My family will tell you that I am not a sociable person. I will go to great lengths to avoid parties, large gatherings and, worst of all, team building days. Having lived in countries where English is not the first language for most of my adult life, most of my social and professional interaction is also in another language. This makes it even more complicated. If I’m obliged to be at a large social gathering, I feel drained and need a day on my own with no human contact to recover. In other words, I’m an introvert, nothing special and I’m sure many of you feel the same way. But is this unusual for a teacher and how is teaching EFL as an introvert as a job?
Honestly, I don’t feel that teaching EFL as an introvert puts me at a disadvantage as an English teacher, especially teaching children. Yes, I still need a few hours peace and quiet after a day of teaching. However, it doesn’t leave me with that overwhelming sensation of pressure. I definitely don’t dread going to teach a class in the way I do going to a party.
Here are some of the ways that I think being a teacher suits me as an introvert. Maybe if you’re a fellow introvert English teacher just starting out and having doubts, this will help put your mind at rest and give you some ideas.
I am not the most important person in my classroom
The most important element of teaching for me is the performance of my students. I am not and will never be a showman and I can’t be the one standing at the front of the class giving a lecture. As a teacher of languages though, perhaps this isn’t a bad thing? After all, my goal is for my students to be speaking in English and not just listening to me. Therefore I do a lot of activities where the focus is on the students speaking, sometimes to me, but the majority of the time to each other. We start by learning the vocabulary we are focusing on in that lesson, maybe through a song or a game and then it’s their turn. This makes the lesson more practical and gives the children the confidence to use their English in realistic situations. It also gives me the chance to go around the classroom, interacting with small groups and giving tips. So it’s good for everybody.
I am extremely well prepared for all situations
Something that I think a lot of introverts have in common is that we need to be prepared to avoid situations where we are put on the spot and are not ready. This is a very useful skill for teaching. It means you can arrive in class with an extremely detailed lesson plan and know exactly what you’re going to be doing that day. Obviously, there are always days when things go wrong. If you’ve planned for all eventualities though and have lots of alternative activities, then you should be able to cope.
My lessons are inclusive for all types of children
As an introvert, I am aware of that feeling of being a slight outsider and a bit different. I empathize with that feeling of dread for a shy child who has to speak in front of a class, especially in a foreign language. I think that this lets me make all types of children feel included and adapt my activities to make them suitable for everyone in the class. My job is to make English fun and not scary for all the children so I use alternative games and exercises to do this. I explore alternative ways of learning to help each individual child get as much as possible from the lesson . As an introvert English teacher, I am sensitive to any discomfort or worry before it becomes a problem.
When I leave the classroom, I can take off the role of teacher
When I’m teaching, I am completely absorbed in my role. I sing and dance, I jump up and down, I play games and I sit on the floor. I know all my students very well, I am attached to them and I feel very at ease. It’s great fun and it’s very tiring. However, it is not emotionally draining in the way some social situations are as an introvert. I think that this is because as soon as I say goodbye and close the door of the school, it’s completely finished. It’s like a cloak that I put on when I arrive and take off when I leave. I can go and prepare my lessons quietly or read or write. I don’t have to worry about continuing in that persona outside work in social situations or long meetings with clients. From that point of view, this is the perfect job for me.
I’m a great listener
Kids love to tell stories about what they’ve been doing: their new toys, their brothers and sisters and funny things that happened to them at home or at school. They love it when you listen to them and show a genuine interest. Teaching English we talk about so many things that are relevant to their daily lives and environments. Listening to their stories and using them in our activities makes it more fun and more interesting to do. I also listen to their parents when they tell me about problems, ideas or learning goals. This makes me able to help their children get the most out of their learning experiences and really make progress.
Obviously, these aren’t qualities which just belong to introvert teachers. They can be common to all sorts of different people. I do think though that having a different approach to teaching is a benefit for everyone and I find it a very positive experience. So, if you’re thinking of teaching EFL as an introvert and are having doubts , please think again. It’s one of the most rewarding and satisfying jobs in the world and you can bring as much to it and gain as much from it as anyone else.
What do you think?
Different people may of course have different points of view and different experiences. Steve from Personalized English Language Courses has written a great post about his experiences teaching English as an introvert: EFL teaching as an introvert – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Are you teaching EFL as an introvert? Tell us about your experiences in the comments and let us know of any tips you may have for the rest of us.
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