Personality Test

                After taking the personality test I scored ISTP. The “I” stands for introversion, but I was very close to being extroverted. I agree with the test's results; the introverted part of me likes thinking about ideas and explanations and the extroverted side takes action to ensure tasks get done. The “S” means that I prefer facts over possibility. I think that this is a big reason why I love math and decided to become a math teacher. There is an explanation for everything in math. The “T” means that I am much more driven by facts than by values. This follows the same logic as the letter “S.” My last personality letter was almost a tie, but I ended up with a “J.” This means that I prefer structure to spontaneity. I have always been involved in many different activities at once and I don't think I could be as active without the structure I have in my life. 

                I think that many of these traits can really supplement my student’s learning experience. Although I am slightly on the introverted side of the personality spectrum; I do take action when things need to get done. I still think that I am good at talking with people and building relationships, I just prefer to evaluate and think things over by myself first. I am always surprised to see how many teachers score on the introverted side of personality tests. I think this may be because a lot of teachers are constantly self-evaluating and thinking about how to improve instruction. Most teachers that are on the introverted side are still very good at maintaining positive relationships with their students. 

                 I believe that my need for facts and to think analytically are tailored to teaching mathematics. A lot of math requires students to use certain formulas and there is only one way to come up with a conclusion to a problem. There is still some creativity in math (proofs), but it mostly requires logical thinking. I understand that a lot of the greatest minds of all time, were creative people who were able to think about problems that in a way that no one had previously. Even though I like facts, I understand how important it is to foster creativity in the classroom. Lastly, I think that classrooms need to have structure. Students can't have free reign over the classroom and need to learn organization and time management in middle school and high school.

                I am hesitant to take personality tests like this too seriously. If I took this class five years ago, I would score much more towards introverted. I used to require structure, but I am starting to like a little more spontaneity in my life. As I grow older, I have tried to become a much more well-rounded person. I have worked on becoming more extroverted, creative, and spontaneous. It is something that I work on every day. For the most part I look at these results as an improvement from what I was, and look for places I can continue to improve. I think that I will always be fact driven, but I understand there are times that being instinctive can be very valuable.