A Note About Those Idealistic and Compassionate Students

This is part of a series of using Myers Briggs personality types in the classroom. For more information, click here. For information on how to figure out your student’s MBTI type, click here. 

You are 15 minutes into a math lesson on adding two-digit numbers and you start randomly calling on students to answer questions because you feel like generally, the class is understanding the concept. Calling random students is a tool for you to grasp where everyone is as a whole, as well as individually, and direct your teaching from there. 

“Sarah, what two numbers do we add first?”

Sarah looks at you with panic in her eyes, frantically searching the room for a way out. Tears are welling up, she can feel the lump in her throat as she tries to ignore her body’s initial reaction in order to answer the question without laughter from peers. 

“Um… The 2 and the 4?” Sarah says in a quiet voice, hoping no one can hear the fear in her voice. 

“Correct, Sarah!” 

The lesson moves on. 

Sarah, in this case, is an INFP. When interviewing 5 different people with the INFP personality type, I found that all 5 individuals had the same answer in their learning style- Do not call on us randomly in class. One even went as far as to say, “I will end up resenting you as a teacher for calling me out and making me answer in class without fair warning.”  Let’s take a deeper look into the INFP personality type. 

Introverted
I(N)tuition   
Feeling 
Perceiver 

INFP students do not work well under stress like some other may. They thrive in situations where they can take time to absorb as much information as possible in the way they choose. You most often will not find them studying for a test the night before and cramming in all of the last-minute information that they can because they will be studying for the test starting the day the material is presented.  

INFPs are introverted. They do not strive in group work, they will do best in individual studying, usually being creative in their own form, or reading the material from a book. Not only will the interaction with others overwhelm them, but they can feel limited in group work by not using their creative side as freely as possible. 

These students will be the ones who grow up to become teachers, counselors, musicians, or artists. They base so much of their daily lives on their feelings and emotions, making careers as doctors or nurses is almost impossible because of their emotional involvement in their work. They would become too attached and be devastated if and when something goes wrong. 

To best help INFP students, remember that it may be best to present information and step back. Often as teachers, we want to sit with kids and help them until they understand it fully. However, they will most likely gain a better idea of the concept if left on their own to take it in. 

Watch out for them during group work. If it seems to be stressing them out too much or if they are not thriving, give them additional, specific-to-them tasks to help them use their creativity and individualistic traits. Remember that they need breaks from others often to recharge. 

If an INFP student seems like they are not paying attention or looking up directly at the information you are presenting, it may be that the student is needing time to reflect and take in all the information, and looking up can cause more sensory than they can handle while learning a new concept. Check-in on them, but do not force them to be more actively involved, it could hinder their learning. 

INFPs are great students who love to give help where available. They can be excellent students to call on in time of need when notes need to be run to the office, peers need tutoring, or papers need filing. If they see that their work is noteworthy and useful, they will continue to give great assistance. 

Do you teach any INFP students? What tips would you add? 

Why I Believe MBTI Can Make You a More Effective Teacher

I mentioned in my post about my blogging schedule that I had the hope for my plan to be fluid, changing where and when needed. Three weeks in and I am already changing what I want to write about. I started writing about educational research, which I find incredibly interesting and worth looking into. 

However, while creating these posts, I found I was losing myself as a writer. What I was putting on the page was not personal enough for me, it felt as though I was writing a research paper for my English 1010 class, a class I passed years ago and do not feel inclined to repeat. I knew something needed to change, not many readers are inclined to enjoy blog posts that mimic research papers. I spent a few days reflecting on topics I am passionate about that could also be easy to write about, and finally came to a solid conclusion. 

I have always found Myers Briggs personality types intriguing and helpful information to understand those you come in contact with every day. In my teaching experience, I found it especially helpful to know how the student learns and interacts with others by knowing their Myers Briggs type indicator (MBTI). 

