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Introverts make up between a third and half of the population. According to Susan Cain, whose book Quiet: The Power of Introverts is an international best-seller, there is one key difference between this group and extroverts. "Introverts and extroverts differ in the level of outside stimulation that they need to function well," she writes.

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11 Things That Happen When You’re a Teacher and Also an Introvert

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11 Things That Happen When You’re a Teacher and Also an Introvert

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Teaching is a highly social profession, so it would follow that all teachers are extroverts, right? Wrong.

It can be tough sometimes, but despite the misleading stock image I chose of a teacher cowering from behind a desk (and despite the fact that I have spent more than one conference period under my own desk to be out of the range of view from a hallway window), being a teacher and an introvert isn't all that bad. It does present some challenges, but there are also ways that introverted teachers have a one-up on the rest of the pack. Here are some things you may have noticed if you, too, are TWI (Teaching While Introverted):

1. Often by four o'clock, you've reached your capacity for social interaction.

Occasionally on weeknights you can stomach a small social gathering or dinner with close friends, but if you're honest, most days you're in pajamas by 6:30.

2. If you have to eat lunch alone one day, you definitely don't hate it.

It's not that you would necessarily prefer eating alone. But on the occasion where you don't have 18 kids in tutorials or aren't eating with your fellow teaching buddies, eating alone in perfect silence is a beautiful thing.

3. You're really good with the kids who are introverts.

You know to give them wait time, have one-on-one conversations, let them use noise-cancelling headphones when appropriate, and other strategies to make them feel comfortable and relaxed.

4. You're good with all kids, actually.

Your perceptiveness means you can tell when someone's not understanding, about to cry, going lose it, dying of boredom, etc. And so much of the teaching game is being able to anticipate the next move.

5. You wish library duty was a thing.

For obvious reasons.

6. Talking to parents is the worst (even though it's not).

You love your students, but no matter how interested you are in learning about and meeting their families, Parent Night is a big source of stress. Tons of strangers + knowing they all want to talk to you RIGHT NOW = one giant, raging sweat fest. (One-on-one parent conference? Lovely. Much less sweaty.)

7. Your creativity is?.

Introverts have some rich inner worlds, man. Your creativity might manifest itself in a wildly elaborate writing project, or you might be really good at discovering new, more effective ways to teach concepts in calculus. One thing's for sure: mediocrity just isn't your thing.

8. Other people don't get it.

People who don't have an understanding of introverts might think choosing teaching as an introvert is like choosing to be a submarine captain* if you're afraid of water. But being an introvert doesn't mean you don't like being around your students or that you're too shy to teach them. All it means is that while some teachers might go home and recharge by going to a gym class with 35 people or happy hour at a crowded bar, you recharge either alone or with a few people. And Netflix. Always Netflix.

9. Sometimes to recharge you have to spend an entire day inside your house.

What's that? You set a PR? Oh, me too. I didn't even get to double digits on my Fitbit.

10. You find that you are a go-to when other coworkers have problems.

This can be a great thing (helping colleagues work through issues) or a terrible thing (finding yourself trapped as a Receiver of Rants four out of five afternoons). But either way, your ability to work through problems creatively keeps you on the sidelines of the drama instead of in the middle of it.

11. You can think of plenty of things that are worse than grading.

Going through a stack of paper in an empty, quiet room by yourself? Sign me up! (But only if library duty is already taken.)

*My first thought as an example was a mermaid. #maybrain

Love, Teach teaches English and blogs about it at www.loveteachblog.com. You can follow her on Facebook or Twitter. She was going to tell you the rest of this bio blurb but has reached her social capacity for today.

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11 Things That Happen When You're a Teacher and Also an Introvert

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Teaching is a highly social profession, so it would follow that all teachers are extroverts, right? Wrong. It can be tough sometimes, but despite the misleading stock image I chose of a teacher cowering from behind a desk (and despite the fact that I have spent more than one conference period under my own desk to be out of the range of view from a hallway window), being a teacher and an introvert isn't all that bad.

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BEING AN INTROVERTED TEACHER IN AN OVERWHELMINGLY EXTROVERTED PROFESSION

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BEING AN INTROVERTED TEACHER IN AN OVERWHELMINGLY EXTROVERTED PROFESSION

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PLCs.

Collaborative structures.

Team-based learning.

Parent meetings.

Group work.

Are you getting anxious just thinking about these words? I am.

These past few weeks have been very trying on me, to the point where I considered not teaching. Just...stopping. And doing what? I don't know.

The week back from Spring Break exploded into a frenzy of people tugging at me from all angles-seniors who are rushing to graduate, parents who are needing me for various information about their students, department meetings and staff meetings requiring my full attention, etc. In fact, this is probably what every teacher is experiencing right now. I ended the week with my head swimming, exhausted, and unfortunately totally unmotivated to actually do the work I needed to do on the weekend, when I had spare moments. The truth is that I'm almost apathetic. And then I realize it and I feel guilty. I'm getting burned out, my friends. Big time.

Where's the Passion?

I wondered why I was dreading going to my job within a profession I have declared for the last ten years as something I would never want to leave-even, if I'm honest, I lie about how much I "love" it sometimes. Am I passionate about education? Absolutely. I have all the feels for education, but I don't know if I've let myself even become passionate for other things since education is my "thing." I feel guilty spending time reading and doing other things if I'm going to sacrifice spending time on teaching. It's just how I am. I've always been an "all or nothing" sort of person.

So if I spend all of this time thinking, writing, talking, and doing teaching-related stuff, then why does walking away seem so tantalizing? Freeing, almost? I have some theories. And I'm very certain I'm not the only person who is being ripped apart by it.

