Myers-Briggs Types in the Teaching Field (Part 2)

INTJ as teachers 

INTJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for both intellectual contemplation and the use of scientific methods. They are naturally gifted for teaching the exact sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Genetics, Chemistry, etc.), social sciences (Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology, Logic, etc.) and technology (Engineering, IT, Robotics, Medicine etc.).

INTJs as teachers are intellectual, insightful, innovative, theoretical, perceptive and very knowledgeable. They will often inspire their students to observe and understand things in a more subtle and profound way, as they reveal the hidden meanings and multiple interpretations of the subjects being lectured. The sophisticated intuition and creativity of the INTJ, combined with their taste for order, method and mental clarity, can be very powerful assets for a teacher. Their students will be offered thorough, scientifically validated facts and theories, as well as a flexible, original approach to interpreting and integrating the information learned.  

On the other hand, INTJs should be aware of their tendency to live in their heads too much and consequently, to mentally isolate themselves from their environment. They are prone to becoming extremely abstract, eccentric and sometimes difficult to understand, especially by their more practical students. Their emotional expressivity is also quite low which can further add to their social disconnection.

INTJs could become better teachers by learning to keep more aware of their social environment and more sensitive to the general emotional state of their class. It would also be very helpful if they were careful to always express themselves clearly and to the point, as well as to regularly accompany their abstract concepts and theories by concrete examples; these small changes will help a larger portion of their students to better grasp the course.

 

ESFJ as teachers

ESFJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that give them the opportunity to work within a group and be of help to other people. They can do well in a wide variety of fields, but are especially gifted for teaching humanities (Literature, Religion, Cultural Studies, Pedagogy, etc.), social sciences (Sociology, History, Geography, Public Administration, etc.) and communication studies (Public Relations, International Relations, Cultural Communications, Media, etc.)

ESFJs as teachers are usually warm, affectionate, empathetic, conventional, orderly and dutiful. They organize their time and classes well and their lectures are always thorough and comprehensive, as they take their social role very seriously and genuinely want to be good teachers. What they value most in their students is an appropriate behavior, agreeableness, conscientiousness and respect for their teacher. ESFJs often manage to emotionally engage their class with their compassionate, understanding approach and at the same time maintain and use their authority to firmly direct their students towards the established educational goals.  

On a different note, an aspect that might require attention is their propensity for becoming emotionally needy and treating their students preferentially according to how much appreciation each of them shows and how socially agreeable they are. Another aspect that is worth taking into account is the possibility that their continuous demand for harmony and pleasantness may in fact give birth to repressed anger and frustration, as disagreements are not being openly discussed.

ESFJ teachers could improve their teaching style by becoming more open and tolerant towards the less conventional ideas, behaviors and social expressions, and refrain from trying to change them or force them into an appropriate pattern. More detachment and rational objectivity of their part will support a fair and equal treatment of all their students and a better learning environment altogether.

ESTP as teachers

ESTPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that offer them the opportunity to be active and use both their practical skills and realistic minds. Some of the best choices for them are teaching business science (Marketing, Management, Entrepreneurship, etc.), communication studies (Journalism, Media, Advertising, Entertainment, etc.) and sports (Team Sports - Football, Baseball, Basketball, etc.).

ESTPs as teachers are dynamic, practical, adaptable, open, reasonable and engaging. They are easily liked by their students, due to their humorous, friendly and flexible nature, as well as to their direct and impartial approach. Additionally, their decisiveness and self-reliance will gain them respect and authority with the class. ESTPs are very pragmatic people and consequently, their teaching style will reflect this aspect. Their courses will emphasize practical experience, featuring field experiments, as well as concrete projects and examples, which will build a solid empirical base of knowledge for their students, very valuable in certain fields today.

The aspects that may require some awareness are their tendency to be impulsive and changeable, therefore quite unpredictable to their class, as well as their penchant for action and speed, which can make them skim through some subjects that would otherwise demand more consideration. Also, the ESTP's hands-on, extremely realistic approach can leave their more analytical students frustrated, as the courses may sometimes lack in adequate theoretical support.

