Teaching The Leaders: ESTJ In The Classroom

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

Dedicated, organized, direct, responsible, leaders. ESTJs typically fit these characteristics. If you were to get any student excited about organizing and carrying out a project, it would be them. 

Extroverted
Sensing 
Thinking 
Judging 

They are extroverted, meaning they receive their energy by talking, moving, and collaborating with peers. It’s not uncommon to find these students constantly talking with others to figure out concepts or finding the next study group to attend simply for the fact that they don’t like to study alone. Allowing them to move, explore, and discuss is important for them. 

Being a sensing type, using manipulatives is such a big deal for them. Having the opportunity to hold and see the concept helps them use their sensing type to put together information.  Using abstract, theoretical ideas for teaching is a fast way to lead ESTJs to confusion. 

They thrive in an organized environment. They need to see the natural succession of information, bouncing around in the subject can cause confusion. Facts resonate well with them, they are great notetakers because writing down the facts and processes can be incredibly helpful to them in knowing and taking in information. 

It’s no lie that ESTJs are among the most successful academically. They are not only the highest type to graduate with an undergraduate degree, but also have the highest grades as well. Like I stated above, these students are the ones to not only carry out a project but to also draw up the idea, bring it to life, and see it carried through. Nothing brings them more joy than a well-organized plan with very well-intended ideas. 

Pictured are a few common careers of ESTJ students. You’re teaching future managers, engineers, and supervisors. 

Photo from MBTIonline.com

What are the ways you help your ESTJ students learn? How do they improve your classroom culture? 

Introverted, Perceptive Students And How To Teach Them

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

Introverted 
Sensing 
Feeling 
Perceiving 

ISFP students are reserved and dedicated students. Their introverted personalities have a hard time working with others in big groups or spending too much time being social with friends. Their time alone is precious, but also never wasted. When given the opportunity of alone time, they are working on creating and building. 

These students are feelers, making them very sensitive to everyone’s emotions. They want everything to always be harmonious and struggle in classrooms full of contention or hard feelings towards each other. Their learning can be incredibly hindered by the emotional state of the room. 

Learning in a linear, organized way is not necessarily important to them. ISFPs can take in information sporadically and piece together what they are given, as long as it is given at a moderate pace. They also need space to be creative and use hands-on material. This is how they work best, by holding and utilizing the material presented. Math manipulatives are a powerful resource for ISFP students. 

When an ISFP student struggles with the information given to them, perhaps one of the most effective resources for them is alone time. This gives them the needed alone time to work through the material at their pace and how they process it best. 

ISFP students will end up in careers that are creative and don’t place them in a box. Experimenting is their passion, so scientific jobs are where they tend to lead, however, long-term goals may be hard for them. Making it through multiple degrees in college or certifications can be hard because they want to feel in the moment and go with what their gut is telling them right then. Freelance work is excellent for this personality type because of this. 

What are some ways you help your ISFP students in your classroom? How do ISFP students enrich your classroom environment? 

How To Teach The Entertainer Students

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

Bubbly, energetic, social, and outgoing. Does this describe you or one of your students? ESFP students tend to have these personality traits. 

Extroverted
Sensing 
Feeling 
Perceiving 

ESFP personality type is nicknamed “The Entertainer.” They are social and thrive in group situations. Sitting in a typical classroom with the desks in a straight line and a teacher lecturing in front of the room is the fastest way for them to lose focus. ESFP students are hands-on learners, needing plenty of manipulations and visuals to fully grasp new concepts. 

These students are affected by their surroundings, they love bright, happy atmospheres and struggle with dark, not aesthetically pleasing rooms. The subjects they are drawn to are drama, dancing, painting, and other artistic studies. 

Improvisation is an important trait these students have. They don’t play by rules, traditions, or schedules, they would rather feel and change based in the moment of what feels right. When they are not understanding new material, they do not revert back to the procedures taught, instead, they look at how the material makes them feel. If it is something that makes them anxious or feels boring, they may leave it behind for lack of interest. However, if the material excites them or has an emotional pull they are more likely to dedicate themselves to studying said material to gain comprehension. 

Having a positive relationship with teachers and peers is important to these extroverted students, they constantly want to feel important to others and be in good standing relationships. Not having this type of relationship with a teacher can make or break success with an ESFP student. They can also feel hurt by criticism, especially at young ages where they cannot see a big picture of how the feedback can potentially benefit them. 

When you’re teaching an ESFP student you are teaching future veterinarians, hosts of any sort, or nurses. They tend to steer towards the careers where they can utilize their people skills while helping in their communities. However, these career paths are typically unknown to them until the time is down to the wire to choose because long term planning can be difficult for them to do. 

What are the tools you have for fostering a successful education in ESFP students? 

