Myers-Briggs Types in the Teaching Field (Part 1)

ENTJ as teachers

ENTJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for both abstract theorizing and practical applications of the theory. They are naturally gifted for teaching applied sciences and technology (Engineering, IT, Electronics, Robotics, Medicine etc.), business science (Management, Business Strategies, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, etc.) and legal studies (Commercial Law, International Law, Criminal Law, etc.).

ENTJs as teachers are usually well-organized (they manage their time, classes and topics well), quite demanding, they know how to motivate and create a productive, competitive atmosphere between their students and manage to command their respect and attention rather effortlessly. They are future-oriented and open to new ideas and possibilities and they greatly value knowledge, courage, independence and efficiency in their pupils. ENTJs are also impartial, objective teachers who express themselves eloquently and transparently and treat people equally; therefore their students will always be clear about the material being taught, as well as about what is requested of them in the class.

An aspect of this personality that may need some correction, especially in teaching fields, is the tendency of ENTJs to be too direct and straightforward about their opinions, thus possibly hurting the feelings of the more sensitive students. Also, their bold, domineering nature can make them quite intimidating to their class and give rise to conflicts, complaints or an altogether stressful atmosphere.

ENTJ teachers will benefit their students by becoming more tolerant and relaxed, allowing for and learning from differences of opinion in their class as well as by trying to develop more empathy and kindness in the way they speak and act. More diplomacy of their part will ease the learning process and help build a fruitful teacher-student relationship.


INTP as teachers

INTPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for abstract theorizing and scientific work and research. They are talented at teaching the exact sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, etc. ), design (Architecture, Graphic Design, Systems Design, Web Design, etc.) and social sciences (Anthropology, Criminology, Psychology, Economics, etc.).

INTPs as teachers are generally impartial, unemotional, scientific, precise, inspired, theoretical and abstract. They are interested in novelty and will usually be up-to-date on the latest discoveries in their field, which will make for interesting, intellectually stimulating lectures and courses. They place a great value on accurate theories that correctly explain systems and patterns, and, although quite versatile and complex at times, their teaching style will reflect their need for clarity and simplicity. Their students will be given accurate and compelling lectures, factually supported by scientific studies, and also the opportunity to use their mind and imagination to discover and debate the underlying principles of the topic that's taught.

Some aspects of this type that may need a little fine-tuning are their propensity for isolating themselves from their class and becoming typical loners who reject and avoid human interactions. Such an attitude can discourage their students, especially when accompanied by intellectual arrogance and protective, extreme views. Another aspect that's worthy of attention is the INTPs' sometimes poor communication skills, which can make them more difficult to understand and follow.

INTPs could become better teachers by making some efforts to develop their social abilities and learning to connect and invest themselves more in their classes and students. By communicating better, they will create a more welcoming learning environment, where their students will be able to gain a more complete understanding of the course. Perhaps a communication skills workshop would be a useful idea for INTPs who have social anxiety.


ENFJ as teachers

ENFJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that give them the opportunity to work with people, have social responsibilities and be of help to others. They can do well in a wide variety of fields, but are especially gifted for teaching humanities (Philosophy, Literature, Anthropology, Religion, History, Law, Foreign Languages, etc.), social sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Communication, Political Science, etc.) and also communication studies (Public Relations, Journalism, Media, etc.)

ENFJs as teachers are typically engaging, supportive, empathetic, diplomatic, intuitive and sociable. They place great value on communication and understanding, often managing to build an open relationship with their class without losing their authority. ENFJs place great value on the meaning of things, the possibilities for change and transformation and the psychological and emotional truths behind everyday actions. They often become mentors for their students, guiding and advising them with sympathy and firmness, while on a more general level, their thoroughness, hard work and perfectionism can become examples and sources of respect and admiration for their class.

On a different note, an aspect that may need some attention is the ENFJs' penchant for becoming too involved with their class and their students, having high expectations of them in terms of commitment and appreciation and placing enormous expectations of themselves as well, which can create general emotional stress. They are also prone to occasional cases of favoritism and preferential treatment.

ENFJ teachers can truly benefit their students by becoming more flexible about their need for social control and more objective and impartial when considering situations or making decisions. A bit of rational detachment is very useful for them, as their focus must be mainly on the material that needs to be taught and on the actual lectures, and less on their emotional needs and personal meaning.


ENFP as teachers

ENFPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for freedom of expression and the study of human nature. They are naturally gifted for teaching social sciences and humanities (Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Literature, etc. ), communication studies (Law, Journalism, Media, Public Relations, etc.) and also performing arts (Acting, Singing, Dancing etc.)

ENFPs as teachers are cooperative, open-minded, easygoing and interested in hearing all points of view. They will most likely befriend their students and make them feel like equals. They're engaging and playful and know how to animate a class and turn it into a creative, interactive learning experience - they place great value on imagination, brain-storming, socializing and friendship in their classes. ENFPs are liberal people who encourage freedom of thinking, uniqueness of being, altruism and empathy in their students. Their optimistic enthusiasm, as well as their generosity and humanitarian concerns can be inspiring to their students.

Some aspects that perhaps need a little fine-tuning with this type are their tendency to involve themselves in too many activities at once and not being able to properly and thoroughly accomplish them all, as well as their habit of being too open and tolerant, thus unwillingly supporting a lack of discipline and order in their classes.

ENFP teachers could improve their teaching style by becoming more organized with their time and class activities (perhaps taking a personal management course could prove useful) and by not taking on more projects until the current ones are already completed. It would also be good if they were careful not to jump too quickly from one subject to another and wait until each topic is properly understood.