I am a textbook introvert, no doubt about it. I am most energized by the solitude and calmness of being alone, but that doesn't mean I hate people. I even enjoy being with people-on my terms, which include one-on-one or small groups of people I trust and connect with. In fact, I spent the evening hanging out with my coworkers last night-yes, on a Friday!-and loved it. However, today I'll probably not talk to a living thing other than my dog.

Teaching is not an introvert-friendly profession by nature. From the moment you walk in the door (and even before, since there's email), you are expected to be available. We tell that to students and parents to create a relationship where we can be approachable and 'there for them.' I am glad that my students and parents feel that they can come to me about anything, but it is something I have to negotiate. I teach through the day (which requires so much extroversion that it's frightening to me, sometimes) and have my planning hour last, and by that time all I can do is stare at the wall and let my brain rearrange itself. I am rarely 'productive' during this time in that no heavy lifting gets done-I am not in the place to jump into thinking about tomorrow yet, or looking at student work. I need a break, most likely because I haven't had one since I ate my breakfast at 6:30 a.m. Many times during the planning time I have, I have other meetings to attend with parents and students or other staff members. And that's where the introverted me wants to scream out, "leave me alone!" But I can't just not go to meetings and I definitely don't want to 'check out' and not engage in them.

Consequentially, I feel as if I'm not a person when I go home. I don't want to do life things. Going to the grocery after a day of work gives me actual anxiety. One time I sat in the car and felt my heart rate increase just looking at all the cars in the parking lot, and was frozen. I couldn't move. Eventually, I decided to drive home without shopping. Interacting with any people after work doesn't happen, normally. I avoid it. And feel trapped by it.

"What's Wrong With Me?"

In a quest for understanding myself, (driven by a lot of negative thoughts running through my head that sounded like "Am I just lazy?" "What's wrong with me?" "Why can't I hack this?" "I'm a bad teacher because of this.") I decided to retake the Myers-Briggs personality test. You can read about it here if you don't know what I'm talking about.

After taking a few different ones, I settled on INFJ, with a little T and a little P. Here's an informative video about the personality type:

Apparently INFJ is the least common personality type, which might explain my feeling isolated in this dilemma. If you watched that video, you saw, however, that working in education is definitely a fit. When I was researching this, I got a little frustrated. I wanted to hear that the reason why I was struggling was because I'm in the wrong profession. In my pros and cons list, a lot of my cons center around two things-feeling incredibly drained and feeling a loss of hope because of crazy stressful demands from politicians, administrators, parents, and basically everyone else. I fantasize sitting by myself all day, working, and not having to interact with these problems. But then the "Feeling" part of me knows I'll be missing out on everything that authentically drives me, and the "Judging" part hates the uncertainty. I'm afraid that I'd lose meaning in what I do and regret leaving. I am lying to myself if I say that I don't care about improving lives of people through education. So how do I make this work? How do I get from "survive" to "thrive?" I have to at least try to solve these problems before making a move.

"In some ways, today's teachers are simply struggling with what the Harvard Business Review recently termed "collaborative overload" in the workplace. According to its own data, "over the past two decades, the time spent by managers and employees in collaborative activities has ballooned by 50% or more." The difference for teachers in many cases is that they don't get any down time; they finish various meetings with various adults and go straight to the classroom, where they feel increasing pressure to facilitate social learning activities and promote the current trend of collaborative education."

Here is what I am committed to trying to do:

1. Be even more stingy with quiet time at work. This week I locked myself in my office for fifteen minutes for lunch and ate in silence. Then a student found me to tell me something that could have definitely waited fifteen minutes. I need to improve my communication with students about this need of mine, so they don't think that I'm being rude or unhelpful or grouchy. Same goes to colleagues.

2. Try to get to work earlier. I am the antithesis of a 'morning person.' When I can be alone, I actually like mornings. When I have to make words come out of my mouth coherently, not so much. So, if I can get myself to work earlier-even a half hour-I think I could be productive at that time instead of the afternoon.

3. Talk with my classes about this. I know I have a lot of introverted students. I think I could use this aspect of my personality to help them with what they could be struggling with in their lives right now.

4. Seek ways to incorporate introvert-friendly strategies into my teaching. Last session I started every day with what I call "Read or Write for 10" and students loved it. They could read or write anything they wanted for ten minutes with no strings attached. They didn't have to talk about it or even write about it until the end of the session when I gave them a survey. Often, I tried to participate in this myself.

5. Let myself explore other potential passions. I'm not married to teaching. It would be cool to even try something else that uses my INFJ strengths too. I love podcasts, writing, techy things. Music. I can't forget that those loves can be jobs too.

It wouldn't be me if I didn't share with you some other writing about the topic that is helpful. Check out:

- 7 Strategies for Surviving as an Introverted Teacher, from Quiet Revolution (Susan Cain's website)

- Why Introverted Teachers Are Burning Out, From T he Atlantic

- How to Survive as an Introverted Teacher, from What I Have Learned

- As School Becomes More Collaborative, How Do Introverted Teachers Cope? from Mind/Shift

Lastly, I want to know for real: Where are my fellow introverted teachers? What are your thoughts and strategies? Any other INFJ teachers out there? PLEASE comment below, I would love to hear from those in the introvert tribe, and even those weirdo extroverts ;P

UPDATE: Read this post to see how you can make introverted students feel at home in a collaborative environment.

