ISFJs are the glue that keeps society together and one of those rare personality types that truly makes an impact in every sphere of life. Thus, it’s only logical to ask whether their altruistic personality traits are also suited to a teaching profession.
ISFJs make good teachers as they are caring, emotionally intelligent, diligent, organized, resourceful, and patient. Their personality traits are best suited to the career and technical education field because they are proficient communicators who excel in conveying practical or technical skills.
While it may seem evident why ISFJs make good teachers, there is so much more to discover about these intriguing personality types and why they are able to inspire their students to great heights. So, if you want to know their best-kept secrets – read on!
Myers-Briggs ISFJ Personalities: A Brief Overview
ISFJs are normally referred to as Defenders or Protectors because their greatest objective is to take care of others and keep them safe. With 14% of the US population classified as ISFJs, of which 19% are females, and only 8% are males, it is a relatively common Myers-Briggs personality type.
The ISFJ acronym refers to a person who would rather spend time alone (Introverted), is preoccupied with facts (Sensing), makes decisions based on their emotions (Feeling), and favors organized environments instead of spontaneity (Judging).
They are pragmatic, down-to-earth people who make significant contributions to organizations and communities spurred on by their innate duty of care for others.
ISFJs are typified by their traditional values, loyalty, empathy, and efforts to attend to their work responsibilities diligently.
They work and live per their core values of honor, integrity, and devotion and want others to know that they always keep their word. Furthermore, they are highly dependable as ISFJs are meticulous perfectionists who profoundly care about others.
ISFJ At Work
While ISFJs are renowned for their incredible work ethic, these generous and conscientious personalities often tend to overload themselves and burn out due to their innate strive for perfection and core values.
So, even if they leave the office late at night, their preoccupation with their work often results in a poor work-life balance and little time to enjoy other relaxing activities.
Highly efficient ISFJs are an asset to any organization as they will always go the extra mile to care for and support their co-workers and clients.
Detailed-orientated ISFJs prefer authoritative working environments with stringent policies and procedures, established workflow structures, and clear expectations.
These introverted personality types prefer not being in the limelight and working quietly behind the scenes, even though, like most personalities, they crave recognition and acknowledgment for their accomplishments and their sterling commitment to fulfilling their duties.
Furthermore, ISFJs require orderly work environments, include colleagues who share their values, and provide concrete or observable results.
Are ISFJs Good Teachers?
ISFJs “have a calling” for the teaching profession as they are emotionally intelligent, caring, patient, and supportive and possess outstanding communication and problem-solving skills.
They find teaching highly rewarding as their students appreciate their enthusiastic teaching styles and ability to devise efficient lesson plans that spark their imagination and interest in the subject at hand.
ISFJs are warm and compassionate teachers, who always strive to make their students feel valued and protected without ever feeling judged, and they are highly adept at gently encouraging their students to participate in class without forcing them to do so.
Furthermore, ISFJ teachers are always looking for alternative, practical ways to connect with their students personally to nurture their love for learning.
What Teaching Field Is Best Suited To ISFJs?
While pragmatic ISFJs will excel in any teaching field, they are highly adept at teaching tangible or hard skills that involve technical or vocational training.
CTE, or Career and Technical Education teachers, focus on equipping their students with the requisite knowledge and skills to work in various fields, from culinary and cosmetology to auto repair.
This teaching field is perfectly suited to ISFJs as they can employ their world-class teaching skills to prepare their students for their future careers with practical, hands-on demonstrations like taking someone’s blood pressure, applying make-up correctly, or changing faulty brake pads.
Therefore, CTE teachers normally work in laboratories or school workshops and engage with non-profits and local businesses to arrange practical work experience in their chosen fields.
This teaching field is also highly rewarding for caring ISFJs as they advise students participating in technical and career fairs to choose a vocation.
Why Are ISFJ’s Great CTE Teachers?
The Career and Technical Education field require the following skills that are perfectly aligned with ISFJ personality traits:
- Advanced communication skills: teachers should be adept at explaining technical terms so their students can understand, apply their knowledge, and improve their skills.
- Organizational skills: middle and high school CTE teachers have numerous students in various classes requiring meticulous planning skills.
- Ingenuity: teachers should be resourceful and able to employ innovative teaching methods to connect with their various students.
- Incredibly patient: teachers in this field must deal with students from diverse backgrounds and abilities, so it’s vital to have the patience to create a thriving learning environment for everyone.
Fascinating ISFJ Personality Traits
So, now you know why ISFJs have a unique calling for the teaching profession, you might find the following additional personality traits insightful.
- Other predominant Myers-Briggs personality traits are being highly guarded, conventional, traditional, and humble.
- ISFJs are more prone to earn lower annual salaries than most Myer-Briggs personality types.
- These personality types are more prone to suffer from heart conditions and experience chronic pain than other Myers-Briggs personality types.
- They are also more likely to be very religious and believe in a higher spiritual power.
- ISFJs are more prone to watching television for over three hours than other personality types.
- Apart from focusing on the education sector, they are more likely to complete an MBA, work in the religious or health sectors, or establish small businesses if they are male.
Conclusion
If you have ever had a teacher that profoundly changed your life because they truly believed in your potential, the person is most likely a caring ISFJ who has gone above and beyond to help you achieve your educational goals. So, yes, ISFJs make good, if not great, teachers!
