Teachers?

[ssfanatic]

Are there any of you who are a teacher/professor or maybe wanted to become one or still do?
I think it might be a reoccurring theme but im not sure. I still have time to decide what i would like to pursue, but this is one of my major options.

[coffeeloverfreak]

Nah. I have zero patience for teaching. I can understand things fine, but when it comes to having to explain them to others, it just annoys me to no end to have to explain something slowly, over and over again. I'd much rather do than teach.

[Circe]

My parents are both teachers- the pay is mediocre and the job can be exhausting and frustrating, but they truly love what they do. It's not a job to take lightly and many people simply aren't cut out for it, but if it's what you really enjoy then by all means go for it.

[med2006]

I am an Instructional Designer which means that I design instructional materials for use in instructor-led, web and computer-based learning environments. I get to be involved with the field of education without the responsibility of having to actually teach a class unless I want to. The upside is I get to learn a lot about many different subjects. The down side is that it can be very detailed work and INTJs are not necessarily the most detail oriented individuals.

My real love is the front end analysis phase of instructional design, looking researching where the gaps in knowledge and performance on the part of the learner and designing a plan to address the need based on the characteristics of the learners.

[Vivid]

Nah. I have zero patience for teaching. I can understand things fine, but when it comes to having to explain them to others, it just annoys me to no end to have to explain something slowly, over and over again. I'd much rather do than teach.

Same here.
I could stand to teach Intuitive students who are eager to learn and not dependent on me, but that's about it.

[BadMojo]

I used to teach, but stopped since the amount of paperwork was too much for me - I never really had a day of, since there was always something to do. Therefore I could never let my mind rest because my brain keeps analysing everything, all the time. In the end, it became too stressful for me to continue, even though I loved teaching and was pretty good at it.

Besides, some parents nowadays are complete idiots - one actually accused me of personally harassing her daughter, because of homework (Same homework I gave to the rest of the class btw). Gaaah!

[Zilal]

I used to be horrified at the very idea of teaching, but now, back in school, the more I learn the more I realize teaching is essential to me. I naturally want to share what I learn. I just don't know what kind of an environment I'll be teaching in... I mean, I could just be a writer, or just share things with my nephews, or work at a museum. I cannot see myself teaching kids in a classroom day after day... I might consider being a professor someday though. It is more and more on my mind.

[ssfanatic]

I used to be horrified at the very idea of teaching, but now, back in school, the more I learn the more I realize teaching is essential to me. I naturally want to share what I learn. I just don't know what kind of an environment I'll be teaching in... I mean, I could just be a writer, or just share things with my nephews, or work at a museum. I cannot see myself teaching kids in a classroom day after day... I might consider being a professor someday though. It is more and more on my mind.
I would confirm that the private school i go to now would be willing to provide me with a job. Public school...No way! Maybe an AP class, but i couldnt come straight out of college and teach that.
But i lecture to my "friends" all the time. I just want others to realize the things that i have. But whatever :)

[Julian]

Going to school right now to teach general science/history.

[Scooby]

I am a high school history (social studies) teacher. I love it and the daily challenge. The smart kids are great, but the true reward is getting the lower level/functioning up on a higher level. The kids are great, the parents suck ass. Most could care less and it shows in the attitudes they instill in their children. What’s funny is kids that are problems for everybody else tend to be just fine in my class.

[MNRon]

Taught eight years high school metal shop (coached football and track), three years private school principal, 17 years college history prof, 7 years GED in county jail. Also contracted stuff for counties and the Red Cross. Good reputation, won awards for teaching. Would I do it again?

No.

Students, in my lifetime, have become increasingly less responsible, whinier, and less well prepared for college (not always their fault). Too much paperwork, not enough education in schools. To much emphasis on doing stuff, rather than learning stuff. Kids get credit for "time served," not "skills attained."

If I could teach again it would be at a corporate level, doing inservices and such.

[Aoiluna]

I was thinking about going into research and teaching at a university. This is the idea, however, because I still dont know what I want to do yet.

[colmdubh]

I currently teach K-12 music and due to my low patience level at times or perfectionism it is quite hard for me to really enjoy the mentoring part of teaching. Many students where I teach don't apply themselves at all and that is where it is frustrating. I go over the same concepts day after day and the students never take the time to apply it. I wish that I could believe in a "Mr. Holland's Opus" experience but I'm not that naive. Ideally I would like to write textbooks where you assume all the kids behave and learn every lesson you give them or teach at a college level where the standard is higher

[Flavia]

I'm coming to this late, but yes: I'm a college professor (in my second year on the tenure-track, and my third year of teaching full-time, post-PhD), and I love it.

I thought the performative part would be difficult, but you grow into it, and college teaching, anyway, strikes me as a good profession for INTJs: lots of control over one's own time and schedule; the opportunity to try continually new strategies to convey information and build skills--and, of course, constant intellectual stimulation.

[Tenacious B]

I enjoy instructing, but I'm incapable of tolerating academia, so I have no interest in being a professor.

Luckily my job involves training others, which I enjoy.