-S

(Feature image from theage.com.au)

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Being an Introverted Teacher in an Overwhelmingly Extroverted Profession

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PLCs. Collaborative structures. Team-based learning. Parent meetings. Group work. Are you getting anxious just thinking about these words? I am. These past few weeks have been very trying on me, to the point where I considered not teaching. Just...stopping. And doing what? I don't know.

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Schools Need Introverted Teachers, But Avoiding Burnout a Challenge

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Schools Need Introverted Teachers, But Avoiding Burnout a Challenge

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It's generally believed that the teaching profession is better suited to extroverts. While hugely rewarding, it is exceptionally demanding, noisy, chaotic and educators are always under the microscope. But there are many introverted teachers across the country, who, as a recent article in The Atlantic concluded, are more vulnerable to burnout than their extroverted colleagues.
Jessica Honard agrees. A self-described introvert, Honard left the classroom after five years after she reluctantly concluded that the relentless daily pressure eclipsed what she loved about teaching high school English. She continued to work in education, including leading workshops for educators on how to differentiate for introverted students. After these sessions, participants would approach Honard and tell her that they were introverted teachers and were just as burned out as their students. "I soon realized that there was this community out there of introverted teachers who were overwhelmed," she recalls. Honard was already writing a book about working with introverted students but decided to include a section offering tips and strategies to help introverted teachers navigate the school day. The book is called "Introversion in the Classroom: How to Avoid Burnout and Encourage Success" and Honard spoke with NEA Today recently about her experiences and the challenges introverted teachers face. In your first year in the classroom, were you prepared for the pressures of teaching? Were you consciously aware that you were an introvert?
Jessica Honard: No. At the time - I was very young - I didn't really know what introversion was, at least not until I read Susan Cain's book "Quiet" the year after I left teaching. So I didn't know why I got burned out so easily and overwhelmed so quickly. I did experience something similar in high school, and my solution then was to enroll in community college and distance myself from the social aspects of high school. So when I began to teach, I was kind of expecting it to be overwhelming because you do hear a lot about teacher burnout. It's the nature of the field. I do think that introverts and extroverts are both susceptible to burnout, but I think introverts are a little bit more so.
What were the conditions at your school that made it particularly hard for you?
JH: I loved teaching. I loved being in the classroom and I particularly enjoyed connecting with the students, but I felt I wasn't given enough time to do more of that. For a short period of time, I was the only teacher in my subject and then they added another one, which alleviated the class size problem. But I still had around 190-210 students, which for me was a lot. For my students it was a lot too, because they were coming at me at all different ability levels and it was hard for me to reach them that way. Plus, the constant meetings and the expectations that the administration had - which weren't necessarily bad but they often took more time than I had to give - became too much. Eventually, when you have enough 13,14, 15 hour days, you have to pull back and ask yourself if this is the way you want to approach this field.
What kind of support system was in place at your school or were you more or less on your own?
JH: The administration did what they could to support the teachers. But it was a very large school and they were hampered by their own demands. I did have a few teachers who I could confide in. They weren't introverts necessarily, but they understood that when I needed to take five or ten minutes in the teachers lounge to recuperate, they would watch my class. During passing period, we were required to stay in the halls and have a presence. Sometimes a colleague would cover my post if I needed the quiet of the classroom for a few minutes. Also, I taught an advanced placement class and students would be at my door before school started, which was usually my time to focus and center myself, just get ready for the day. So those teachers I was able to confide in would hold them off for a few minutes.
You just mentioned the constant meetings and demands on your time outside of the actual classroom, which is a challenge you address in the book. You recommend that educators don't "overcommit." But isn't there a huge expectation for teachers - newer ones especially - to take part in everything at school, including all the social activities?
JH: Definitely, but some of it is probably self-imposed, especially with those new teachers. When I started teaching I wanted to put on a good appearance. I wanted to fit in because I was so young and needed the support from the people around me. So I put myself out there, which worked for a little while but then quickly became too much.

When committing to activities outside of the classroom, introverted teachers should be aware of their own limits. It's not that they should never commit, but they should try to do so in a way that feels right to them. For example, I ran the Creative Writing Club at my school. This allowed me to be a part of extracurriculars, but it was a very different experience than, say, chaperoning the football games. It was more suited to my individual needs.

As an introvert, however, I was taught to teach as an extrovert. It's not just the fact that I would have to do a Iot of group activities or that I would feel as though I couldn't give my students time to work individually. In doing that, I had to be "on" all the time and I had to present a kind of social persona that related to that teaching stye.
Educators want more time to collaborate with colleagues. If those opportunities become yet another expectation, however, could they be perceived as another hill to climb for the more introverted teacher?
JH: I do think collaboration is essential for teachers. Just as you would want your students to collaborate, it has to be a structured collaboration, however. There were plenty of meetings I sat in on that were not, quite frankly, that advantageous to me as a teacher. But others were very helpful and I communicated positively with the other teachers. So I think that collaboration was essential to me becoming a better teacher and to us becoming a better department. But constant collaboration and the need to be constantly social just for the sake of appearences or for the sake of checking things off on a list is not necessarily helpful in the long run.

In the book, you provide a list of proactive steps introverted educators can take help alleviate daily pressures, including finding some sort of sanctuary or quiet space. You actually created a reading nook in your classroom where you could decompress.

