WICS
Developed by:
R. J. Sternberg
Theoretical Underpinnings:
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence - Intelligence is more than IQ or a general factor, g. Intelligence is multi-faceted, and
composed three separate sets of skills and abilities:analytical, practical, and creative.
Brief description of the model and/or its philosophy:
WICS hopes to develop wisdom, intelligence, and creativity in students, as well as the ability to successfully
synthesize these elements in order to deal with the increasingly complex problems of the 21st century. As a model of giftedness,
WICS aims to create the gifted leaders of the future: the top people in their domain who must have a mixture of creativity,
analytical ability, practicality, and wisdom in order to generate, assess, and implement their ideas.
Key elements,components, and/or non-negotiables:
• Intelligence: Triarchic Intelligence, as well as “practical intelligence:” the skills and attitudes used tosolve everyday problems,
based on previous experiences and tacit knowledge.• Creativity: Sternberg’s “propulsion” theory of creativity describes the way
in which creative peopleinteract with their field, generating ideas/products that are relatively novel, high quality, and
appropriate to the task at hand.
• Wisdom: Sternberg’s “balance” theory of wisdom describes how wise individuals balance intra-personal,inter-personal, and
extra-personal interests over the short- and long-term, resulting in a decisionbenefitting the common good.
• Teaching for WICS requires teachers to balance instruction and assessment among analytical, creative,practical, and wisdom-
based options.
Intended applicationsfor the model (enrichment, pull-out, whole school,classroom, etc.):
• Gifted Model - Broader, more inclusive concept, moving beyond grades, IQ, and analytical ability. Multiple measures used for
identification including application forms, interviews, letters of recommendation, and new assessments of creative and
practical intelligence.
• Curriculum and Instruction - Used to develop successful intelligence, creativity, and wisdom in allstudents by balancing the
original Triarchy, plus wisdom.
Intended Audiences:
Broadened identification procedures have mostly been used at the university level. Applicable as an instructional approach to
teaching any grade, and any subject.
Relative strength and weaknesses:
• Strengths - Easy implementation as an instructional approach. Broadens definitions of giftedness and intelligence. Instructional
model raises achievement. Identification assessments of creative and practical intelligence have been developed and tested at
the university level, and initial testing recently done with elementary students.
• Weaknesses - Highly theoretical as a model of giftedness. Would require a great deal of local discussion to operationalize
definitions, measurements, cut-offs, delivery, programming. Has not been researched/tested outside of Sternberg & co. Waivers
between gifted/general model.
Resources required:
• Sternberg, Jarvin, & Grigorenko. Teaching for wisdom, intelligence, creativity, and success. While notrequired, this book
provides more detail about implementing WICS in the classroom instructionally.
R. J. Sternberg
Theoretical Underpinnings:
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence - Intelligence is more than IQ or a general factor, g. Intelligence is multi-faceted, and
composed three separate sets of skills and abilities:analytical, practical, and creative.
Brief description of the model and/or its philosophy:
WICS hopes to develop wisdom, intelligence, and creativity in students, as well as the ability to successfully
synthesize these elements in order to deal with the increasingly complex problems of the 21st century. As a model of giftedness,
WICS aims to create the gifted leaders of the future: the top people in their domain who must have a mixture of creativity,
analytical ability, practicality, and wisdom in order to generate, assess, and implement their ideas.
Key elements,components, and/or non-negotiables:
• Intelligence: Triarchic Intelligence, as well as “practical intelligence:” the skills and attitudes used tosolve everyday problems,
based on previous experiences and tacit knowledge.• Creativity: Sternberg’s “propulsion” theory of creativity describes the way
in which creative peopleinteract with their field, generating ideas/products that are relatively novel, high quality, and
appropriate to the task at hand.
• Wisdom: Sternberg’s “balance” theory of wisdom describes how wise individuals balance intra-personal,inter-personal, and
extra-personal interests over the short- and long-term, resulting in a decisionbenefitting the common good.
• Teaching for WICS requires teachers to balance instruction and assessment among analytical, creative,practical, and wisdom-
based options.
Intended applicationsfor the model (enrichment, pull-out, whole school,classroom, etc.):
• Gifted Model - Broader, more inclusive concept, moving beyond grades, IQ, and analytical ability. Multiple measures used for
identification including application forms, interviews, letters of recommendation, and new assessments of creative and
practical intelligence.
• Curriculum and Instruction - Used to develop successful intelligence, creativity, and wisdom in allstudents by balancing the
original Triarchy, plus wisdom.
Intended Audiences:
Broadened identification procedures have mostly been used at the university level. Applicable as an instructional approach to
teaching any grade, and any subject.
Relative strength and weaknesses:
• Strengths - Easy implementation as an instructional approach. Broadens definitions of giftedness and intelligence. Instructional
model raises achievement. Identification assessments of creative and practical intelligence have been developed and tested at
the university level, and initial testing recently done with elementary students.
• Weaknesses - Highly theoretical as a model of giftedness. Would require a great deal of local discussion to operationalize
definitions, measurements, cut-offs, delivery, programming. Has not been researched/tested outside of Sternberg & co. Waivers
between gifted/general model.
Resources required:
• Sternberg, Jarvin, & Grigorenko. Teaching for wisdom, intelligence, creativity, and success. While notrequired, this book
provides more detail about implementing WICS in the classroom instructionally.