Providing gifted students with rigors curriculum beginning in kindergarten will foster the development of healthy attitudes toward challenge, mistakes and working hard to achieve success. – Speirs Neumeister

Continuing from my welcome narrative of a past perfectionist kindergarten student I wanted to continue my study on perfectionism. My goal in reading this chapter was to find and learn more strategies in helping students in my class and our district effectively. In reading, Perfectionism in Gifted Students I wanted to gain knowledge and strategies can nurture and support this trait in so many of our district gifted students. This is an area that I feel we kind of just accept of the gifted child and have spent each year trying to help him or her not be so hard on themselves. Not having gifted intervention specialist or in my opinion strong counselors for our gifted student’s needs, it is up to us as classroom teachers to find ways on how to support students best to cope and thrive. I try to build our kindergarten classroom learning around that our brains grow when we learn something new or challenging. 

It was uplifting to read that to help with perfectionism in our talented students we want to create a classroom environment that promotes mistakes. We want these lessons to be informative with an emphasis on the process of learning and growth achieved rather than just on the product (Nugent, 2000). We want to create a need that mistakes are necessary for growth. In my classroom I very much take a responsibility of lessons that will provide learning that is engaging and challenging on a scaffolded level. Our district has made an initiative response to our continuous improvement plan at making the entire district to work on growth mindset, innovative design and risk. I am apart of a task force that is developing lessons for teachers to have more inquiry-based learning activities for students to understand how the learning relates to their world. Our team is working to teach that rigor happens through inquiry, questions and activities that promote reasoning. Reading about Nugent’s (2000) proposed classroom are some of the ways my colleagues and I have made it our goal to adapt learning for more rigor in our already provided standards and curriculum. In building our classroom communities each we year we model and stress how when we make mistakes we are learning. We do not want to just quit and say “no way” we want to rework our thinking and design to make sense of the learning.

It was interesting to that depending on the type of perfectionist is related to how he or she adapts and responds to mistakes (Parker, 2002). The author discusses ways we can build an environment that is supportive to nurture the child for positive, adaptive outcomes in positive strivings and evaluative concerns (p. 31). Positive strivings meaning the child can adapt outcomes to a positive affect verses Evaluative concerns meaning the child sees the outcome as negative affect or distress. The need is still present on researching how interventions could help support, reverse or prevent students with evaluative concerns. Until we have more solid research it is going to be a team effort of parents, teachers, district and community to guide our gifted students towards adaptive  their thoughts rather than ones that will constrain their potential.  

 

In the classroom, I think that it would be equally beneficial for my students to understand their preferences. In this way, they can be more fully themselves, and can also be more mindful of how people are different and how people can work together. In addition, though more extroverted students may enjoy having lively discussions, introverted students also have insights to share, they may not proactively seek out those opportunities. To provide both types of people opportunities to share, it may be helpful to use a think-pair-share strategy or some strategy which allows more introverted students to process and prepare their thoughts before sharing. (I know that this is one of the reasons I prefer discussion boards rather than live discussions because I can formulate my thoughts first without worrying about the discussion moving onto the next top, while I’m still on the previous one.) In addition, I think it would be helpful to provide students with choice when working on certain activities, whether they want to work individually or with others. I have not previously given much thought to incorporating MBTI into the classroom, but it’ll be interesting to consider this with the upcoming school year.

Because of knowing I am an introvert, I have always been sensitive to those students who display introverted traits. But, after learning about the needs of an extrovert, I could definitely use some work on meeting their needs in the classroom. Extroverts thrive off engagement with others around them, they become bored easily, and enjoy being verbal. I believe that giving students more choice will allow both introverts and extroverts to feel confident to express what they have learned in a way that works best for them. It would also be interesting to have students take the personality test and learn about each other’s differences to better understand what each trait requires for their energy. Keeping both traits in mind, this year I want to make a conscientious effort to give more options for students to show what they know in a way that makes them feel the most comfortable. 

Knowing this about myself I have always provided students with transition times that allow them to reset after an activity that requires them to work with others or be up and active. I take advantage of a free program online called GoNoodle, https://www.gonoodle.com. Not only does the program provide activities, such as breathing activities, to reset the student’s mindset, but also has activities that boost a student’s energy level. Additionally, it helps build a community atmosphere in the classroom while incorporating social skills. One thing that I have done in the past and will not continue to do is reward students for participating in higher energy activities. I need to consider the fact that an inverted student may not be comfortable participating in front of everyone or even just in the same space as everyone else.
In addition to this I believe that I also need to provide some alternative options for students when completing collabrotatve assignments or projects. Instead of asking the students to all gather and work together they could do more of a jigsaw model and then meet to put the final product together. Or just offering options like small groups, partner or independent work.