JH: Well, I was lucky in that I kept the same classroom for all five years so I didn't have to move my stuff. I knew my classroom space really well and I knew how to use it to best serve my students and serve myself. But many teachers never have a permanent classroom, so it's up to each educator to try to figure out what works for them. I've spoken with teachers whose sanctuary was just their car. They would just go to the parking lot and sit in their car for five minutes. That was what they needed to just be alone for a couple of minutes. So it doesn't have to be anything fancy. I went all out because, as an English teacher, there was a reason to have a bunch of books on the shelves and places for my students to sit and read. But it served a dual purpose in helping me out as well.
We could be depleting the talent pool if introverts resist entering a profession generally perceived to be a better fit for extroverts. What would you say to someone who is interested in teaching but suspects that their introverted nature will prevent them from being successful?
JH: Most teachers are extroverts because I think the field naturally draws on that kind of personality. It's important to recognize and understand, however, that the idea that you can't be a good teacher and an introvert is completely false. They should know that the fact they are introverted doesn't mean they can't do anything that any other teacher can do. Introverts can be amazing teachers. They can be really passionate about reaching their students. It's just important to figure out from the beginning what boundaries to set for themselves and to enforce those boundaries to the best of their ability.

We need introverted teachers because they can be advocates and cheerleaders for the introverted students. It's two sides of the same coin. They can reach those students, bring them onboard and give them the space that they need. And the introverted teachers need to feel as though they can own their own nature and their own temperament, be OK with it, and not feel as though that makes them less of a good teacher.

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Schools Need Introverted Teachers, But Avoiding Burnout a Challenge - NEA Today

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It's generally believed that the teaching profession is better suited to extroverts. While hugely rewarding, it is exceptionally demanding, noisy, chaotic and educators are always under the microscope. But there are many introverted teachers across the country, who, as a recent article in The Atlantic concluded, are more vulnerable to burnout than their extroverted colleagues.

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10 Reasons Why Introverted Teachers Rule the Education World

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10 Reasons Why Introverted Teachers Rule the Education World

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By Lesley Vos

Many believe that the teaching profession suits extroverts.

Introverts seem more vulnerable to burnout and collaborative overload, and some educators cite this peculiarity of their character as a reason to quit working in a learning environment.

Last year, The Atlantic told about teachers who left the profession because of their introversion. Some couldn't handle social interaction, and others lost the battle with exhaustion.

Jessica Honard, ex-teacher and author of Introversion in the Classroom: How to Avoid Burnout and Encourage Success says that "it's a constant bombardment of social stimulation, and most teachers simply are not taught how to cope with it."

But, does that mean you can't be a good teacher if you are an introvert?

That's not so! As John Spencer said, "I'm a better teacher not in spite of being an introvert, but because of it."

When used right, the character traits of introverts can help teachers rule the education world. And one can find at least ten reasons why introverted educators may even have an advantage over extroverted teachers.

The first six reasons come from Lauren Elrick of Ramussen College-her article Why Introverted Teachers Actually Have an Edge in Education dots the i's once and for all.

1) Cautiousness

Daily interaction with colleagues and students is draining for most introverted teachers, which makes them conscious about meeting new people and finding a work-life balance to empower their lives. Such cautiousness makes these introverted educators more sensible when working with shy or fearful kids and meeting parents.

2) Animus toward increased attention

Introverts don't enjoy being the center of attention, so they never treat the classroom as a stage. Such teachers show consideration for colleagues and students, accomplishing their objectives by discretely influencing others.

In other words, introverted educators know how to work behind the scenes. They encourage students and involve them in learning. As Cathy Pickens, creativity consultant and former teacher, says, they allow students to "discover information rather than memorize it."

3) Consideration

Some criticize introverts for over-analyzing decisions, but this capacity can benefit the education process greater: it helps teachers avoid impulsive mistakes and behavior.

Introverted teachers would never let themselves walk into the classroom unprepared. They are considered, thoughtful, and calculated in everything they do. They think first, speak afterward.

4) Reflection

Introverts are serious about taking their mistakes. Thanks to such self-reflective mindset, introverted teachers are open to considerable feedback, review their performance at work, and eliminate errors to grow and develop skills. Needless to say, such philosophy serves to benefit students.
Read More: 7 Tools to Promote Reflective Thinking 3 Best Online Resources for Promoting Student Reflection Tools and Tips to Become a Reflective Teacher
5) Ability to listen

Introverted teachers are good listeners, which allows them to create an effective learning environment in the classroom. They listen to students, colleagues, and parents; and they have a higher level of student engagement by encouraging the atmosphere of understanding and communication.

Math tutor and author of MC2 blog, Hugh Beaulac explains that introverts "absorb knowledge" by listening to people, while extroverts use conversations as a "stage to promote themselves." This trait allows introverted educators to respond more thoughtfully and influence critical thinking skills of their students.

6) Commitment

Introverts are deeply involved with what they do, and that's why the demands of the teaching job are never an issue. Because of the nature of their character, introverted teachers don't have an active social life (as a rule), so they don't consider it a problem to spend time on lessons plans, homework, research, etc.

7) Thoughtfulness

Thanks to greater self-awareness, introverts can be more sensitive to their environments. Introverted teachers understand when students need help, and they're ready to support and take care.

8) Responsibility

Introverted teachers are attentive to detail, which helps them make valuable observations and provide a unique perspective in the learning environment. They encourage students to accept challenges and solve creative tasks.
Read More: 8 Apps to Promote Growth Mindset in the Classroom 7 Resources to Promote Mindfulness in the Classoom
9) Flexibility

It sounds counterintuitive, but the research proves introverts are better leaders delivering better results at work. This is the case of introverted teachers, as well. Rather than promoting the loudest initiatives, they're flexible and more likely to let talented students run with ideas.

