Intellectual Strengths

Intellectual strengths are defined as, “…assets in our lives that give us the capacity to acquire, process, and understand information” (Millard 142). Everyone has different styles of learning and different types environments that they work best in. There are three main learning styles: kinesthetic, auditory, and visual. Based on what learning capacity you work best in, you can alter the way you study or the environment that you are working in. Personally, I consider myself to be a visual and auditory learner. However, the assessments I took, like the “Intellectual Strengths Mirror,” indicated that I am more of visual learner than an auditory learner. I would say that I am visual because I often have to see things drawn out to comprehend what …show more content…
I love when the room is bright; it allows me to feel like I can see clearly. Also, when a room is warmer, comfortable, and free of people I can stay very focused. The negative aspect of liking warmth, comfort and solitude is that I occasionally fall asleep when trying to do homework. I am not very motivated to get assignments done, but I do eventually finish them before they are due. For example, I tend to not begin writing papers until two days before they are due. I also do assignments with variety and impulsively; I just jump in on what I am supposed to be doing and learn as I …show more content…
Bill Millard describes three different intellectual disciplines: discovery, process, and application. Discovery is having curiosity, a teachable spirit, and persistence. I am curious and want to gain knowledge, and I also am very teachable. I do struggle in being persistent in discovery. I need to not give up when things become too difficult. For example, I often quit trying a math problem if I cannot figure it out after a few attempts. Next, Millard divides process into integrity, critical thinking, and patience. I struggle with every area of process. I often just want the conclusion to come simply; I do not like thinking too hard about something. Finally Millard describes application as having courage, systematic thinking, and advancement. I am very good at applying concepts I have learned. For example, I could connect ideas in AP Biology and relate them to the real world by thinking through the ideas to understand them. Together, these three discipline areas consist of humility. Humility is having a modest view of intellectual strengths in the area of acquiring, processing, and applying knowledge. With humility, I often am willing to learn new things and I understand that I am in no way fully developed in any of these areas (Millard