ISTJ as teachers

ISTJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for logical structuring and precise calculations. They can teach well a wide variety of topics, but they do have a penchant for teaching economic sciences (Logistics, Accountancy, Finance, Economics, etc.), exact sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Statistics etc.) and also social sciences (History, Archaeology, Geography, Political Science etc.).

ISTJs as teachers are methodical, formal, rigorous, detailed and punctual. They will organize their time and classes well and will teach their lessons thoroughly and by the book, rarely ever inserting their personal opinions into their courses. Modest and objective, but highly perfectionist, ISTJs will appreciate and ask for respect, exactness, attention to detail and a measured, logical approach from their students. Their steadfast and realistic character will make them a wonderful asset to any educational process, as they can be trusted to do their job well, respect their schedule and teach their lessons in accordance with the established guidelines.

On the other hand, ISTJs who work in the teaching field should be aware of their tendency to become too uptight and strict about the rules and principles they impose, thus limiting the freedom and creativity of their class. Also they do have a natural bias towards getting caught up in routines, conventions and familiar methods that they should keep in check, as it may cause a decrease in interest on the part of their students.

ISTJ teachers could improve their teaching style by becoming more relaxed and friendly, trying to connect to their class at a more informal and emotional level at times and being willing to keep an open mind towards less conventional ways and ideas. It would be great if they could sometimes challenge themselves to try something new and make their class more interactive by organizing live experiments and free debates.


ISTP as teachers

ISTPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for employing their hands-on skills and having a fair amount of personal freedom. They are talented at teaching technical classes (Mechanics, Electronics, Graphics, Film Production, Cosmetology, etc.), sports (Athletics, Fitness, Swimming, Team sports etc.) and also crafts (Pottery, Carpentry, Welding, Musical instruments etc.).

ISTPs prefer to teach empirically, by doing and by means of their own expert example. They like their classes to be mainly practical, experiential and observational, as they believe the best way to learn something is to actually do it yourself. Therefore, they will encourage their students to act independently and gain as much experience as possible, as well as find their own best way to reach the necessary knowledge and technique. ISTPs as teachers highly respect and admire self-confidence, skill and sharpness of mind in their students. They will allow their pupils both the inspiring freedom to act independently and the necessary motivation to make them want to outdo themselves.

A few aspects that may require attention are the ISTPs tendency to guard their independence and always do as they please, which might reach the point of making them uninvolved with their class or, in extreme cases, unreliable to their workplace. Also, their extremely practical, hands-on approach may sometimes need some theoretical support that would help the more analytical students to better grasp the course.

ISTPs could become better teachers by trying to understand and appreciate the value of social responsibility and of being a reliable source of support and inspiration to their students. It would be a great thing if they could mentally integrate in and emotionally connect to their class more. Apart from this aspect, ISTP teachers can also help their more cerebral students by offering an additional written material that explains the course and the methods applied.


ISFJ as teachers

ISFJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for personal commitment and caring for other people. They usually really shine in teaching fields such as humanities (Sociology, Psychology, Religion, Philosophy, Literature, etc.), social sciences (History, Geography, Linguistics, Religion, etc.) and also the arts (Painting, Drawing, Music, etc.).

ISFJs as teachers are patient, devoted, sympathetic and at the same time profoundly conscientious and reliable. They often consider their students like their children and take it upon themselves to make sure they feel welcome and are being provided with everything they need. Their teaching style is traditional, conventional and great value is placed on the conscientiousness, politeness, orderliness and common sense of the students. ISFJs do not typically like to impose themselves aggressively, but their warm, understanding nature, as well as the thoroughness with which they prepare and teach their classes, are usually highly appreciated by their students.

A few aspects of this type that may need a little adjusting are the propensity for becoming deeply emotionally attached to some of their students, which may lead to unhealthy dependency relationships and disappointments, sometimes even cases of favoritism. Additionally, their strong moral (sometimes dogmatic) principles can stand in the way of a more original and stimulating learning process, which could enrich the students' perspectives.

ISFJ teachers could truly benefit their students by learning to adequately separate themselves from their job and their students and trying to keep an objective check on their own emotional involvement. It would be ideal if possible expectations of love and gratefulness were reduced to a minimum, in order to avoid disillusions and preferential treatment. Apart from this aspect, more flexibility in what concerns personal convictions will help the students become more open and receptive.


ESFP as teachers

ESFPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that offer them the opportunity to be active, liked by their students and maybe even have some fun in the process. Some of the best choices for them are teaching performing arts (Acting, Music, Singing, Dance, etc.), communication studies (Advertising, Photojournalism, Public Relations, Media etc.) and sports (Gymnastics, Fitness, Swimming, etc.).

ESFPs as teachers are engaging, dynamic, worldly, flexible and sociable. They like to get on well with everyone in their class, so they will be friendly, humorous and will treat their students like equals, stimulating them to participate and become active agents in the learning process. More, they are quite persuasive and sensitive to the general mood around them, which makes them great at capturing the attention of their class. ESFPs are good public speakers and more often than not, their courses will be well attended. Their spontaneity, realism and social abilities are valuable assets in the teaching profession.

The aspects that require some awareness are their tendency to be impulsive, scattered and hasty, sometimes jumping from one subject to another without properly deepening the matters discussed, as well as their sometimes intense need for attention and emotional response from their students, in lack of which these types may become quite moody. Also, they can be rather uninterested in abstract ideas and theories, which might frustrate their more analytical students.

ESFP teachers could improve their teaching style by becoming more patient and cautious, take their time to make sure everyone in the class is keeping pace with what's being taught and very importantly, give the proper attention to the theoretical aspect of their course. It would be a good idea if they can offer their students an additional written material as well, to support their course.

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