10) Creativity

Introverts may be more open to creative solutions because they're not heavily influenced by what others do. They're comfortable with spending time alone, which is a critical ingredient for creativity. A so-called solitude allows introverted teachers to brainstorm ideas for a better learning environment and plan interesting lessons for students.

Children of Gen Z demands a different approach, and they are hard to motivate and surprise. The creativity of introverted educators can help a lot here.
So it all adds up to this:
Jessica Honard is right in saying the education world needs introverted teachers. They can be a role model for students who face burnout in a culture of collaboration, and they can teach much more than hard skills on the subject.

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10 Reasons Why Introverted Teachers Rule the Education World

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By Lesley Vos Many believe that the teaching profession suits extroverts. Introverts seem more vulnerable to burnout and collaborative overload, and some educators cite this peculiarity of their character as a reason to quit working in a learning environment. Last year, The Atlantic told about teachers who left the profession because of their introversion.

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I have the following image to start a couple of assemblies at school. My question for students: what emotions is the woman at the centre of this image experiencing?

Negative answers abound: she is invariably lonely and sad. Such assumptions about standing aside from the crowd pervades our culture. We want to be picked first in the school team, to prove popular amongst our peers. Fitting in, with all of the pressures that attend it, appears to drive our thinking and it is particularly so for status-sensitive teenagers.

In a society that celebrates extroversion and heralds the number of friends you have as a proxy for your happiness, it is no surprise that we see introversion pathologised as bleak loneliness rather than splendid isolation. In doing so, we put our introverted teachers and students at a disadvantage.

So what is the difference between introversion and extraversion? This Fast Company article explains it well:
Introverts (or those of us with introverted tendencies) tend to recharge by spending time alone. They lose energy from being around people for long periods of time, particularly large crowds. Extroverts, on the other hand, gain energy from other people. Extroverts actually find their energy is sapped when they spend too much time alone. They recharge by being social.
In her book on introversion and introverts, 'Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking', Susan Cain relates the truism that people associate extroversion with social confidence. This social confidence, in turn, is equated with likability and intelligence.

Schools then, are in danger of becoming a world ordered for extroverts, alienating the quiet introvert. It is not until years after my school experience did I recognise that I possessed many introvert traits (knowing this fact alone would have proven a boon for my anxious teen self). I was able to differentiate introversion from shyness. I wasn't shy at school, but I needed some time alone to recover and reflect upon a day filled with people.

Now, emboldened by experience, I recognise that the deficit model society imposes upon people who are naturally more introverted is deeply flawed. Though leaders emerge often by talking first and most, we can mistake extroversion for confidence and competence, therefore missing the great strengths of our more introverted students and colleagues.

Iesha Small, Assistant Headteacher at Kings Langley School in Hertfordshire, is currently writing a book with working title ' The Unexpected Leader ' (due out in 2017 with Crown House) where she explores the seeming disconnect between leadership and introversion. She has this to say:
"Sadly people tend to associate introversion with shyness or lack of confidence. The issue for introverts is not the quality of our work but people's perception of our effectiveness due to a natural tendency to reflect and not self publicise. This is not a problem in the classroom as students can tell how well teachers teach but can be problematic regarding how other colleagues may perceive us in the other aspects of our jobs. I've been interviewing successful introverted leaders recently. A key thing that comes through is their personal drive and a real passion and desire to get the best for their students and staff. Introverted teachers who lead others can convey a quiet and unmistakable confidence if we tap into our personal reasons for working in education and our specific contexts and effectively learn to communicate that and our vision to those that we lead and work with. On the other hand, what can leaders do to help introverted staff? I think number one is to ask what they notice. Introverts tend to observe and process people and situations well. Ask what introverted colleagues have noticed as they will often have insights you may have missed. It may be at the end of a meeting to ensure all voices are heard. It could be in writing, via a quick email. Just let them know their opinion is noted and valued even if it isn't the loudest. When sharing these insights with others, acknowledge the source so that other colleagues can be aware too. All successful introverts I've come across have benefited from colleagues in school who have taken the time to notice, champion and help develop their potential. Lastly, how can we help introverted students? Classrooms can be noisy places. It can be worth noting that introverted students need quiet to reflect and process their learning. I now regularly have a timed section of certain lesson that is virtually silent and let students know that it's for our classmates who need quiet to think. Students respond surprisingly well to that explanation."
What struck me most from Iesha's words was the need to "notice" and "champion" those introvert traits and strengths in our colleagues and our students.

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I have the following image to start a couple of assemblies at school. My question for students: what emotions is the woman at the centre of this image experiencing? Negative answers abound: she is invariably lonely and sad. Such assumptions about standing aside from the crowd pervades our culture.

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There is a lot of information out there about working with kids with different learning styles and personalities. We learn about auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. We read about multiple intelligences and emotional IQ. We even learn about extroverted and introverted students. But what about teachers? What if a teacher falls outside of the typical bubbly, outgoing, Type A persona that dominates the field? Here's some information about recognizing and supporting introverted teachers in the classroom and school environment.

How Do You Recognize an Introverted Teacher?

Being introverted isn't about being "shy." Introverts can be friendly, approachable, and highly motivated to help children succeed. Introverted teachers get their energy from spending time with their own thoughts rather than being around other people. Introverted teachers are deeply reflective and often prefer doing things alone. An introverted teacher may not gain passion and energy from team meetings, time spent in the teacher's lounge, or socializing with parents on a field trip. She may even appear disengaged from the classroom or meeting experience. This isn't the case. Introverted teachers simply process internally rather than externally.

