What is intelligence?

Intelligence means different thing to different people. After learning about the different theories on intelligence I have a greater grasp of what it means to me. Intelligence is the ability to gather knowledge from various sources and experiences and use that knowledge to improve your life and the lives of those around you. Intelligence is something that can be strengthened or grown. It can be decreased as well. If you gain knowledge and never use that knowledge that it is not intelligence. You must be able to use the knowledge to improve your life in some way.
 Intelligence is not just academic knowledge either. Some of the most intelligent people I know are not academics. They work in trades and have learned various skills and have knowledge that I do not have the desire to have. They never graduated from a 4 year university. They attended trade schools, community college, they received training in the military and through apprenticeships and they are the first people I call when I have a problem. 
You can gain knowledge through life experiences. This knowledge can be vital and life changing. I learned a great deal about compassion, empathy, and what I wanted out of life from living with a mother that was addicted to alcohol and drugs. Being homeless and never knowing what would come next taught me gratitude and what to avoid as I grew older. I learned the importance of boundaries and speaking up as a survivor of sexual abuse. All of these types of knowledge are important and must be recognized.
 By recognizing and validating these types of knowledge our students will feel a sense of acceptance and belonging that they will not have if only academic knowledge is validated. I hope to show my students how important the different kinds of knowledge are. That while math skills are important to understand or know, that it is more important to surround yourself with people that excel at the knowledge that you struggle with. That true intelligence lies in knowing how to ask for help and who the best person to ask for that help.