TEMPERAMENT AND TEACHING

1. TEMPERAMENT AND TEACHING How we decide, how we live, how we structure our lives, and where we get our energy

2. Temperament: • Is one way to answer the question: why am I this way? • Gives us a clue as to how we work together. • Gives us clues regarding how we teach. • Gives us clues regarding how our students learn, and interact with us.

3. Where did it come from? • Methods used to answer why: • Ancients: humors • Phlegmatic, sanguine, choleric, melancholy • Freud: sex • Jung: secondary needs • Ericson: self-actualization • Myers & Briggs: four domains

4. Isabel Briggs Myers & Catherine Briggs • Studied psychology • Noted differences in individuals • Originated four domains of difference: • Energizing • Approaching the world • Making decisions • Organizing life

5. The Domains: • Energizing: Extravert or Introvert • Approaching (interpreting) the world:Sensor or iNtuitor • Making decisions: Thinker or Feeler • Organizing one’s life: Judger or Perceiver

6. Some Caveats • Discovering our temperament is not to have discovered the totality of ourselves.[e.g.MI, heredity, nurture, experiences, etc.] • Just because we are one type or another does not mean that we don’t possess our opposite. • If we know our “home base”, we can mentally prepare ourselves for various situations.

7. Sensors: What is actual, real Attention to detail Good witnesses Great at giving directions Bothered by the speculative Like to be thought of as practical Intuitors: What can be The bigger picture Lousy witness Don’t know where they are Love the speculative Like to be thought of as visionary Sensor or INtuitor?

8. Thinkers: Use logic Follow the rules Like to argue through sequential steps Have a sense of “what’s right” Want justice Feelers: Decide with their heart “Rules are made to be broken” Argue with feeling Have a sense of “what’s right” Want compassion Thinker or Feeler?

9. Judger: Wants closure Makes hasty decisions Abides by decisions Likes planning Follows through Perceiver: Wants to keep matters open Takes time to make decisions Likes planning, but won’t follow through Vitiates decisions, looks for something better Judger or Perceiver?

10. Extravert: Needs to “float” ideas for clarity Talks to think Self-revelatory Derives energy from people Comfortable among strangers Likes risks Introvert: Needs to consult him/herself Thinks to talk Shares opinions. Derives energy from within Uncomfortable among strangers Dislikes risks Extravert or Introvert?

11. Now, what?? • You have decided, based on the descriptions, what your four domains are. • Now, we will do the questionnaire and you will have 70 chances to determine your temperament.

12. Now, what is your temperament? If you are S: Go to your P or J If you are N: Go to your T or F Since the S and the N are the “engine” that drives the rest, they go to different places, and determine the “core” of your temperament.

13. What about the rest? The E or I designate how the “engine” operates and gets its energy, whether from without or from within.

14. The SJ Teacher (56%) • Likes order and routine • Believes in creating productive students • Runs a well-ordered classroom • Loves to teach rules, drills • Is loyal, steady, dependable

15. The NF Teacher (36%) • Loves harmony • Is uncomfortable with discord, disagreement • Uses group work • Curves test results • Bends rules • Wants to create students who get along

16. The NT Teacher (6%) • Assumes students want to learn • Prefers intelligent students • Wants to create scholars • Often misses the affective part • Favors a few students; ignores others • Creates challenges for students

17. The SP teacher (2%!) • Doesn’t stick around • Hates routine, schedule, rules • Is extremely creative • Wants to produce students who are creative • Lessons serendipitous • Ignores deadlines, record keeping • Uses alternative assessment

18. S needs N: To bring up possibilities To supply ingenuity To “read signs of the times” To have enthusiasm To be alert to new essentials N needs S: To bring up facts To apply experience to problems To notice what needs attention To face reality To read the “fine print” Mutuality of Types

19. F needs T: To analyze To organize To find flaws To hold consistency in policy or rules To stand firm against opposition T needs F: To persuade To conciliate To forecast how others will feel To arouse enthusiasm To appreciate the thinker Mutuality of Types

20. In a Nutshell…. I E

21. As Leaders:

22. Some Examples:

23. The SJ Student (38%) • Loves routine lessons • Rises to “drill and kill” • Dislikes any disruption in schedule, routine • Likes to memorize • Needs to know what lessons are leading to • Needs feedback • Serious, orderly

24. The NF student (12%) • Likes to be liked • Likes to work in cooperative groups • Brings solutions to disagreements • Wants to please • Likes stories • Wants recognition for him/herself as an individual • Hates sarcasm, cynicism

25. The NT student (12%) • Wants to know why • Examines rules; will follow those that make sense • May be overachievers • Need to know how well they are doing • Often lack empathic skills

26. The SP student (38%) • Is very active, likes to move around a lot • Likes active involvement • Dislikes routine, schedules, planning, long-range tasks • Likes the unexpected, good in a crisis • Tends to take an unusual approach

27. When we know ourselves…. ...We can know our students

28. And when we know our students…. …we can work smarter, not harder.

29. How can I use this knowledge? • Investigate the temperament of students; • Learn more about the temperament of colleagues; • Prepare myself for situations that run counter to my temperament; • Understand my teaching style; • Understand my dispositions.