Committing Hubris and Teacher Disposition

I follow a lot of educators. Having critters that are truly unique and challenging means keeping abreast of educational trends & regulations locally and nationwide. This means I have lots of knowledge about education and NO, ZERO, ZIPPO experience.  I know, as a parent, we are the most important teachers our children will have.  As true as that statement is, I will NEVER know what it is to juggle educating my child along with 30+ other unique kiddos across all subject matter or educate >150 kiddos across a single subject matter, all while managing meeting standards, curriculum, growth, enrichment, supports, and all those other words that seem mainstream, but have a much deeper and specific meaning in the educational world.  So, I know that I am about to talk about something where my experience is only the breadth of the laser pinpoint that I am afforded as a parent of two children being educated. It is not that of an administrator or teacher in any way, shape or form, so forgive my hubris and if you are an educator, maybe read the post on perspective before you judge my perspective too harshly. As I've said to The Critter numerous times, perspective is like a cube, you cannot see a different perspective except as it is described to you by the person on the other side of the cube and you certainly cannot experience it.

This image was shared via Twitter by an educator in our district attending the annual leadership training where I am sure all the attendees heads were overfull of information each day. I, in my laser-width world of perspective, get to only think about THIS image and under context only of MY kids.

As you can see, it is very simplistic and only diagrams academic press levels with personal warmth levels.  If you google "Teacher Disposition", you will find MANY images of different traits postulating ideas on what makes a teacher great.  I'm not doing that here; that is a topic for peeps with far broader experience in education than mine.  This image did make me wonder, however, if there is a "type" based on these two traits that is preferred by each of my critters.  The Critter tends to take an immediate like or dislike to others and while this has improved as he has matured, this image made me wonder if there was a correlation across those experiences and these traits and if so, could that affinity then be correlated to his personal strengths and weaknesses? 

The answer was a resounding YES!!  The Critter is not easy to get to know - his anxiety makes him hide who he is and mistrust. His high IQ has led to him not valuing others as a resource for valued information. His dysgraphia has led him to believe that people in authority cannot help him and that he, himself is useless.  This is all improving, but is fairly accurate historically.  So, what number type above leads to the most effective teaching for him?  NUMBER 1!!!!  Demanding a lot and supporting a lot emotionally as well.  Hard to do with a kiddo who's cognition is several grades above and adaptive behavior(self care rating) is several grades below...  A NUMBER 2 will lead to meltdowns as when he has a problem with the work(frequent due to dysgraphia), he will NOT be able to overcome the thought that the educator does not care and is not capable of helping him which forces engagement by a trusted adult to help solve those problems over and over throughout the year.  NUMBER 3 creeps him out - too touchy feely, too interested in him without the intent of academics.  NUMBER 4 he will simply ignore as he can wait them out and do what is EASY (and that sure as double hockey sticks is NOT schooling).  

Now, Younger Critter....different profile and has had more success "schooling".  His anxiety is almost always secondary to the ADHD.  Manage the ADHD and you have low academic anxiety.  Younger Critter's preference is NUMBER 3.  He does not like to stretch himself academically - at all!  NUMBER 1 would be survivable, but NUMBER 2 and NUMBER 4 mean tears.

This is horrible.  Even with my hubris-filled perspective, there is something just wrong about breaking down teachers to a single number based on two traits.  I'm sure there's value in it as it has clarified a few things that work and don't work for my two critters, but it just. feels. so. icky!!  Every teacher the boys have had has are valuable to us - although some were the value of knowing what doesn't work Most gave us the values of growth, flexibility, social interaction, amazing coping and scaffolding ideas....I could go on and on.

I hope this image has been as intriguing for you as it has been for me, but then again, I overthink EVERYTHING (one of MY superpowers!), so maybe I should hope it's just a little less thought-provoking for you than for me.  😝