Journal 2- "The Power of Introverts"

Objective

In her revolutionary TED talk “The Power of Introverts”, Susan Cain spoke up for introverts and argued that the power of introverts has been dramatically undervalued. She said “It (introversion) is about how someone responds to stimulation. While extroverts crave social interaction, introverts are much more alive while they’re alone. The key to maximizing talents is to put yourself into the zone of stimulation that’s right for you.” (Cain, 2012)

Reflective

The video made me rethink about what introversion is. Introversion is not shyness or fear of social activities. It is instead related to how we engage in social activities, and how we get our energies. Introverts fuel themselves through their inner world, they are happy on their own or in meaningful friendship. They get drained in the outer world (social interactions in large group). On the opposite side, extroverts are energized by being around people and participating social activities (Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, 2012).

Reflecting on my own teaching practice, I started to ask myself – have I considered the learning needs of introverts? have I set up too many group activities when sometimes the task should better be completed individually? Have I unnecessarily hinted that the classroom should be noisy even though the subjects actually require lots of writing, reading and independent thinking? I unintentionally assumed that, student participation and engagement simply mean –how much they talk. As many other classrooms, my classroom was designed solely for extroverts. Generally speaking extroverts tend to be more visible in the classroom – they are outgoing and talkative, and they are often the first ones who raise hands enthusiastically. Sometimes they talked even before they’ve thought the topic through. Introverts often prefer to listen first, and they are actually gifted in synthesizing the ideas communicated by others. They think over the topic before they speak.

Interpretive

What is the best learning experience for introverts? Research shows that the brain chemistry in introverts is markedly different than that of extroverts, indicating longer and more complex processing pathways (Laney, 2002). Introverts need time to process and think quietly. Because introverts are energized through solitude, they need space to be alone and thinking quietly. This may simply mean allowing them to sit at the corner or back rows, allowing them to be “not bothered”, instead of forcing them to be “extroverts”, (Baldasaro, 2012).

Introverts have the capability to succeed in a large group setting, but it is important for them to learn how to get out of the comfort zone in order to succeed in life and future career. However, we have to realize that, getting out of the comfort zone is stressful and energy-consuming; Introverts enjoy strong and close relationships – which are their comfort zones sharing ideas in the first place.

Decisional

Keeping introverts in mind, here is how I am going to ensure their success in and out of the classroom, and how I am going to achieve a balance between both introvert’s and extrovert’s learning needs in my teaching practice.

1. Starting from the very first class, get to know each of the student individually, and develop a general idea where they land on the introvert-extrovert spectrum, and what their learning preferences are. In the first class, I will also establish participation norms – emphasize that, "it’s not always the biggest talkers who have the best ideas!” (Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, 2012) It is the quality of the ideas matters, not the quantity. If most of the work has to be done in a group setting, I would also allow students to choose who they’d like to work with/who they feel comfortable working with.

2. Recognize various ways of participation – Students can participate by typing their answerers. Socrative (Three good ways to use socrative in your classroom, 2013) is a mobile app that can collect anonymous answers in the classroom. Instead of verbally expressing themselves, both introverts and extroverts can share their opinions by typing their answers. All of the answers will be brought into class discussion. Online discussion forum and journal writing are also effective tools for meaningful discussion. Introvert and extrovert students both can take time gathering their thoughts before expressing them in writing.

3. Use “Think-Pair-Share” strategy – “Think-Pair-Share” strategy (Simon, 2014) allows the introverts to think about a meaningful topic, then pair with a partner. Once partners have had ample time to share their thoughts in a small group setting, they are invited to share in a large class discussion. On one hand, it is more likely for introverts to raise their hands at this time, because they have already expressed their idea. On the other hand, it encourages the extrovert student to engage in a deeper thinking process.

4. Balance classroom time between large groups, small groups and individual work and create multiple environments where extroverts and introverts both have opportunities to be in and out of their comfort zones, and have time and space to recharge.

5. Respect the way our students are. How introverts or extroverts interact with the world may not be changed. As an educator I will encourage them to appreciate who they really are, and focus on cultivating their strengths.

References

Baldasaro, T. (2012, Sept.). Embracing Introversion: Ways to Stimulate Reserved Students in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introverted-students-in-classroom-tony-baldasaro

Cain, S. (2012). Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. Crown.

Cain, S. (2012). The Power of Introverts. Retrieved from TED: http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts?language=en

Laney, M. O. (2002). The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World. Workman Publishing Company.

Simon, C. A. (2014). Using the Think-Pair-Share Technique. Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/using-think-pair-share-30626.html

Three good ways to use socrative in your classroom. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/04/three-good-ways-to-use-socrative-in.html#.VDr2FfldWSo