Introverts are great listeners and researchers. They may not energetically present their ideas or concerns during a whole-staff meeting, but may bring up their thoughts at a later time or in a smaller, grade-level setting. If an introverted teacher eats lunch alone, she may just be attempting to recharge before her next class.

Classroom Strengths of an Introverted Teacher

An introverted teacher may be more calm and reflective when interacting with her students. Then again, she may have just as much energy and outward enthusiasm around students (while needing ample time to reboot in private). An introvert is able to recognize and connect with other introverts because she understands that a student may need time and space away from the teacher (or classroom) to recharge or get back on track.

Introverts are great with reflection and many encourage this habit with their students. They understand that introverts like to think through things before taking action and won't dismiss introverted students as being passive or "not team players." You probably aren't going to hear a lot of raised voices in a classroom run by an introverted teacher. This can provide a calm, relaxed environment for students.

Professional Deve lopment for the Introvert

Unlike many teachers, the introvert may not gain energy and excitement from being in a staff meeting or attending a conference. The tasks that teachers are asked to do in staff meetings (Think, Pair, Share! Gallery Walk! Role-Playing Scenarios!), will not appeal to an introverted teacher. She may be fine listening to the conversation and contributing verbally or in writing after some time has passed. She may prefer to be her team's recorder/note-keeper rather than present her group's findings to the staff. She may prefer to read professional development materials rather than engage in lengthy PD sessions with large groups.

Many extroverted teachers share their thoughts as they are thinking them through. This is the opposite for introverts. An introvert is more likely to think things through carefully before sharing her thoughts, so listen up when an introvert contributes.

A Word of Caution

When working with any teacher, it is important that an introverted personality is not confused with a lack of passion. Just because a teacher does not shout from the rooftops does NOT mean that she doesn't care about students with every fiber of her being. Introverted teachers are passionate - they just express their passion differently, so pay attention!

If you catch an introverted teacher arriving at work early to make copies (alone!), eating lunch in their classroom (alone!), or staying late to put up a bulletin board in the hallway (again, alone!) recognize this for what it really is - an introvert's attempt at saving energy for her students while still doing great work at her job.

Final Thoughts

Just as all students have different personalities, so do all teachers. Recognizing the strengths that introverted teachers bring to staff meetings and classrooms will support teachers as they support their students.
***
Kelly and Diane are personalized-learning junkies who love to design activities and curriculum for both "in" and "out-of-the-box" learners. From 4-wall classrooms to homeschool settings, they have combined experience teaching all core subjects for grades K-12. Visit the Apples and Bananas Education blog, Facebook page, Pinterest, and Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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There is a lot of information out there about working with kids with different learning styles and personalities. We learn about auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. We read about multiple intelligences and emotional IQ. We even learn about extroverted and introverted students. But what about teachers?

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Why Introverted Teachers Are Burning Out

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Why Introverted Teachers Are Burning Out

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Educators are feeling drained by the insistent emphasis on collaboration and "social learning"-and that could be undermining kids' achievement.

DarkBird / Shutterstock / Kara Gordon / The Atlantic

Jayson Jones was my favorite person to call when I needed a substitute for my high-school English classes. Jayson was an aspiring teacher who was extremely popular with the students and related especially well with many of the at-risk kids. One day, I walked into the classroom at lunchtime, and he was sitting alone in the dark, listening to music. "Oh, an introvert?" I said. "I had no idea." He smiled and responded, "Absolutely. I do this every day to recharge." Unfortunately for me and thousands of future students, Jayson has left the classroom for the workshop: He's refurbishing furniture instead of teaching and says that his "introversion definitely played a part."

I've written about the challenges faced by introverted students in today's increasingly social learning environments, but the introverted teachers leading those classrooms can struggle just as much as the children they're educating. A few studies suggest that introverted teachers-especially those who may have falsely envisioned teaching as a career involving calm lectures, one-on-one interactions, and grading papers quietly with a cup of tea-are at risk of burning out. And when these teachers leave for alternate careers, it comes at a cost to individual children and school districts at large.

The term "introversion" can mean a variety of different things in different contexts. Carl Jung defined it as an orientation through "subjective psychic contents," while Scientific American contends that introversion is more aptly described as a lessened "sensitivity to rewards in the environment." It's generally accepted, however, that as Stephen A. Diamond gracefully describes it, "[Extraversion and introversion] are two extreme poles on a continuum which we all occupy."

The most common use of the term is to differentiate between introverts (who are energized by quiet space, introspection, and deep relationships and are exhausted by excessive social interactions) and extroverts (who are energized by social interaction and external stimulation and tend to be bored or restless by themselves) as a way of explaining different personal reactions to similar contexts.

It's in this sense of the word that some teachers are citing their introversion as a reason why today's increasingly social learning environments are exhausting them-sometimes to the point of retirement.

After 11 years of teaching English at a public high school, Ken Lovgren left the profession, mostly because he was drained by the insistent emphasis on collaboration and group work. Engaging in a classroom that was "so demanding in terms of social interaction" made it difficult for him to find quiet space to decompress and reflect. "The endless barrage of 'professional learning community' meetings left me little energy for meaningful interaction with my kids," he told me. "I suspect a lot of teachers feel as I do."

In fact, it was easy to find other teachers who cited their introversion as a key reason they decided to leave the K-12 classroom. John Spencer, a former middle-school teacher who has written about the struggles of an introverted teacher, is now teaching at a university. "It's easier to be a professor as an introvert," he said. "There's so much silence and solitude built into it."

