Teaching Introverts (Nearly Half of Us!) in an Extroverted World
Allowing for Solitude and Contemplation Helps Sensory-Charged Students Shine
T
he New York Times bestseller “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” has many educators thinking about ways to maximize learning among students who are less inclined to speak their minds or to assume leadership roles. Susan Cain, author of the well-researched book, says that nearly half of us are introverts—people who tend to live in a world of ideas and who are prone to sensory overload. Her advice to educators is to help your less-gregarious students find their niche. Introverts (not to be confused with shyness, which is more of a social fear) tend to be highly passionate about pursing one or two interests. They often work well alone or in small groups, as opposed to in teams. An introvert “recharges her batteries by being alone and is most energized with working or learning in an environment with less stimulation, social or otherwise,” noted Education Week in a May 2012 article about Cain’s book. “I actually think our [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] shortages are a cultural problem as much as a pedagogical problem; the type of kid who likes to sit by himself and do math problems or science problems is not supported,” Cain told Education Week.
An introvert ‘recharges her batteries by being alone and is most energized with working or learning in an environment with less stimulation, social or otherwise.’ 28 PAGE One
For more insight on the topic, PAGE One turned to Milton West, Ed.D., lead psychologist for the Harris County School District. Below, West fields our questions drawn from ideas presented in “Quiet.” PAGE One: 1/3 to 1/2 of us
are introverts, but many schools are designed for extroverts. Cain encourages us to celebrate introverts and not view them as people who need to be fixed. Afterall, we have introverts to thank for big creative breakthroughs, from the theory of relativity to the Harry Potter books. Plus, research shows that you don’t need to be an extrovert to be happy or successful. West: There is a bias that favors the extroverts in our society. On the other hand, introverts, in addition to bringing big ideas into being, can also foster long-lasting transformation in organizations by working quietly and effectively behind the scenes in ways that draw attention more to their ideas than to themselves. PAGE One: Introverts tend to be slower to respond because they’re thinking deeply and making a lot of connections in their brains. They tend to work intensely. One recommendation is to wait a few minutes after asking questions to give introverts time to think and encourage reflectiveness. West: Teachers who use rapid-fire Socratic questioning methods that allow little time for reflection often fail to give students time to consider their answers. Waiting five minutes or longer for a response is an excellent approach that benefits all students, regardless of their place on the extroversion-introversion continuum. Many students exhibit impulsive behaviors that can lead to poorly formed responses resulting in poor academic performance on classroom assessments. PAGE One: Introverts tend to be highly sensitive. They take in more of the world around them. They experience information overload easily. West: Children who tend toward introversion are simply wired differently than those with the characteristics of extroversion. All students benefit when they are encouraged by teachers to engage in higher-order thinking by limiting the amount of information to be May/June 2014
