Have you heard of the enneagram? It’s a system for understanding personality … There are nine core types, each with their own core fear, core desire, and directions of growth and disintegration.
You can find out more about the enneagram here. Wondering which type you are? Take the quiz here!
Once you know your type, there are endless enneagram-based blogs, books, Instagram accounts, etc., that you can peruse to develop more self awareness and understanding.
We bring our full selves to the classroom, which means that your enneagram type undoubtedly influences your teaching practice! Once you’ve typed yourself, read on to learn more about how your personality traits, strengths, and growth areas might impact your work as a TA. Understanding the enneagram can help you become your best self!
1: The Reformer: Rational, Idealistic, Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic
Ones make great teachers because they are driven to improve the world and push everyone, including themselves, to be their best!
Ones’ teaching superpowers include: maintaining high standards; being hyper-organized; and molding students into not only good writers, but also good people.
To bump your teaching up to the next level, let go of perfectionism and embrace the messiness of learning, remembering that this is where the real growth happens.
2: The Helper: Caring, Interpersonally-Oriented, Demonstrative, Generous, People-Pleasing, and Possessive
Twos are born teachers. Selfless and giving, they will do whatever they can for their students and colleagues … you’ll find a Two holding extra office hours, bringing in cookies for the class, and tidying the lounge.
If you’re a Two, your warm, nurturing approach makes your students feel loved and accepted as their full selves.
However! You know on the plane when they tell you to put your own breath mask on first? That’s a subtweet for the Twos of the world … When you’re busy taking care of everyone around you, don’t forget to set boundaries and put yourself first once in a while.
3: The Achiever: Success-Oriented, Pragmatic, Adaptable, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious
Threes knock it out of the park in every realm of life, and teaching is no exception. Whatever the contest, Threes are here to win. You can spot a Three by their flawless attendance at any and all professional development opportunities, the marking they complete in record time, and their ultra-professional demeanour.
Threes make good teachers because they’re good at, well, everything … and if they’re not there yet, they’ll stop at nothing in their quest to fulfill their potential.
Since Threes love improving so much, here’s a tip: approachability and authenticity go a long way with students — don’t be afraid to let the facade crack and show your vulnerability once in a while.
4: The Individualist: Sensitive, Introspective, Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental
The MFA is a hotbed of Fours. Find them crying in art galleries, suffering from insomnia (but kind of enjoying it), and writing poems about the moon.
Fours dgaf what anyone thinks, and they’re not afraid to break with tradition and try something new in the classroom. They’re deeply creative, which comes in handy when they’re teaching creative writing.
The challenge for Fours is getting their feet on the ground. Believe it or not, cultivating routine and self-discipline is actually good for your creative practice. I know you like to pretend your life is a movie and whatever, but at a certain point, you have to get your marking done.
5: The Investigator: Intense, Cerebral, Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated
Fives are rare birds. With their borderline-excessive love of alone time, they take “a room of one’s own” to a whole new level. Fives love falling deep into Wikipedia holes, watching documentaries, and spending long, peaceful days on the quiet floor of the library.
Fives are independent thinkers, unafraid to follow their own instincts in the classroom rather than mindlessly implementing traditional approaches. Thanks to their deep focus and relentless pursuit of knowledge, Fives’ craft knowledge is unparalleled; it’s safe to say that a Five always knows what they’re talking about.
It’s great to be so independent, but Fives also have a tendency to isolate. Don’t forget to take the time to connect with your colleagues … you might be surprised by how much you’ll learn.
6: The Loyalist: Committed, Security-Oriented, Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious
For Sixes, on time is late and early is on time. You can always count on a Six to get their marking done, leave the TA office better than they found it, and follow the TA handbook guidelines to the letter.
Sixes are deeply loyal and will truly commit to everything they do, including teaching. A Six won’t hesitate to take one for the team and can always be counted on to back up a colleague.
To thrive as a Six, remember that anxiety is normal — just a visitor who comes and goes. Taking steps to manage the anxiety that you experience will help you become more trusting and secure. And when you feel safe and held, your students will, too!
7: The Enthusiast: Busy, Variety-Seeking, Spontaneous, Versatile, Acquisitive, and Scattered
Sevens are a blast to spend time with! Find them riding every rollercoaster, attending six parties in one night, and throwing caution to the wind.
Whether it’s a hilarious meme included in the PowerPoint, a game that gets everyone laughing, or an icebreaker that creates instant friendship, in a Seven’s classroom, the fun never stops.
In the midst of all this engagement and joy, it’s important for Sevens to take moments here and there to slow down and reflect, and allow their students to do the same. To paraphrase Beyonce, a little silence ain’t never hurt nobody.
8: The Challenger: Powerful, Dominating, Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational
Eights are unstoppable! When it comes to setting boundaries, hashing out conflicts directly, and getting stuff done, an Eight is your best friend.
As born leaders, Eights make great teachers. They’re decisive, authoritative, and will do whatever it takes to get themselves and their students where they need to be.
A tip for Eights: you’re great at taking charge, but don’t be afraid to step back once in a while, too. You don’t have to — and in fact, you can’t — do it all alone.
9: The Peacemaker: Easygoing, Self-Effacing, Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, and Complacent
Nines are homebodies who love nothing more than curling up with a good book by a crackling fire, preferably wrapped in a blanket, eating something that involves melted cheese.
A Nine’s classroom is a peaceful, harmonious place where everyone gets to speak, no one feels rushed, and peaceful nature sound YouTube videos are involved in most activities.
Although Nines are afraid of conflict, those clashes and challenges can be a place of growth and learning. Don’t be scared to let your students (respectfully) argue with one another; you might be surprised by how much learning productive disagreement this can yield. As Michelle Obama would say — run towards the noise!
Understanding your (and others’) Enneagram type can make you a better TA and person! If you have any questions whatsoever about the Enneagram, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information and details!