And Jessica Honard, the author of the book Introversion in the Classroom: How to Avoid Burnout and Encourage Success, told me that she left the teaching profession because she never had the time to recharge after constant exposure to such a stimulating environment. Claiming that she's known many other teachers who have left because of exhaustion, Honard primarily blamed a lack of awareness and understanding of introverted personality types. She explained: "It's a constant bombardment of social stimulation, and most teachers simply are not taught how to cope with it."

In some ways, today's teachers are simply struggling with what the Harvard Business Review recently termed "collaborative overload" in the workplace. According to its own data, "over the past two decades, the time spent by managers and employees in collaborative activities has ballooned by 50% or more." The difference for teachers in many cases is that they don't get any down time; they finish various meetings with various adults and go straight to the classroom, where they feel increasing pressure to facilitate social learning activities and promote the current trend of collaborative education.

This type of schedule and expectation for constant social interaction negates the possibility to psychologically "recharge" in relative solitude, something that's crucial to many introverts. Lovgren described his lunches alone in the sunshine as a place "to be alone and recharge ... to think about big ideas and prepare something worthwhile to say to the kids during discussion." Spencer wrote that introverted teachers in general may eat alone at lunch because they're "tired of being 'on' all the time ... [and] they simply need time to recharge." Brian Little, a widely acclaimed speaker and psychology professor at Cambridge University, refers to these opportunities to recharge as "restorative activities." In a 2005 article, he wrote that "for a biogenic introvert who has been protractedly acting out of character as a 'pseudo-extravert' the best restorative niche would be one of solitude and reduced stimulation."

In the same article, Little explained how introverts can "act as extraverts" and adopt culturally scripted behavior traits (what he calls "free traits") for limited amounts of time. But he warned that "protracted free-traited behavior may compromise emotional and physical health." In other words, Little's findings confirm that introverted teachers are at risk of burning out.

Although the reasons for burnout are varied and hard to pinpoint, some statistics suggest that 41 percent of teachers leave the profession within five years of entering it. Teacher attrition among first-year teachers has increased about 40 percent in the past two decades-a trend that's coincided in part with the growing emphasis in classrooms on cooperative and student-driven learning and on "collaborative overload" in general.

A range of factors such as morale, accountability expectations, and salaries certainly contribute to the attrition problems. However, one study by researchers in Spain showed that the structure of a teacher's personality predicted burnout more strongly than other types of factors. As school districts reportedly spend $2.2 billion annually on educator attrition, it's worth considering how to better respond to the range of other factors that help explain teachers' dissatisfaction, including introverted personality tendencies that aren't always compatible with modern pedagogical trends.

At least a handful of recent studies actually confirm this connection between burnout and introversion. Barbara Larrivee's book Cultivating Teacher Renewal: Guarding Against Stress and Burnout cites five different analyses that show "being introverted predicts burnout" in the general workplace. The Spanish researchers' study examined the teaching profession in particular, and found that "teachers with high scores in emotional exhaustion" associated with "low scores in extraversion." The same report, in agreement with several other studies it cited, concluded that introversion "means characteristics that foster emotional exhaustion ... while they diminish personal accomplishment." Meanwhile, introverted teachers have regularly written about how they miss the traditional lecture format, about how they almost quit teaching, and about how they did in fact leave teaching for a job more suitable for introverts.

In order to slow the rate of teacher attrition, some people are recommending more induction programs for new teachers. However, this seems to-once again-overlook the needs of introverted teachers. I wouldn't even classify myself an introvert, and the school where I work is extremely respectful of each teacher's personal style. But I remember, as a new teacher, the overwhelming number of interactions that were ostensibly designed to help me-support classes, beginning teacher programs, department meetings, union mixers, "Back to School Night," constant public introductions, and administrative observations. I remember desperately yearning to just quietly study Hamlet and read my new students' papers.

During that same year, the district assigned to me a mentor to help orient me-he took me out to coffee, and we just talked about good literature and lesson ideas for an hour. The principal, visibly flustered that we didn't observably "do anything," assigned me a new mentor who, among other things, encouraged me to divide my class into cooperative groups and then share the results with my department and administration. The implicit message seemed to be similar to what Lovgren said explicitly: "A calm and focused teacher is suspected of underworking, and so everybody, regardless of their personality type, is expected to work constantly in groups."

The primary concern, as always, is for the students, many of whom are introverts themselves and in want of role models and sympathizers in a culture that sometimes misunderstands kids who are seemingly "unwilling to stand up for themselves." Perhaps teachers and administrators who tend to be introverted themselves can instinctively provide the space the quiet student needs, and also model and value more reserved behavior. Teachers in Robert Coplan's 2001 study "believed that shy/quiet children were less intelligent and would do more poorly academically than would exuberant/talkative children. However, some of these findings were moderated by teachers' own level of shyness."

Coplan's careful use of the phrase "level of shyness" is a good reminder that introversion and extroversion are not diametrically opposed in black and white fashion; and in any case, people's personalities shift depending on the time and situation. As Jill Burruss and Lisa Kaenzig explained in their paper for the College of William and Mary, "Most people utilize both introversion and extraversion in their daily lives ... no one list [of personality traits] adequately captures the uniqueness of any individual, but serves as a beginning guide to recognizing and understanding behaviors." And in many cases, people have similar needs: While writing about an introvert's need for solitude, Spencer conceded, "I think everyone can benefit from the lack of social distractions."

With that said, people's behavior does tend to cluster toward certain tendencies, and Burruss and Kaenzig reported that, with all the social interaction, group activities, common spaces, and noisy activities, "modern school seems designed for extraverts."