 

Knowledge of the introvert/extrovert
 personality types could help me provide opportunities for group work. I could create flexible grouping where sometimes the extroverts are paired with other extroverts and the introverts are paired with other introverts. Other times the extroverts could be paired with introverts. This would allow the students the opportunity to work with similar personalities, and also give opportunities for them to work with different personalities which could expose them to new ideas, ways of thinking, and personality types. It would also help students appreciate similarities and differences in others.

 

This knowledge can also help me recognize that my students who are extroverted and talkative are not talking for the sake of disruption and disobedience, but because that socialization is a part of their personality. On the flipside, my quiet introverted students are not necessarily quiet because they are shy. Instead, the quietness could be because they are thinking deeply or observing others. Knowing this could help me channel their strengths and energy by giving classroom jobs that fit their unique personalities. For example, my extroverts could be good classroom greeters in the morning or a buddy for a new student. My introverts could be library helpers or absent work managers. 

When it comes to the classroom, I must have a plan for the day! I cannot just walk into the classroom and at the last minute figure out what to teach and which assignments to use on the spot, that would stress me out. I like to plan things out a few days in advance and critique the plan as needed based on student readiness. Each day I have the agenda written on the board so students know exactly what to expect. If they are completing a project, they will always have a daily checklist to ensure they stay on track and know the expectations for that day. I have found that this helps many students to remain organized, know exactly what they should be working on, and not fall behind. If students want to work ahead they are able to as I always lay out the whole project in advance for them by day. Since I have such a high judger personality, it can be hard for me to just let things in the classroom be flexible and allow students to creatively work at their own pace as the prospecting personalities tend to do. Knowing some of the traits of the prospective personality, while it may be hard, I will try to allow students to work at their own pace so they have time to think more creatively and have time to decide how they want to show their learning and not set such a ridgid timeline...within reason. 

I am so pleased to have this definition. It helps to put a label on some of the ways I like to encounter the world. This introspection encourages my growth as a teacher and the best ways to meet the needs of my students.

In the classroom I tend to be very flexible with my schedule. The class schedule is listed for each day with an approximate time it should take to complete each task. As we complete each one I check of the task and put the actual time needed. However, if a task goes over, especially because the students are really engaged and enjoying it, then it does not stress me out. I do have a teammate that is definitely more of a judger. She is a list maker for everything in her life, professional and personal. She often comments how it makes her a uneasy to “fly by the seat of her pants” like me. However, I do not see it as flying by the seat of my pants or being unprepared. I see it as being prepared to do the best for my students in the moment. This could also mean taking a brain break by completing an activity on GoNoodle, a program that allows students to refocus or get up and move to get the wiggles out of their systems.  

I think it is important to note that in the past I have had students that needed to stick to a very strict schedule and have been able to adapt to fit that need. 

In the future I think that it is important for me to remember that my students may need such things as consistent plan to the day, clear deadlines, expectations and goals to be successful in the classroom.

My MBTI results are ISFP; Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving. For the most part I agree with all four components of my personality type that were identified. I often describe myself as an introvert, because I tend to wait until I am comfortable around people and have a good understanding of who they are before “coming out of my shell”. In a professional setting I prefer to interact in small groups of familiar people and in my personal life I have a small circle of friends that I am close to and typically interact one-on-one instead of in groups. When thinking of the sensing identification I also agree that this matches my personality. I tend to look for practical solutions to problems and base those decisions on observations and past experiences. As for the identification  as a feeler I would say this one is not as strong towards one way as the other components, because I have some qualities of both. Finally, I would describe myself as a perceiver, I do not possess the organizational skills of a judger and often act spontaneously or drop a task at hand to do something else that might be more enjoyable. 

