Ongoing Life-Long Learning
The Role of PLNs in My Story
In this video, Dr. Trust talks
about how Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) support the professional growth
of educators. The area I most identify with is cognitive growth. Exploring
cognitive development can help us discover new teaching methods and useful
tools to improve our classroom practices, ultimately improving our
effectiveness as teachers. Additionally, it can prompt critical reflection on
our teaching approaches, which is essential for professional growth.
Participating in PLNs provides opportunities akin
to observing diverse classrooms. By observing and learning from the practices
of our peers, we continuously refine our own teaching methods, contributing to
the ongoing enhancement of our classrooms.
Personality Tests
The first personality test I took was the Five Factor Test. This test measures the five key traits of
human personality: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness,
and neuroticism. After taking the personality test, I found that I scored the
highest on Agreeableness, and I must admit, it feels like an affirmation of who
I am at my core. I've always valued cooperation and find satisfaction
in getting along with others. Being considerate, friendly, and
helpful are qualities I strive to embody every day. I realize that being
agreeable might not be the best approach in every situation, especially when
tough choices arise. Nonetheless, I'm thankful for the benefits it offers, like
making it easier to get along with others. For me, being agreeable isn't just a trait, it's a fundamental
part of who I am.
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| Source: psychologistworld.com |
The second personality test I took was the FiveThirtyEight. This test scores individuals on five traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, negative emotionality, and openness to experience, each on a scale of 0 to 100. One thing that sets this test apart from the others I took is that it not only assesses main personality traits but also breaks them down into smaller subtraits. Once again, after taking a closer look at my personality assessment, it's clear that I rank highest in agreeableness. This trait really defines how I interact with others and the way I approach different situations. But within this overarching trait, there are these smaller qualities that make up who I am- compassion, respectfulness, and trust. All these qualities together paint a pretty clear picture of who I am. They show that I value kindness, understanding, and cooperation in my interactions, and they play a significant role in how I navigate relationships and create meaningful connections in my life.
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| Source: FiveThirtyEight.com |
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| Source: FiveThirtyEight.com |
The final personality test I took was the Personality Type Indicator. I was
categorized as an INFP, which apparently makes up only about 7% of the
population. The description of being intuitive resonates with me. I've often
found myself relying on gut feelings. Also, acknowledging my
tendency to neglect my own needs while prioritizing others is a lightbulb
moment for me. It's easy to fall into the trap of being overly self-critical
and seeking validation from external sources. Learning to set boundaries and
prioritizing self-care is a continuous journey for me.
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| Source: mypersonalitytext.com |
Thoughts on My Learning
Just as we build relationships and learn from others
through PLNs, understanding our own personality traits adds depth to these
connections. It enhances how we interact, communicate, and support each other
within these networks. Overall, these tests have not only affirmed certain
aspects of my personality but have also provided insights for self-reflection
and professional growth.




Hi Veronica,
ReplyDeleteI too wrote about the cognitive aspect of PLNs being what I connect with and value the most-I think getting the chance to learn from the experiences or see the methods and approaches of others is what I most often seek from my PLN, and I thought your connection between that and working with a diverse classroom was very insightful. Each teacher's practice will have some unique qualities that others might be able to understand and incorporate thanks to the communication of a PLN.
It sounds like your personality results really resonate with how you identify yourself within your professional practice-I noted on another post as well, I feel like it would be interesting to have teams of teachers take the same tests and reflect upon how those personality traits translate to their working dynamics-if teachers with similar or varied traits seem to work more effectively together. I can also understand why your agreeableness trait would make you a very strong educator-as you noted in your second set of results, your scores for compassion and respectfulness being as high as they are would be very important when it comes to connecting with and supporting students within a classroom.