ESTP teachers could truly benefit their students by learning to be more patient and organized, structure their lectures and courses better in order to include and properly examine the most important topics in the curriculum. Apart from that, it would be a good idea if they could supply additional written material to their class, to clearly explain the notions and methods applied during the courses

INFP as teachers

INFPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for exploring the human potential and expressing their inner values. They are talented at teaching the arts (Poetry, Literature, Creative Writing, Painting, Design, Sculpting, Music, Acting, etc.), social sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Religion, etc.) and also natural sciences (Biology, Anthropology, Environmental Science, Astronomy, etc.)

INFPs as teachers are often gentle, lenient, understanding, open-minded, original and metaphoric. They are quite abstract and artistic and will encourage their students to imaginatively play with ideas and meaning, in order to create new and inspiring interpretations of reality. Their deep understanding of the human nature, together with their versatility and idealism, makes them wonderful advisors to their students, who will feel accurately understood and guided towards fulfilling their own unique potential. INFPs are liberal and receptive teachers, who will educate their students in the spirit of freedom, democracy and authenticity.

Some aspects of this type that may need a little fine-tuning are their inclination for being overly abstract and often isolated from society. Working with a group, such as a class of students, can be quite taxing for them, especially in terms of energy, as these types are very fond of their alone day-dreaming time. A different aspect that should also be considered is their emotionality, which predisposes them to dramatization and a general moodiness and that can baffle their students when expressed.

INFPs could become better teachers by learning to properly manage their time and schedule and to organize their social activities in order to have enough private time as well. This will ensure that when they're teaching a class, they're completely connected and involved with their students, and not their imaginary worlds. It will also be good if they learnt to control their emotional reactions and to express their feelings in a more moderate and adequate way.

ESTJ as teachers

ESTJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for logical structuring and practical application of systems. They can do well in a wide variety of fields, but are especially gifted for teaching business science (Management, Public Administration, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Accounting, etc.), legal studies (Commercial Law, Civil Law, Criminal Law, etc.) and applied sciences and technology (Engineering, Electronics, Medicine, Robotics, etc. ).

ESTJs as teachers are typically firm, reliable, methodical, objective, rational and pragmatic. Their teaching style is often conventional, traditional and focused on logic, order and efficiency, while their systematic approach ensures a thorough analysis and comprehension of the topics discussed. They make dedicated, responsible teachers, concerned with their student’s rigorous education and they easily gain the respect of their class, as they impose themselves naturally, with their self-confidence and expertise. ESTJs often emphasize the practical, concrete aspects of their course and will regularly provide their students with objective, verified information and hard scientific facts.

On the other hand, an aspect that may require attention is their tendency to be rather impersonal, strict and rule-oriented, insisting that their students follow the same principles they do and assuming these are always the correct ones. Also, their traditional and highly realistic approach can make them unpopular with their more imaginative, unconventional students that may come to resent their inflexibility and materialism.

ESTJ teachers could improve their teaching style by trying to keep an open-mind towards new possibilities and more original ideas, seeing how a more flexible attitude can engage and stimulate their students to actively participate to their lectures and freely contribute to the education process. Also, a more understanding and friendly atmosphere in class can help their more sensitive and introverted students to relax and consequently obtain superior performances.

INFJ as teachers

INFJs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for the exploration of the human nature, as well as for deep intellectual reflection. They usually shine in such teaching fields as humanities (Psychology, Philosophy, Religion, Sociology, Literature, etc.), the arts (Creative Writing, Poetry, Acting, Painting, Music, Sculpting, etc.) and also natural sciences (Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.).

