Kiersey Temperament Style Analysis

My temperament style is an SJ (Guardian) (Phillips, 2001). Some characteristics of SJ’s that I see in myself are responsibility and productivity, following the rules, and being organized (Phillips, 2001). In the work place I always make sure everything gets done and have different organization systems in place in my classroom to keep things in order. I also value stability, am loyal and dependable, and always strive to be helpful and caring (Phillips, 2001). If someone needs something done, I will always make sure that I am there to help. According to the Kiersey Temperament Website, SJ’s are also very practical and down-to-earth. I would say both of those traits also describe me, as I focus on the task ahead of me and how to best go about

SJ’s are rule followers, so we all know that we need to learn and do what we are told in school, because that’s just the way it is supposed to be. Guardians learn best in a structured classroom with set routines, procedures, instructions, and rules (Phillips, 2001). This was definitely true in my school experience, as I would want to know exactly what I was supposed to be doing at all times. One of the things that made me most nervous at the beginning of every school year was the unknown of how the class would go, where to sit on the first day, and what materials I needed to be successful in that class. I always liked tests and quizzes that had right or wrong answers, as opposed to essays that could be up for interpretation (Phillips, 2001). In my classroom today I post the schedule for the entire day, both for the students to refer to and also so I know the plan for the entire day (Phillips, 2001). This is also another trait of an SJ Guardian learning style. I’m sure some of my students don’t need to know the entire plan, but I know there are SJ students in my class who thrive off of knowing that ahead of

SP’s like to be spontaneous, thrive on change, and are outgoing (Phillips, 2001). They also want to have fun with whatever they are doing (Phillips, 2001). These are the exact opposite of SJ’s! SJ’s like organization; SP’s like change and taking risks (Phillips, 2001). Most of the at-risk students we work with are SP’s, so it is important to really think about what their strengths are and try to accommodate to those as much as possible. The learning style of SP’s is one of a non-structured environment, with a lot of different activities, including hand-on projects (Phillips, 2001). They get bored and will out act when there are too many rules, when they are sitting for too long, or when they are not interested in the content they are learning (Phillips, 2001). As an SJ teacher, these are the students that will be most difficult for me, because we are the most opposite. It is important to see the things that make them unique as positives in the classroom. These students also need to be exposed to a variety of experiences every day, which is something all teachers should be doing in their classrooms to keep students