support
•Example of characteristic:
–Waiting a turn in line
–Raising hands
–Taking time to think before answering
–Not acting out when a student accuses another student of something
•How to support this characteristic in your classroom:
–Routinely expect a show of student hands before acknowledging a
response to the question
–Do not encourage shouting out (ignore that student)
–Encouraging positive reactions (for example, if a student accuses
another student of something and the student doesn’t act out,
compliment that student for thinking before acting)
–Show disapproval if a student continues to act out and not use their
thinking skills before acting

13. Remaining Open to Continuous Learning
•Intelligent people are always learning
•Always take in new information
•Do not be firm in sticking to what you know and
follow
•Take in new ideas from everyone if it is offered
•Be eager to learn and find new ways.

14. Example and Support
•Example of characteristic:
–Taking in others ideas
–Finding new ideas on your own
–Not being afraid to try something that your not used
to (take responsible risks)
•How to support this characteristic in your
classroom:
–Try out other peoples ideas
–Attend workshops and use what you have learned in
your classroom
–Trying out other teachers techniques

15. Remember…
As a teacher, you want to strive for accuracy and
take responsible risks
Be a good model for your students!

16. References
•EBOOK COLLECTION: Ch. 3 of Secondary
School Teaching.