For better or for worse, both quizzes were based off of two personality type tests. The learning style test was based off of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which I first learned about during my senior year of high school when a friend introduced me to it. In case you do not know about MBTI, it categorizes people into one of 16 personality types. Each personality type consists of four dichotomies: Extraversion/Introversion (how we derive our energy), Sensing/iNtuition - the N is capitalized (how we take in information), Thinking/Feeling (how we make decisions), and Judging/Perceiving (how we approach the world around us). There are tests online to find out your type, if you are interested.
I am typed as an INFJ. As an introvert, I love my alone time and working independently. This is why I come into work before 6:00 AM; I need that quiet alone time to reflect and plan my day. If I came into work when it is noisy and full of people, I would feel stressed and get scatterbrained (in the case of the latter, even more so than I usually am!). Since teachers are paid to interact with people, it is easy to label us as extroverts, but many teachers are introverts. Does teaching sap me of my social energy? Absolutely! During my planning period, I need some time to recharge: to check my phone, scroll through social media, surf the web, write on this blog. On the other hand, teaching is great for me as an introvert because my classroom is all my own. My team and I all cooperate, plan, and support one another, but my classroom reflects my personality and style. I am grateful to have autonomy in my classroom and simultaneously the support of my team. Indeed it is the best of both worlds.
Although MBTI is not taken seriously in modern psychology, I must admit that my discovery of it at the age of 17 was life-changing. For the first time in my life, I learned what introversion was and that it was totally normal that I was private, did not talk much, and preferred my own company. Before that, I was made to feel like there was something wrong with me. School told me to be more involved in extracurricular activities and participate more in class. Thanks to social media, introversion is finally getting some spotlight (ironic?) and the respect that it deserves, but we still have a long way to go.
Back to teaching and learning styles, of course I got typed as a Self-Expressive Learner, fitting for NF types. This test identifies learners as one of four objects: a paper clip, a Slinky, a teddy bear, or a magnifying glass. Paper clips love organization, structure, and productivity. Slinkies love creativity and autonomy. Teddy bears love community and emotional affirmation. Magnifying glasses love inquiry and analysis. In my special ed class in grad school, we had to self-identify as one of these. I identified firstly as a magnifying glass, with a touch of a Slinky. Today I found out, however, that Self-Expressive Learners are Slinkies. Self-Expressive Learners are described as:
Curious, insightful, and imaginative. Intuitive Feelers are the ones who dare to dream, are committed to their values, are open to alternatives, and are constantly searching for new and unusual ways to express themselves.
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| I better not hear the "Some people are like Slinkies" joke. |
So much in that short statement captures what I love about studying language: seeing the world from another culture's perspective (open to alternatives) and self-expression through the active use of the target language (searching for new and unusual ways to express themselves).
Self-Expressive Learners' approach to learning:
Intuitive-Feeling students approach learning eager to explore ideas, generate new solutions to problems, and discuss moral dilemmas. Their interests are varied and unpredictable, but they prefer activities which allow them to use their imaginations and do things in unique ways. They are turned off by routine or rote assignments and prefer questions which are open ended, such as "What would happen if...?"
Intuitive Feelers are highly motivated by their own interests. Things of interest will be done inventively well. Things which they do not like may be done poorly or forgotten altogether. When engaged in a project which intrigues them, time is meaningless. Intuitive Feelers operate by an "internal clock" and, therefore, often feel constrained or frustrated by external rules or schedules.
Intuitive Feelers are independent and noncomformist. They do not fear being different and are usually aware of their own and others' impulses. They are open to the irrational and not confined by convention. They are sensitive to beauty and symmetry and will comment on the aesthetic characteristics of things.
Intuitive Feelers prefer not to follow step-by-step procedures but rather move where their intuition takes them. They prefer to find their own solutions rather than being told what to do or how to do it. They are able to take intuitive leaps, and they trust their own insights. Intuitive Feelers often take circuitous routes to solving problems and may not be able to explain how they arrived at the answer.
Highly adaptable to new solutions, Intuitive Feelers are flexible in thought and action. They prefer dynamic environments with many resources and materials. Intuitive Feelers, more than any other type, are less likely to be disturbed by changes in routine. They are comfortable working with a minimum of directions. Their work is sometimes scattered and may look chaotic to thinking types. Intuitive Feeling learners are often engaged in a number of activities at the same time and move from one to the other according to where their interests take them. Often, they start more projects than they can finish.
To little surprise, I was also typed as a Self-Expressive Teacher:
Self-Expressive (NF) Teachers are innovation-oriented. The teacher encourages students to explore their creative abilities. Insights and original ideas are highly valued. Discussions revolve around generating possibilities and new relationships. The classroom environment is often full of creative clutter. The teacher encourages students to develop their own unique styles. The curriculum emphasizes creative thinking, moral development, values, and flexible, imaginative approaches to learning. Curiosity, insight, and artistic self-expression are welcomed.
How does this look in my classroom and beyond?
This blog is a great example. The appearance is upbeat, quirky, and colorful like me. The name combines my professional and personal interests for the sake of authenticity. The field of the Classics itself is a personal interest that later became my profession. On this blog, I will write about anything that relates to the teaching of Latin and of ancient and medieval civilization in general. Unlike many professional blogs, I cannot limit myself to one theme or area of expertise. If readers would prefer something more focused, then they should look elsewhere.
Teaching with CI suits my Self-Expressive teaching style well. Traditional Latin teaching often discourages students from taking ownership of the language and using it for self-expression and creative purposes. As a student, I did not really find any creative outlet in my Latin classes until I had prose composition. My students, on the other hand, get creative when they do timed writes, draw, act out our stories, and write their own mini-stories in Latin. I love when my students ask, "How do you say this in Latin?!" CI teaching must have the three Cs: comprehensible (Do my students understand the input in the target language?), compelling (Do the topics that we study and the activities that we do in class matter and interest my students?), and caring (Do my students feel supported and accepted in my class?). My Self-Expressive style truly prioritizes and values the three Cs in my classroom. The purpose of language is self-expression, so I am honored to encourage that in my students every day.
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