I think understanding the difference between each personality type and how they can be combined will help me understand how students approach things like tasks, collaborative work, or organizational skills. I have often struggled with understanding why students that are identified as gifted in my class struggle to complete assignments. Understanding that their personalities may directly affect their ability to organize their work or stay on task will help me provide them with strategies to assist them in staying on task. For instance, if a student is not a good organizer when it comes to completing a task providing them with a checklist to track their progress. Also, if I recognize that a student is an introvert offering options that do not require speaking in front of a large group or expecting them to jump into a collaborative group and start working right away. For example, in our class students complete book talks. Last year I had a gifted student that was reading at a 6th grade level in the 3rd grade, but she struggled with presenting her book talks to the class. Thinking about whether she would score as an extrovert or an introvert and taking various settings (classroom, playground, and lunchroom) into consideration, I believe she would be identified  as an introvert. If I  had offered an option like making a FlipGrid presentation instead of presenting in front of the class she could have been more successful. Therefore, my biggest takeaway is if I have a gifted student that is struggling to be successful, maybe I need to stepback and consider the whole child and make sure I am providing the appropriate opportunities for them to be successful.

My four letter MBTI is ISFJ

I is for Introverted, S is for Observant, F is for Feeling, and J is for Judging. 

When looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the defender, I would agree that they align to my personality. Strengths include: supportive, reliable and patient, imaginative and observant, enthusiastic, loyal and hard-working, and they have good practical skills. Weaknesses include: humble and shy, takes things personally, repress their feelings, overload themselves, reluctant to change, and too altruistic. The strength I was taken back by at first was imaginative, because oftentimes I lack the ability to be creative and to use my imagination. Upon further reading, it's a more practical imagination that helps with seeing things from others perspectives and helps with inspiration, which I agree with. It is easy for me to see both sides of a story and have empathy for other people's feelings and the situations they are in. For me the weaknesses are spot on, except for taking things personally. A lot of times I am able to brush off situations and not let them affect me too much. But the other weaknesses are correct, I can be very shy although in the past few years I have begun to come out of my shell more (but inside the classroom is a different story, I am NOT shy with my students!), I tend to be pretty private with how I am feeling and how others are feeling as well, I am known to take on too many tasks and not ask for help when I may need it, change is not always easy for me especially if it is last minute, and I always try to see the good in situations. It is so interesting to me that a test can be so accurate and spot on with how my personality determines how and why I go about living my daily life. 

I really enjoyed learning about my own personality type but I found it tremendously helpful to learn about the other side as well. It allowed me to better understand what others may need as well as why I am, the way I am. This experience has also allowed me to think about how I run my classroom, the activities I choose for my students, and the expectations within my classroom. Through reflection, I have noticed that I tend to take into consideration how comfortable I would be but leave little options for those who are more extroverted. This year, I will be taking what I have learned and ensuring that I provide more opportunities for all types of personalities. 

I - Introvert. I am slightly more introverted but also have an extrovert side to me. After a social event I like to have some down time to recharge. I always find things to do when I’m alone, which doesn't happen very often with a busy family. But, once I have some alone time, I like to be social and busy again. So I kind of like the best of both worlds. 

N - Intuitive. I do like to see the bigger picture first and am imaginative. I am always thinking of questions in my head and feel I’m naturally curious.

F - Feeling. which I completely agree with. I’m sensitive, and totally not competitive. I love animal advocacy and my students would probably say I’m caring, compassionate, and warm.

J - Judging. I do feel decisive in my decisions and am somewhat organized but certainly not highly organized. I am a list maker and like to cross things off for satisfaction, but I also like to be spontaneous and go with the flow. 

In my classroom I am a confident, firm, yet caring, and a fair disciplinarian. I like to mix things up and alternate moving around activities with desk time activities. If we’ve been working hard on math, then I like to take brain breaks and loosen things up. Then, back to work again. I am sensitive to lots of noise so I tend to keep my classroom on the quieter side and sometimes play relaxing music in the background. I try to keep my lesson plans engaging and have no problem changing them up if something takes us in a different direction during a lesson. I am very even tempered and typically don’t show stress. I enjoy doing projects with my kids and love seeing what they come up with and how creative they can be.

informal/short journal based on “Gifted and Gay A Study of the Adolescent Experience.” by Peterson and Rischar, 2000

Kris Barnes 

Subject: After School Diversity Club aka. LGTBQ+ Club.

Introduction: What is Diversity Club? This is a group with a focus on being supportive of each other with regard to gender, androgyny,  LGBTQ+ or gay students or students that have gay parents and helpful allies.

 Here are the goals of this lesson: the attendees will learn to be more accepting and supportive of our LGBTQ+ friends and classmates. It is a way to discuss, share, learn about, and support each other. Anything discussed in group stays in group, we have each other’s promise and we are confident that this is between us. This is a safe zone and we need to hear everyone.

    1.What is diversity? Let’s each make a list of words to define this group of diverse individuals. Use the first page in your journal. The first task is to decide what ‘diversity’ means. Write down the word “Diversity”- write down your definition of the word. 