INFJs as teachers are kind, understanding, reserved, knowledgeable, abstract and intellectual. They typically emphasize the theoretical, conceptual aspects of the topics discussed and they encourage their students to discover and analyze the deeper meanings, hidden behind sometimes simple appearances. Their teaching style reflects their patient, conscientious and organized nature, as well as their penchant for ingeniously uniting science with spirituality. Although INFJs are rather reluctant to use aggressive methods or impose themselves too forcefully, their reserved modesty and gentle wisdom will most likely earn them the respect and appreciation of their students. 

A few aspects of this type that may need a little adjusting are their propensity for attaching symbolic or personal significance to otherwise meaningless events, gestures or words, as well as their predilection for losing themselves in their imaginary worlds that they feel compelled to explore. This can cause them to isolate from the tangible reality and their social environment - in this case, their students - and become increasingly abstract and difficult to understand or cooperate with.

INFJ teachers could benefit their students by trying to keep themselves more connected to the external reality around them, by focusing their attention outside of themselves, on their class and the educational process. Furthermore, they could help their more practical students by being careful to express themselves clearly and explicitly and to include concrete examples in their theoretical lectures.

ISFP as teachers

ISFPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that offer them the opportunity to follow artistic pursuits and express their love for beauty and nature. Some of the best choices for them are teaching the arts (Painting, Sculpting, Musical Instruments, Design, Photography, etc.), natural sciences (Biology, Ecology, Medicine, Archaeology, Geology, etc.) and also sports (Athletics, Fitness, Swimming, Aerobics, etc.).

ISFPs as teachers are generally understanding, tolerant, flexible, artistic, sensible and aesthetic. They prefer to teach empirically, by means of example and practice, and they often inspire and encourage their students to try things out for themselves and learn by experimenting. Kind and lenient, they will probably be well liked by their students and appreciated for their free spirit, good taste and artistic sensitivity. ISFPs will strive for harmony and agreement in their class, helping and supporting their students unconditionally, but also allowing them the space and independence they need in order to discover and explore their own creative resources.

A couple of aspects that may require attention are the ISFPs' tendency to live in the moment and act impulsively as their feelings dictate, which could lead to responsibility issues, as well as their emotional vulnerability, which can cause them to withdraw from others and avoid confrontations at all costs. Such attitudes can undermine their authority in front of the class and generate distrust and uncertainty on both sides of the teacher-student relationship.

ISFPs could become better teachers by trying to organize themselves better and make sure they keep their promises and commitments once them make them. It's important that they realize how much their students are counting on them to come through and be a consistent source of support. Also, it would be great if they addressed their usual conflict avoidance and learned to openly discuss the disagreements and differences that may arise during the educational process.

 

ENTP as teachers

ENTPs are usually attracted by and do well in teaching fields that allow for creative envisioning, as well as rational theorizing. They are naturally gifted for teaching visual arts (Graphic Design, Architecture, Web Design, Industrial Design etc.), natural and social sciences (Physics, Astronomy, Anthropology, Sociology, etc. ), and also business science (Marketing, Advertising, Management, Business Strategies etc.)

ENTPs as teachers are typically friendly, amusing, objective, open-minded, ingenious and highly theoretical. They enjoy stimulating their students' imagination, inspiring them to think out of the box and come up with original and novel ways of generating and combining ideas. Their teaching style will likely include brain-storming sessions, as well as other group creativity techniques, that will both challenge and engage their students. As rational and analytical people, ENTPs are also fascinated with logical principles and systems and they will encourage their students to use them as well, in order to shape and structure their own ideas.

One aspect that needs a little fine-tuning with this type is their tendency to enthuse people with promising visions and plans, only to abandon these half-finished, when their attention is captured by some newer pursuits. Such an attitude can frustrate their students, who may perceive them as rather unreliable and aimless. Another aspect that needs correction is their predilection for speculation and improvisation, which may occasionally lead to a diminished accuracy of the information delivered. 

ENTP teachers could improve their teaching style by becoming more organized and disciplined, making sure they don't take on more projects or make more promises, unless they actually have the time and motivation to accomplish them. It is also important that they learn to control and, when necessary, restrain their ample creativity, as well as to always thoroughly check the sources of their information.