Styling the Classroom to Suit Introverts and Extraverts
Though many may find this hard to believe, almost 50% of the United States population is introverted (Buettner). In a country where extraversion is so commonly seen, from social media celebrities’ posts to politicians, it is easy to forget about the quieter side of our population. But to ignore half of our population, especially in the classroom, is completely unfair. In today’s society where extraversion is rewarded in classrooms, many introverts are not given the tools they need to succeed. In order to benefit both of the temperaments, it is necessary for teachers to learn new ways to vary and tailor their lesson plans to accommodate both temperaments.
A lot of confusion about extraversion …show more content…
The most commonly accepted definitions pertain to energy and recharging. Extraverts are energized by social interactions while introverts obtain energy from spending time alone (Bennington-Castro). Because of this way of recharging, extraverts are often more social and willing to be with large groups of people than introverts who prefer to get energy from spending time alone. These preferences translate into how the two temperaments interact with the world around them. Hans Eysenck, a German psychologist who studied extensively in the field of personality, hypothesized that extraverts need more stimuli to keep them alert, and introverts avoid social situations so they could prevent over-stimulation (Bushak). Because of this need for stimuli, extraverts seek out more stimulating environments. A controversy that emerges is that some extraverts need time to recharge on their own, and some …show more content…
Temperament and personality are not the same. In her book, Quiet, Susan Cain defines temperament and personality. Personality stems from experiences and environments a person has been exposed to. Temperament is entirely different; instead, it relates the brain. Temperament applies to “biologically based behavioral and emotional patterns that are observable in infancy and early childhood” (101). In a study done at the University of Minnesota since 1979, different sets of twins who were raised separately or together to determine whether temperaments were affected by heredity or environment. Over 50% of the twins were found to have the same temperament even when they were raised apart, pointing to heredity (Goleman). Dr. Jerome Kagan of Harvard University, who is well known for his studies of babies and their reactivity, remarked, “If in fact twins reared apart are that similar, this study is extremely important for understanding how personality is shaped… it implies that some aspects of [temperament] are under a great degree of genetic control” (qtd. in Goleman). Based on of this study and many like it, temperament has been identified as
Though many may find this hard to believe, almost 50% of the United States population is introverted (Buettner). In a country where extraversion is so commonly seen, from social media celebrities’ posts to politicians, it is easy to forget about the quieter side of our population. But to ignore half of our population, especially in the classroom, is completely unfair. In today’s society where extraversion is rewarded in classrooms, many introverts are not given the tools they need to succeed. In order to benefit both of the temperaments, it is necessary for teachers to learn new ways to vary and tailor their lesson plans to accommodate both temperaments.
A lot of confusion about extraversion …show more content…
The most commonly accepted definitions pertain to energy and recharging. Extraverts are energized by social interactions while introverts obtain energy from spending time alone (Bennington-Castro). Because of this way of recharging, extraverts are often more social and willing to be with large groups of people than introverts who prefer to get energy from spending time alone. These preferences translate into how the two temperaments interact with the world around them. Hans Eysenck, a German psychologist who studied extensively in the field of personality, hypothesized that extraverts need more stimuli to keep them alert, and introverts avoid social situations so they could prevent over-stimulation (Bushak). Because of this need for stimuli, extraverts seek out more stimulating environments. A controversy that emerges is that some extraverts need time to recharge on their own, and some …show more content…
Temperament and personality are not the same. In her book, Quiet, Susan Cain defines temperament and personality. Personality stems from experiences and environments a person has been exposed to. Temperament is entirely different; instead, it relates the brain. Temperament applies to “biologically based behavioral and emotional patterns that are observable in infancy and early childhood” (101). In a study done at the University of Minnesota since 1979, different sets of twins who were raised separately or together to determine whether temperaments were affected by heredity or environment. Over 50% of the twins were found to have the same temperament even when they were raised apart, pointing to heredity (Goleman). Dr. Jerome Kagan of Harvard University, who is well known for his studies of babies and their reactivity, remarked, “If in fact twins reared apart are that similar, this study is extremely important for understanding how personality is shaped… it implies that some aspects of [temperament] are under a great degree of genetic control” (qtd. in Goleman). Based on of this study and many like it, temperament has been identified as