Loyal, Dedicated, Supporitve, and Organized: Teaching ISFJ Students

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

Do you have students stressed by last-minute changes? Or maybe you know someone who is extremely supportive of friends, family, or peers? Loyal, enthusiastic, and hard-working are also traits they may possess. These students may be an ISFJ personality type. 

Introverted 
Sensing 
Feeling 
Judging 

ISFJs need linear learning. Sequence and order are important to their comprehension of the subject. When they can see the beginning, the middle, the end, and how it applies to where they will use it later in life, they can fully grasp the concept. There is nothing that infuriates an ISFJ student more than a teacher who jumps around or doesn’t stay on track with the material. 

This personality type often is given the nickname “The Defender” or “The Nurse” and for very good reason. These students are known for dropping everything to help a friend or family member. ISFJ are some of the most selfless people, constantly giving and assisting others with everything they can. However, burnout can happen to them when they start to feel underappreciated. This is most likely the cause of the majority of their problems with their peers. 

ISFJs are most likely to have the best grades and excel in school. They are naturally great learners and love the idea of school and learning. It makes sense that their future careers most often end in education, with nursing and counseling falling shortly behind. They strive to choose careers that assist and help in any way that they can. 

When it comes to group work, these students do well. They feed off of ideas from their peers and will do everything they can to make sure everyone’s voice is heard and valued. Larger groups can be hard for ISFJs because it feels less personal and it can be intimidating to speak up in front of so many peers. 

ISFJs are a great balance of sensitive, yet practical. Always in tune with others’ feelings, but likely to make a list of steps to deal with said feelings. They may not be the student with the most friends, but the friendships they do have run deep and are genuine. 

How can you use the deep feelings of an ISFJ student to their academic advantage in your classroom? 

You Probably Have An ESFJ Student In Your Classroom- Here’s How To Foster Their Personality

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

Dedicated, loyal, social, and personable. Does this describe a student of yours? If you have an ESFJ student, this could be a great explanation of their personalities. ESFJ students are your cheerleaders, your star football players, your student council leaders. They like to be the ones who set the stage and lead others to success.

Extroverted 
Sensing 
Feeling 
Judgment 

When you’re teaching an ESFJ student, you are teaching a future nurse, teacher, or child care worker. Their careers lead them down a path to take care of others because that’s what they do best, therefore it only makes sense that group work is where they work best. In a group work setting, they are the ones to look over everyone, making sure each person is involved and participating. 

They learn best when the material learning is systematic and organized in a manner they can visualize. Having the study material beforehand to access helps them vastly succeed. They also thrive on hearing different angles of how to accomplish what they are learning. For example, it would be very beneficial to teach them two or three different processes for long division, instead of sticking with one. This can help them fully connect the concept in their minds. 

ESFJs don’t handle criticism well and can be uncomfortable in a classroom where they have been criticized in the past. They need to feel validated and will flourish in an environment with a happy, comfortable culture.   

How can you use this information to better teach the students in your classroom? How do you teach your ENFJ students? 

Tips For Teaching Logical, Curious Students

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

The INTP personality is described as a logician, and for good reason. They thrive on logic and organized data leading them to discover theoretical ideas. They tend to spot liars fairly easy because they love to look for inconsistencies.

Introverted
i(N)tuition 
Thinking 
Percieving 

These students the ones who are quick to point out flaws or ask deeper questions in the material you may not know information on the depth they are inquiring about. Because they can be very critical in their speaking and questioning, they are often the students told to stop asking questions or to accept the material the way it is. This does nothing but infuriates them. INTP students are looking for deep, logical conversations where they can bounce theoretical ideas back and forth, sometimes not even making complete sense of their thoughts before moving on to the next. 

Most introverted students do not think group work is ideal, however, most of them do okay with limited amounts of it. For INTP students, it can actually harm their learning potential. In group work, they can feel limited by others because they cannot become lost in their own deep thoughts and instead are forced to listen to ideas from multiple peers.

A very interesting fact about INTP students is their lack of concern for test scores or grades. “INTPs are more concerned with meeting their own standards than they are with meeting an external set of standards. They have high intellectual goals for themselves and if the lessons they are being taught don’t align with what they think is worthwhile they will often spend their time thinking about other more stimulating ideas.” 

A tool to facilitate better grades for these students is to meet with them and figure out what their personal goals as a student are. This conversation can lead to a discussion about how their academic goals can line up to create better scores and grades, keeping everyone satisfied. 

INTP personality types can exude shyness from the beginning, but once they open up, the logical conversation can easily flow if it’s an interest of theirs. 

If you’re teaching an INTP student, there is a good chance you are educating a future architect, political scientist or engineer. However, there is a great chance you are also teaching a procrastinator. They work as quickly as possible, often finding shortcuts to cut down their workload in order to accomplish it on time, with the little time they do have. 

INTP students are constantly curious and challenging others. This can be a great tool in the classroom. Don’t underestimate these shy students, they can surprise you. 

Do you have any INTP students in your classroom? What tools do you have when teaching these students?