Adjust Accordingly

For the past few years I've been really interested (cough...obsessed) with the myers briggs personality theory. It is a test that determines your personality type based on how you perceive the world and how you make decisions. 

Take it here!

Your type is based on the combination of four categories, (E)extraversion or (I)introversion, (S)sensing or (N)intuition, (T)thinking of (F)feeling, and (J)judging or (P)perceiving. This results in 16 possible personality types.

 

The first time I read my description of my type, INFP, I was blown away with how dead on it was! Who I am, what my strengths and weakness are, even the silly quirks were exactly me! Since then, I've forced everyone I know to take the test(it's actually required if you want to be my friend!). For me, it's been so interesting to learn about how other people make decisions and what they care about. It helps me to be more understanding of others and to give benefit of the doubt, before I judge others.

This personality theory also influences my teaching. As a teacher, I feel it's so important to be aware of multiple intelligences and different personalities and adjust accordingly! For example, last year I had a student that on certain days, who would not want to work on her artwork at all. I literally tried everything to motivate and inspire her and nothing seemed to help! But then I realized I was 'helping' her in all the ways I would want to be helped... I was telling her, " you can't fail; you can try anything you want!". But that was horrible advice for this specific student, she needed step by step guidance, because she had no confidence with her creativity, at that point. That experience was a big wake up call for me that I need to teach in many different ways! 


Well I could write 10,001 exhausting posts on this sort of thing, so I guess I should stop here! If anyone takes this test, please, please, please post your results! It would be so interesting to see if there is an art teacher personality!!!