My visiting teachers came over last night and we had an engaging conversation during which one of them mentioned her score on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. I've never taken one and heeding her encouragement I found one online last night that is 72 questions long and took it. It's not the real thing, but this is what it said about me:
Idealist Portrait of the Teacher (ENFJ)
"Even more than the other Idealists, Teachers have a natural talent for leading students or trainees toward learning, or as Idealists like to think of it, they are capable of calling forth each learner's potentials. Teachers (around two percent of the population) are able - effortlessly, it seems, and almost endlessly-to dream up fascinating learning activities for their students to engage in. In some Teachers, this ability to fire the imagination can amount to a kind of genius which other types find hard to emulate. But perhaps their greatest strength lies in their belief in their students. Teachers look for the best in their students, and communicate clearly that each one has untold potential, and this confidence can inspire their students to grow and develop more than they ever thought possible.
"In whatever field they choose, Teachers consider people their highest priority, and they instinctively communicate personal concern and a willingness to become involved. Warmly outgoing, and perhaps the most expressive of all the types, Teachers are remarkably good with language, especially when communicating in speech, face to face. And they do not hesitate to speak out and let their feelings be known. Bubbling with enthusiasm, Teachers will voice their passions with dramatic flourish, and can, with practice, become charismatic public speakers. This verbal ability gives Teachers a good deal of influence in groups, and they are often asked to take a leadership role.
"Teachers like things settled and organized, and will schedule their work hours and social engagements well ahead of time-and they are absolutely trustworthy in honoring these commitments. Valuing as they do interpersonal cooperation and harmonious relations, Teachers are extraordinarily tolerant of others, are easy to get along with, and are usually popular wherever they are.
"Teachers are highly sensitive to others, which is to say their intuition tends to be well developed. Certainly their insight into themselves and others is unparalleled. Without a doubt, they know what is going on inside themselves, and they can read other people with uncanny accuracy. Teachers also identify with others quite easily, and will actually find themselves picking up the characteristics, emotions, and beliefs of those around them. Because they slip almost unconsciously into other people's skin in this way, Teachers feel closely connected with those around them, and thus show a sincere interest in the joys and problems of their employees, colleagues, students, clients, and loved ones."
Eh? Does that sound like me to you?
Here is my ENFJ broken down: E:11 N:62 F:12 J:22
- slightly expressed extravert
- distinctively expressed intuitive personality
- slightly expressed feeling personality
- slightly expressed judging personality
Interestingly enough, I took the test again this morning and the second time I was a Rational Portrait of a Field Marshall: E:11 N:62 T:1 J:33
So, evidently in the mornings I'm rational and by nighttime I'm an idealist.
If you have time, I'd love to see what you scored. Here's the link again. Nick was an ISTJ, (that's: introverted, sensing, thinking, judging) 'Guardian Portrait of the Inspector', but neither of us felt like the description truly fit him. Maybe I can convince him to take it again and see what happens.