[robolizard55]

I am in the middle of a conundrum about academia. All I see is a complete lack of follow-through on what I consider to be moral obligations to finish public-funded work. I have clashed a few too many times with my intelligent, but altogether functionally inept major professor and department head about what I consider to be major failings.

I am on a dual high and low currently, from having a job offerred to me after I graduate next year in a position that I was encouraged to write for myself in my area of expertise, and the fact that I have to take my comprehensive exam on Monday. I am not worried about passing it, but I simply see it as one of those completely useless excersizes of hazing by brilliant "idea-men" with a need to argue for the sake of arguing. From other discussions with my committee, it is apparent that the exchange of info at the limits of my knowledge (and theirs) is enthralling. But this exam seems completely useless when the exam is not approached in a manner befitting it's outcome. The exam should be an opportunity to take time to truly explore and learn the breadth of your field and research project. But when my major professor describes it as a way for him to impress his colleagues with his knowledge and the knowledge of his student, that makes me not very excited about the process. What a narcissist.

It comes down to that fact that I love teaching people who are interested in learning. I felt the only way to do that was to get my PhD to eventually carve myself a place to pursue what I enjoy (topic and research wise) while sharing that with those who are interested and will benefit by it (students and the human community).

That will probably happen eventually, but seeing this side of academia makes me want to change it at the expense of my happiness. I had two great experiences of academia prior to my current University, so I know effective outcomes are possible from intellectual endeavors. It just I am so upset by the current standards and trying to improve this University! I guess that is the crux of some INTJ problems with the world.

Thanks for listening. :)

[suzyk]

My mom is a teacher, she used to be a highschool teacher. I get mad quickly, so I wouldn't make a good teacher.

[ginandsour]

I love teaching. Watching the "I get it!" lightbulb flip on in people never gets old.

[thod]

I am way too introvert. The idea of spending hours at the front talking while 30 pairs of eyes scrutinize my every word and move horrifies me. I would be drained of energy after a minute.

[robolizard55]

I passed my exam. And it was as terrible scoially and incredible intilectually as I hoped and feared. I guess I am closer to teaching some of you now ;)

[thegnat]

I really want to do research. So being a university professor and doing my own research sounds appealing to me. I have a feeling industry (chemistry) could get dull. Someone came in the other day showing what she did as research for a company. Something about it though, just makes me hesitant. And she did say she kind of wishes she didn't stay there and went onto academia. For sure though I'm going to graduate school and going for a doctorate in chemistry.

[HeterodoxRobot]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I do not think INTJs would make the best teachers, nope, not at all.

I think the best teachers are ExxP. That, or IxxP.

[Scantilyclad]

I don't think i would be a good teacher just because i would have a hard time trying to get a bunch of kids under control.

[HeterodoxRobot]

I don't think i would be a good teacher just because i would have a hard time trying to get a bunch of kids under control.Yeah, that seems to be a difficulty of many of the more "introverted" "nice" teachers.

Haha, kids can be such monsters!!!

I want to eventually teach, for sure. And I think I would want to teach underprivileged gifted kids, but I would settle for teaching wealthy gifted kids too.

I love precociousness in children, and I also love fostering growth in others, and as a teacher, if I could somehow be a positive influence on a kid's life, that would please me to no end!!! I think the world is hard on kids, and especially hard on exceptional kids.

Yes, helping kids discover their own strengths, and providing them with the appropriate kinds of challenges seems to be a calling I can respond to.

:lovestruck:

[mental drift]

Don't think I could be a teacher, just trying to teach my kid to tie her shoelace is killing me. Tried school bus driving one time when in volunteer ministry, talk about a mismatch. I would start daydreaming while driving and miss turns on the route that I took everyday, the kids would get loud when I had to turn around in a parking lot and get back on track.

[TehBeefah]

I'm going to pursue a graduate degree in School Psychology--Again, getting to work with education without actually teaching the kids day after day after day...

Ironically, I've been a daycamp counselor for the last few years, and have rather enjoyed pelting the buggers in the face with rubber balls all afternoon.

[Marcus]

I've been teaching for some years at university level. Lectures are difficult because you don't have much feedback. The fewer students are there the more enthusiastic I become. I'm quite drained after a lecture and ususally can't do much for hours. Another problem is that teaching the same subject for years is boring. Teaching and doing research is a good combo because you can find some success in teaching when research gets bogged down, and you can do research when teaching gets boring (and you can quit when research gets bogged and teaching gets boring at the same time ;)). Building up course material is fun. It's about reading understanding and organizing knowledge to be able to present it effectively.

Teaching also helps developing some people skills, and a deeper understanding of the subject. In fact, you understand a subject much better if you have to teach it, because you have to go through all the details.

Keeping disclipine should not be a problem for INTJs. We have a rather strong presence. I have (unintentionally) driven some students (men in their early twenties, and I don't look older than them) crying during lab excercies by leaving no room for arguments about why they had not finished the job.

The positive thing about teaching that it's a good feeling to make someone understand something new or to see someone doing something which (s)he had considered as difficult.