Type and Education
Elizabeth Murphy

Appreciating and respecting different personality types has applicability from the youngest age through the oldest age in our educational systems and there appears to be two primary benefits. First, we know from research that new information processes more efficiently when taught through a student's preferred learning mode. Attending to the Sensing or Intuitive style of processing seems to be most critical when presenting new information. Second, when differences are acceptable learners are able to identify their preferred style of learning and relating. Self-awareness is the beginning step toward self-management. Frequently, especially at the younger levels, teachers use a lot of external reinforcers when, in fact, children should be working on developing self-management rather than relying on others to manage them. Type awareness is a tool to help that process. Educators use an awareness of type differences to manage the classroom environment, structure lesson presentation and design, format assessment tools, and help the students develop improved study patterns that match best for them.

Suggestions for accommodating differences in learning preferences.

The following suggestions for accommodating differences in learning preferences are gleaned from a collection of good teaching experiences. While a theoretical foundation exists for each suggestion you might enjoy playing with these ideas and exploring the variations that work best for you.

• Conversation Sticks. Use conversations sticks to control the flow of a group discussion when a teacher cannot be present for every team. With teams of 5-7 students give each member a "stick." Younger students use popsicle sticks and older students typically use pencils. When a person talks they put their "stick" in themiddle. When their two sticks are spent they cannot offer any othe ideas until everyone on the team has spent the two sticks. Once everyone has used their sticks, the sticks are redistributed and the process begins again. No teacher is needed to control the flow of conversation. The sticks do that. It is important for students to be told that they can summarize what others have said as part of their turn if they do not want to offer any new ideas.

• Tell Me What Your Friend Said..... Let peers talk to each other. To increase their listening skills tell them to share their ideas with peers but when you call on them you will ask them to say what their friend said rather than what they said. This allows all students to share their ideas with someone and controls the length of the comments before the large group. This is especially effective with young children who always have a "story" to go with their answers in group discussions.

• Measure Participation By What They Learn. Measure participation in group work by asking everyone to write 2-3 things they learned during the discussion or activity. If they can identify 2-3 things addressed in the discussion they participated whether they raised their hand or spoke aloud or not. This honors the introverted style of participation. Younger students can draw pictures if they cannot write.

• Paperwork First vs. Discussion with Peers First. Let children have a choice. After reading a story or selection ask who wants to complete the worksheet assignment before discussing the story with peers and who wants to discuss the story with peers before completing the paper assignment. Some children will form their thoughts more clearly with reflection first while others will form their thoughts more clearly with discussion first.

• Reward Minutes Spent Reading. Reward the "minutes spent reading" rather than the number of books read. Some learners read faster adn some learners prefer reading materials other than books. These learners prefer newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias and sources of factual information. By rewarding and recognizing the number of minutes spent reading all styles (and ability levels) of readers can be rewarded.

Other Resources

Barger J.R., Barger, R.R. & Cano, J.M. (1994). Discovering learning preferences and learning differences in the classroom. Ohio State University, Columbus, OH: Ohio Agricultural Education Curriculum Materials Service.

Ellison, L. (1993). Seeing with magic glasses. Arlington, VA: Great Ocean Publishers.

Farris, D. (1991). Type tales. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologist Press.

Gibbs, J. (1987). Tribes: A process for social development and cooperative learning. Santa Rosa, CA: Center Source Publications.

Golden, B.J. & Lesh, K. (1994). Building Self-Esteem. Scottsdale, AZ: Gorsuch Scarisbrick Publishers

Jung, C.G. The development of personality. Translated by R.F.C. Hull (1954). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, Bollingen Series XX.

Jung,, C.G. (1921). Psychological Types. Translated by R.F.C. Hull (1971). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, Bollingen Series XX.

Lawrence, G. (1998). Looking at type and learning styles. Gainesville, FL: Center for the Applications of Psychological Type.

Lawrence, G. (1993). People types and tiger stripes: A practical guide to learning types(3rd edition). Gainesville, FL: Center for the Applications of Psychological Type.

Murphy, E. (1996). Make them reach when you teach but test for the best. Gainesville, FL: Center for the Applications of Psychological Type. A series of 5 audiotapes studio recorded introducing type, listening skills, effective discipline.

Murphy, E. (1992). The developing child. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.

Penley, J.P. && Stephens, D.W. (1995). The M.O.M.S. handbook. Wilmette, IL: Penley and Associates, Inc.

Piirto, J. (1992). Understanding those who create. Dayton, OH: Ohio Psychology Press.

VanSant S. && Payne, D. (1995). Psychological type in schools: Applications for educators. Gainesville, FL: Center for Applications of Psychological Type, Inc.

Wickes, F.G. (1927). The inner world of childhood. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Bio

Elizabeth is a psychologist and educator who focuses her research interest on investigating the emerging stages of normal personality development and her energy on training others in type awareness to facilitate better human relationships. She is the co-director of the Consortium for Type Development, which is a non-profit affiliation of researchers investigating type development across the life span. Elizabeth is the co-author of the Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children which measures type preferences for students in grades three through 8. She trains internationally in type applications in the home and in schools with a focus on how personality preferences impact self-development, mastery of learning, and family or peer relationships.