In order to say something worthwhile about big ideas, Lovgren said, many people need significant time and space for prior reflection-and any implication that active group work is categorically superior alienates those students and teachers. Like many if not most introverts, Lovgren isn't anti-social, or even anti-collaboration; he's just asking for less social stimulation and more freedom to think quietly. "If you give me time and space to complete the task in my own way, I'll come back to the group with a quality contribution."

It's also reasonable to assume that students will be better off when each of their respective teachers are in an environment that suits their teaching style. As the English teacher Abigail Walthausen explained in The Atlantic two years ago, "If the community of educators has agreed to value student learning styles, why not allow adults the freedom to play to their own strengths as well? I certainly know that while I am articulate in facilitating student discussion, my communication breaks down and I am a weaker teacher in a noisy room."

Earlier this month, Spencer, the former middle-school teacher who's documented his struggles as an introvert, wrote a popular blog post on "re-imagining school" for educators like him that offers some suggestions on how K-12 campuses can meet the needs of teachers who are less extroverted, from "providing professional development credit for personal learning" to simply offering them some options in regards to collaborative activities. Embracing ideas like these, schools could better accommodate the different personality types of their teachers; reduce burnout and save money on attrition; and foster an educational environment that encourages and cherishes introspective reflection within the students themselves.

Related Video

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.

Michael Godsey is a contributing writer for The Atlantic and an English teacher based in San Luis Obispo, California.

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Educators are feeling drained by the insistent emphasis on collaboration and "social learning"-and that could be undermining kids' achievement. Jayson Jones was my favorite person to call when I needed a substitute for my high-school English classes. Jayson was an aspiring teacher who was extremely popular with the students and related especially well with many of the at-risk kids.

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PEOPLE DO NOT QUIT COMPANIES, MANAGERS, OR LEADERS – THEY QUIT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURES. 

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PEOPLE DO NOT QUIT COMPANIES, MANAGERS, OR LEADERS – THEY QUIT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURES. 

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Over the summer, I caught up with Susan, one of my favorite college classmates, over brunch.Even though Susan and I never worked together, I always admired and loved working with her on school projects.We both became consultants at different firms.Over the years I continued to run into Susan and her colleagues at the airport so we stayed in touch quite often.

To no surprise, Susan's colleagues gushed time and time again about her.She was smart, hardworking, politically savvy, and had a very likable personality.She was the go-to person for clients, coworkers, and leadership alike.I watched over the years as Susan continued to climb up the ladder at her firm and we would joke about her eventually fulfilling her world domination plans.On the outside looking in, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Susan's career and the firm she worked at was a slam dunk.

Susan recently handed in her resignation and this news came as a surprising blow to her former firm.

For Susan, this was years in the making.

Why did Susan, a long time firm rockstar and a favorite leader, decide to leave? A changing culture.

"When I joined the firm 13 years ago, the leadership created an amazing culture of high growth, development, and community.But over the years, many of the leaders I grew up with retired. And then the firm started hiring a lot of new leaders with different values because of their ability bring in revenue.What the leaders failed to realize is that this changed the culture of the firm over time.I do not recognize or identify with the company anymore."

I asked Susan, "What about your leadership team, mentors & sponsors? Where do they stand in all of this?"

Susan replied, "Yes, I have had an amazing support system of leaders over the year. But the culture had gotten so bad that even they cannot change it either."

Up until my meeting with Susan, I had always believed that people quit leaders not companies. But then I realized that there is probably another way to look at it.It is more than just leaders.

People do not just quit companies or leaders...they quit organizational cultures.

According to a Harvard Business Review article, apparently employees leave both good and bad bosses at almost comparable rates. The article shares: " Good leadership doesn't reduce employee turnover precisely good leadership. Supportive managers empower employees to take on challenging assignments with greater responsibilities, which sets employees up to be strong external job candidates."

So what actually comprises of an organizational culture?

Organizational culture, in its simplest form, is an ecosystemic mashup of values, beliefs, underlying assumptions, symbols, rituals, attitudes, and behaviors shared by a group of employees and driven by leadership. Culture is the behavior that results when a group arrives at a set of - generally unspoken and unwritten - rules for working together.

I then asked my social media network why they would leave a company. 40+ people generously shared example after example, story after story all pointing back to culture that I have distilled into 5 components:

Misaligned vision and leadership

Compromised values, beliefs, and increased toxicity

Lack of connection, appreciation, community, and affinity

Uncertainty during hard times and massive change

Organizational structures & processes that create malaise and stagnation

What do you think employees and leaders can do to help steer the ship of an organizational culture?

Thanks to Susan for inspiring this effort, best of luck in your new role.

Many thanks to my social media network for contributing to this blog post - including those that preferred to remain anonymous.You rock! Tim Knight, Titania Veda, Sean Wachsman, Bill McArthur, Jay Morales, El Peterson, David Vaassen, Megan O'Leary, Tina Huynh, Kristin Jekielek, Su-Ann Lim, Doreen Chen,Keri Robinson, Lisa Guida, Julien Fortuit, Chrissanne Long, Kwame Sarfo-Mensah, Kishshana Palmer, Francesca Lujan, Anthony Palmer, Nathan Kituuma, Ibinabo Koleosho, Janell Powell , Luis Vazquez , Donald Weber, Jr. Nick Burnett , Leanne Castro

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People do not quit companies, managers, or leaders - they quit organizational cultures. Here's why.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over the summer, I caught up with Susan, one of my favorite college classmates, over brunch.Even though Susan and I never worked together, I always admired and loved working with her on school projects.We both became consultants at different firms.Over the years I continued to run into Susan and her colleagues at the airport so we stayed in touch quite often.