This is all information I want to share with you because I believe you will see the benefits as much and I have. Later in a different post, I will discuss how to identify someone’s MBTI, then I will break down all 16 personality types, highlighting their various aspects and how to connect with these students to teach on their level, or even just to know them on a more personal level. 

In my own experience, knowing someone’s MBTI can be so powerful in understanding their actions. I had a roommate in college who was very energetic, curious, and social. She had such a fun, bubbly personality, but at the same time was constantly stressed and anxious over small situations. She had a hard time focusing on certain tasks and let emotions run her life. While I enjoyed my friendship with her, these aspects of her personality I struggled with knowing how to handle. 

Once I figured out her MBTI and researched it a little more, everything started making more sense. Understanding this newly-found information on her did not change the fact that she was emotional or anxious at times, but it did help me understand it was who she was, and I needed to accept this. Also researching her personality type helped me see more of the positive aspects she brought to this world. 

She had a special talent to communicate with more reserved people, letting them open up to her and share about their personal lives. She was also very open-minded and accepting of every human she came in contact with. These were both qualities I admired in her but did not really see in her until I read more about her MBTI. 

Having this tool for each and every student in your classroom can be so powerful to see their strengths and weaknesses, finding others they can connect so well with, and those they may clash with. Once you find out more about their personality types, I am willing to bet you will learn information about them that may surprise you.

“When teachers and students understand the differences in their teaching and learning styles, communication, and therefore learning, is enhanced. A student’s interests and ways of learning directly affect how he or she takes in information. This calls on educators to consider different teaching approaches, based on the needs of students.”

The Myers & Briggs Foundation

Stay tuned for my upcoming posts on how to identify MBTIs, as well as how to analyze and use them. Buckle up, it’s going to be exciting! 

If you would like to take the MBTI test or research further into the 16 different personality types, you can do that here.

What is your MBTI? Have you found understanding someone’s personality type can help you understand them? What is your best tool for identifying someone’s MBTI? 

What’s The Difference Between Teaching And Learning? #TeacherMom

Have you ever asked your kids the difference? Can they distinguish one from the other?

I tried asking one of my kids, who responded, “Teaching is when a person who knows everything teaching other people what they know. Learning is people listening to the person teaching.”

That answer made me wonder: how might we help our children and students see teachers as learners every bit as themselves? How might we let go of the idea of the teacher of the main know-er of things in our classrooms? What are the benefits of children making these kinds of shifts in perspective?

Perhaps we might…

…share our (authentic) personal learning journeys with our students.

…ask students to help plan the learning that happens.

…ask students to help lead workshops on the concepts they are learning about.

…minimize “secret teacher business” by demystifying planning and letting students in on curricula (think “I can” statements that students revisit throughout the year).

What do you think? What kinds of values do you see in helping students compare and contrast teaching and learning?

featured image: DeathToTheStockPhoto

Inquiry into Scale & Perspective

Being more spatially-challenged in general, I always had trouble as a child comprehending concepts like mirror images, rotations, and geometry nets.

Fortunately, as a grew older, I learned that these are all just facets of broader concepts of scale and perspective. I’ve also benefited by recognizing their applications beyond mathematics–from art to city planning to interpersonal relationships.

So this week consists of a provocation to help our young learners begin with the big picture of scale and perspective, hopefully encouraging them to draw their own connections and conclusions.

The first is a fascinating video that lays out the entire history of the earth on a football field.

The second is a photo series by artist Matthew Albanese. He creates stunningly realistic landscapes using forced perspective, using materials from nutmeg to steel wool to fake fog. Head over to his site to view the collection of images, along with the incredible behind-the-scenes images and information on his process. 

Provocation Questions:

  • How do people use scale and perspective to help us see “the big picture?”
  • How does technology allow us new possibilities to show scale and perspective?
  • How do scale and perspective change the way we see the world?
  • What is our responsibility to use perspective in our lives?
  • How are scale and perspective connected?
  • How does perspective help us understand other people?
  • How does scale help us understand the world?

featured image: DeathToTheStockPhoto