We will discuss our answers in 3-5 minutes. After a few minutes, the definitions are assembled into one place, such as a smart board and combined into one definition. Everyone must agree on the definition. This may take a brief discussion. We will then look up the definition in the dictionary.

2.  Create a safe zone.  Make sure to tell the students that it is a safe place. The goal is to feel included, supported and heard. Again, if anyone doesn’t want to share, they can pass. Personal information should stay personal. This does not include your parents. I encourage you to talk to your parents about everything. As a group leader, I have to tell you that I am legally obligated to report anything dangerous you share, something illegal like drugs or breaking the law, or if you have a plan to hurt yourself or others. We have to practice talking and listening. If you are holding the beach ball, you are the one talking. All others are the listeners.

4. Some background on being Gifted and Gay- As an introduction to one of our categories of diversity, we will discuss being Gifted and Gay. Here is some information I would like to share with the group. This is from an article by Peterson and Rischal, “Sexual development is an  important part of a child's cognitive, emotional, and physical sense of the world. Yet parents may be uncomfortable discussing concerns about sexuality with their child (Roeper, 1997).”

 It seems that parents are often uncomfortable discussing sex, just as uncomfortable as you are.  This could be a great place to reach out and become closer to parents by asking the important questions. Finding out what their opinions are, sharing some of your own. 

      The discussion of gifted and gay continues with the next big idea. Maybe you didn’t realize the various areas that are related to giftedness. There is a greater acceptance of androgyny, self-expression, early awareness about sexuality, concern about social interactions and non-stereotypical gender behavior. These traits may or may not add to someone’s confusion and fear about sexual identity. The next exercise is about defining our terms. In your journal, again, write down what you think the following words mean and if they are positive or negative.

After this exercise, students will be asked if they want to share any definitions, have any questions, if they found anything offensive, and the discussion will begin with a volunteer.

Some other subjects that will be covered in subsequent groups will include:

Depression and Self-Destructive Behaviors,

Coming Out

Dealing with Acceptance- How to be accepting of a friend coming out.

Challenges with being Gifted and Gay

Celebrations- The Right for Gays to Marry

Gay History-From Stonewall to Now

In Conclusion: Gifted individuals are different, they are diverse. Maybe some of them have non-stereotypical behavior, some may be androgynous, creative and into self-expression. Some don’t follow all social norms. That is one trait of being gifted, and that is great. We need to find a way to be supportive of our Gifted and Gay population, get them to see how opinions have changed in the past 21 years. This article seems very outdated, says nothing about being Trans, Asexual, Cisgender, Non-Binary or anything modern. This article is so unlike the actual experience of students nowadays. I am hopeful as a group we can improve upon this article and modernize some of the language and outdated statistics.  By becoming more accepting as a group, we can grow closer and understand what it means to be gifted and gay.

Thinking about the students in my classroom through the years, it has always been clear early on which students are extroverted and which are introverted. In order to accommodate the needs of both personality types, I need to provide a balance of activities that can be carried out individually and in partners/groups. I want to encourage my introverts to work with partners and small groups some of the time, but value their choice to work independently other times. Obviously students will not have a choice for all activities and assignments, but I do need to offer choice when applicable. In order to meet the needs of my extroverts, brain and movement breaks are important so they can recharge their energy levels by interacting with others throughout the day. However, on the flipside, it is equally important to build quiet time into our schedule so the introverted students have a chance to recharge and decompress (and so can their introverted teacher:).

Learning about E/I preferences did help me to realize that the little people in my classroom also have E/I preferences. It is so easy to forget that these little ones are just like us and need time and opportunities to “recharge their batteries” too.

I - My results revealed that I am 89% introverted and I completely agree!I have always been one to prefer small, more intimate gatherings. I value my alone time and feel absolutely drained when attending social functions or being around too much noise and chaos. Being social absolutely drains all of my energy. I feel very anxious during the days leading up to the social function and it usually takes me a day or two to recharge and recover after attending a social function.

S - I am 59% sensor (observer). I do prefer to start with observable facts and straightforward outcomes, but my thinking about the future is not far behind. I do spend a lot of time thinking about the “what if” scenarios, which lies more with my 41% N (intuitive) side. I would agree that I am close to 50/50 with my N/S preferences.

F - My results showed me to be 73% feeling on the personality test. I would agree with this result. I have always been extremely aware of the feelings of others and can “put myself in their shoes” easily in order to see things from other perspectives. I am compassionate and empathetic and often put the needs of others above my own.  

