Monte, a Music Smart Kind-a-Kid

Hi! I'm Monte. Some people would call me a music-smart kind of kid. As you read this book, you will see how I sometimes struggle, but also get excited when I learn new stuff! As a music-smart kid, I learn best when I hear music, sounds, rhythms, and such. But, sometimes I struggle and have a hard time paying attention when I have to learn stuff in other ways. You will see how I am smart in my own way, just as you probably are in yours. Did you know that there are lots of other ways to be smart? You can be number-smart, word-smart, picture-smart, body-smart, people-smart, nature-smart, and more. You might even be lots of these at the same time. Hope you like reading about me!

Dale Jonathan Miller holds a PhD from Virginia Tech in Educational Psychology and is the author of this, his first children's book, "Monte, A Music Smart Kind-a- Kid."

Education has adjusted from a system that solely measured intelligence and success to one one's math and/or verbal/linguistic skills. Other skills that individuals possessed were generally identified as "talents" and not considered indicators of one's smartness or intellectual abilities. This book allows young readers to make a connection with the main character that has the same type of processing ability in which they also possess.

The audience of this book are young readers. The book capstones the musical rhythmic intelligence from Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory with an animal character possessing that as their dominating processing ability. The book depicts the day in the life of the main character Monte, a lemur, allowing young readers with the same type of processing ability make a connection with Monte. The reader will experience what it's like for Monte to go through his day with musical/rhythmic as his dominating processing ability; unveiling strengths and weaknesses associated with the Musical/Rhythmic type. This will bring to light that they too are smart in their own way!!!

The author has over 30 years of experience in the education field: high school teacher in Eldred, NY, associate professor at Old Dominion University, advisor to graduate level master's degree candidates, instructor, teacher-trainer/staff developer, and course designer at Gratz College, La Salle University and The College of New Jersey. He has done extensive staff development in the areas of the Multiple Intelligences, Integrating the Curriculum, Personality Type in the Classroom and Teacher Action Research in school districts throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and beyond.