P - My test results in this area were actually a bit surprising. I came out to be 49% Judging and 51% Prospecting. As a teenager, college student, and young adult in my 20's and 30s, I was obsessively organized. I struggled with perfection and overly detail-oriented. However, over the last 10 years or so, I have been able to let go of the need for every detail planned and have become more of a "go with the flow" kind of person. I think my results show how as I age, I am shifting from a J personality to a P personality. 

Being aware that there are 16 different personality types helps me to understand how very different my students truly are. With my gifted students, I would like to have them take the MBTI. Just like this post, we will discuss if they agree or disagree with their personality results and why. I think there is real validation in seeing descriptions of the various personality traits. I know for me, realizing that many others are also introverted actually helped me view myself more positively because I now know I am not the only one who dislikes social functions. Considering the social-emotional needs of our gifted students, I see real empowerment in acknowledging the different personality types. As the teacher of gifted students, I can keep their preferences in mind when creating assignments and projects. I also feel that having each student’s MBTI preferences will allow me to help the gifted students who may be struggling with peer relationships. I can see where the child’s strengths and weaknesses are and help coach the student in how to get along with students with various personality types.

“ENFJs are typically energetic and driven, and often have a lot on their plates.” This is a very accurate description of me because I am constantly trying to fit too many things into one day. I also found it funny that it is known as “the teacher” because of our interests in helping others grow and develop. “ENFJ’s want close, supportive connections with others, and believe that cooperation is the best way to get things done.” I am a firm believer in working as a team, especially in our field to best meet the needs of our students. “Most likely of all types to cope with stress by exercising” explains why I love working out after a long day, especially kickboxing. “Popular hobbies for the ENFJ include organizing social events, reading, the arts, museums, storytelling, listening to music, writing, and gourmet cooking.” These are also very accurate, especially the gourmet cooking and I love to travel and experience the food scene everywhere I go as a self-proclaimed “foodie”. “They like to be liked and are very sensitive to feedback, both positive and negative.” This is probably my biggest downfall - a people pleaser - which leads me into saying “yes” to too many things - hence the too much on my plate part of my personality. I am trying to take the feedback that I get both professionally and personally as more of a learning experience and less of a personal attack, but this is a point of growth for me. 

Knowing my preferences will help with both my coworkers and my students in many ways. I can use my weakness of not taking criticism well and apply that to my students as a teachable moment to say hey, I struggle with this too. Together we can look at critiques via rubrics to see how we can improve ourselves and become stronger in that aspect. I think this will make a bigger impact with my students, knowing that they are not the only ones who struggle with something. 

The ISTJ personality type is incredibly accurate for me. I tend to be very organized and like to bring order to things that I do. I tend to be very fact-based, logical, and methodical in my decision making. I also resonate with the description of ISTJs being hardworking and persist until a task is done. I also have great attention to detail. (For example, it’s like my eyes automatically hone in on typos whenever they’re there.) I also operate best when the expectations and guidelines are clear.

 

Being detail oriented and organized is very helpful in teaching math, especially when skills can be broken down into steps. Since I have a natural inclination to this, it can be helpful in making math understandable to students. However, I also know that gifted students may learn better starting with the big picture and then filling in the details later (like whole to part), so I have to be mindful of the fact that it may not always be most appropriate to teach them with steps, or it may be even better for them to create their own steps.

This preference is all about how I get my energy, which is from other people. After taking the quiz, I found out that I am 74% extroverted. This comes to no surprise to me because I am a very social person and I come from a large family. However, when I meet new people, I can sometimes feel more introverted and shy, allowing others to start the conversation. I also like to have my “me” time during the day or week to be by myself to recover from all of the social events. I also sometimes struggle with all of the attention on myself with other adults. Thankfully, I am very comfortable with being the center of attention with children. 

This helps me with teaching because I can get the students excited about topics and lessons. I can also relate to those students who are shy and not as outgoing in the classroom. I can help them become more comfortable by providing them with a safe and welcoming environment to allow their personalities to shine through. 

This preference talks about how we take in information from the world around us, which I focus on meaning, notice patterns, and use my intuition. I am pretty split here, coming in at 54% intuition. I do use my “gut” feeling to make a great deal of decisions as well as a good judge of character when it comes to meeting new people. I also like to look at lists, facts, and take in things logically. I like to take in the world, especially nature, with my five senses, which is a big characteristic of sensor personalities. I think a balance between the two is a good example of my personality because I like to use both facts and intuition to make decisions and take in the world around me. 

This is great for my students because my students get the best of both worlds. I can help those students who think logically, which is a great deal of our population. They are very black and white in their thinking and analyze the facts. I can also tune into their feelings and see how they feel about certain situations or how they feel about their decision that they have made. If they are stuck between two topics, we can make a list of pros and cons or we can ask which one does your gut say to choose? We can balance both our emotional attachments to decisions as well as our analytical ways of thinking.

This preference goes along with how we make decisions, which is all feeling for me. I am 83% feeling, which comes as no surprise to me. I am a very feely person and I do make a great deal of decisions based on my gut feeling and intuition. I think I have a good intuition about many things and people, so I usually do not second guess that feeling. I like to think about how my decisions impact not just myself, but others around me. I am also a very spiritual person and like to use my conscience to help me make informed decisions about what is right. I can sometimes use the logic of the facts of the matter, but my feelings toward the subject matter usually rule out over it. 

This can help me be more sensitive to my students' feelings and needs in my classroom. I have the ability to feel how they feel and sympathize with them. This can help me build that rapport with my students that allows them to feel more comfortable about talking to me about issues and concerns, whether those are academic or personal issues. I want to be someone that my students and coworkers can come to when they need someone to talk to. I want them to feel as though they are cared for and their feelings are valid. 

This preference is all about how your life is organized. This one was a tough decision to make as I am a great deal of both attributes. The judging side of me won out, coming in at 53%. I have a big to-do list that I like to write down and cross off when I complete a task. I feel good about myself and accomplished when I complete a task and can cross it off. I am also very into knowing what is expected of me so that I feel as though I can do a good job on the task at hand. On the other hand, I do like to be spontaneous and live in the moment at other points in my life, such as on vacation. I am more open to activities that do not require knowing what is expected, such as creating something, like a new recipe. 

Again, students can have the best of both worlds by having the opportunity to experience a balance of freedom as well as know what is expected of them. Students can feel more free to be creative on their own projects that do not necessarily have a certain outcome. They can also expect to complete certain tasks in a timely manner, which will help them with their executive functioning and organizational skills. I think that a balance of both worlds is great to reach all types of students in my classroom. I can also differentiate between those students who need more direction and those that need more freedom in their workload. 

            After reading more on my personality type, I would agree with its accuracy in describing myself.  I would agree that I am extraverted and willing to go outside of my comfort zone in new situations.  I enjoy meeting new people and am quick to bring up conversation.  I am outgoing and feel I am happiest when spending my time around family and friends.  I would also agree with having an Observing personality trait.  “People with this personality type are often the first to help someone talk out a challenging problem, happily providing emotional support and practical advice”.  I can pick up others emotions easily and I encourage others by listening and helping to solve problems.  When reading about the Prospecting personality trait, I could also agree with my rating.  I do see myself as a flexible, go with the flow, kind of person.  This quote resonated with me, “When a passion takes, them, there’s no masking a Prospecting type’s excitement”.  Last, I would agree with the Assertive personality trait.  As far as weaknesses go, I do tend to lean towards “presuming I am free to do much more than others would allow or tolerate”.  I can push those limits at times, especially with tardiness and deadlines thinking everything will work out in the end.  I would also agree with the negative quality of being overly sensitive and emotional.  I tend to struggle with accepting constructive criticism from those closest to me.  I thought it was funny the results mentioned “Entertainers have the strongest aesthetic sense of any personality type.  Knowing what’s attractive the moment they see it, Entertainers aren’t afraid to change their surroundings to reflect their personal style”.  If anyone saw my home or my classroom, this could not be more accurate!  I am always rearranging and redecorating and take a lot of pride in doing it.  

            As an educator, it is important to become familiar with my own personality traits so I can identify my personal strengths and weaknesses as an individual and as an educator.  We have all different personality types in our classroom, and it is important to recognize these differences so that we can better understand our students on a deeper level.  This also helps build a safe, welcoming classroom community when teaching and learning is catered to all styles.  For instance, recognizing students as introverts and extroverts will make a difference in understanding how each participates in learning experiences.  I can provide opportunities of many different teaching strategies that highlights both extraverts and introverts.  Although it’s important to cater to individual’s learning styles, it is also equally as important to help students get out of their comfort zones and develop new skills as well.  Knowing that I can be overly sensitive and emotional, I feel I can be an advocate for students with overexcitabilities as well.  I can share my own struggles and connect with them as well as provide resources on how to manage their emotions in a positive way.