Finding Our Introverted Generals

Mark Twain once told a story about a man who devoted his life to finding the greatest general of all time. He spent decades in pursuit, tracking down every lead he could, until finally he was given a tip that the man he was searching for was actually in heaven. So the dogged detective made his way to the pearly gates where he confronted Saint Peter, who acquiesced and pointed to a seemingly regular looking man. The detective was shocked, for he knew that man, and protested, “that’s not the greatest of all generals, that man was a cobbler,” to which Saint Peter replied “I know that, but if he had been a general, he would have been the greatest of them all.”

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This story could be the lede for countless blogs on education. How the way we construct the game of school results in countless students needlessly slipping through the cracks. It could focus on equity, on special education, gender divisions etc. But I came across it when reading Susan Cain’s tremendous book Quiet and it made me stop and consider if we’re losing some generals because they’re introverts. I wish I had read this when I first entered the classroom, so I thought I’d share a few of Cain’s suggestions here.

Studies show that ⅓ to ½ of people are introverts, but our schools aren’t necessarily built to cater to the needs of these students:

“The truth is that many schools are designed for extroverts [...] The school environment can be highly unnatural, especially from the perspective of an introverted child who loves to work intensely on projects he cares about, and hang out with one or two friends at a time. In the morning, the door to the bus opens and discharges its occupants in a noisy, jostling mass. Academic classes are dominated by group discussions in which a teacher prods him to speak up. He eats lunch in the cacophonous din of the cafeteria, where he has to jockey for a place at a crowded table. Worst of all, there’s little time to think or create. The structure of the day is almost guaranteed to sap his energy rather than stimulate it.” (p. 253)

That is not to say that we should reshape our schools solely in the image of the introvert. There are aspects of their preferred learning style that we should probably better incorporate into our instruction, but we can also prepare them for how to better adapt to extroverted settings by providing them with a few things:

Purpose: Cain stresses that people can and do act out of character when it’s for something their passionate about. So if we’re asking our introverted students to participate in a debate or an large group project, we need to make sure we’ve laid the groundwork on why this topic and activity are meaningful.

Balance: With that said, you can only act out of character for so long until your energy tank runs out. Therefore when we’re looking at our units, we should pay attention to the scope and sequence of not just the topics, but the types of activities. After a raucous activity heavy on collaboration, we should consider a reflective activity focusing on critical thinking.

Restorative Niches: Do we have spaces in our schools and classrooms that encourage quiet contemplation? Cain stresses that these are essential for introverts to recharge their batteries. If I can brag on my colleague for a minute, this is something that our Media Specialist Amy Myers has expertly built into her space. She perfectly blends the needs of her extroverted and introverted students, providing communal spaces where groups can collaborate alongside cozy little nooks where a student can escape into a book.

Understanding: Studies show that the amygdala (the part of the brain that controls emotions) is more excitable in introverts, so they can be overstimulated by new experiences or things. Cain stresses that “introverts react not only to new people, but also to new places and events. So don’t mistake your child’s caution in new situations for an inability to relate to others. He’s recoiling from novelty or overstimulation, not from human contact” (248). We can help mitigate this by consciously preparing our students for any upcoming changes in routines or structures.

Learning, not labeling: Our introverted students need to learn that the particular way their brain wired is not a weakness, but a strength. That despite living in an extroverted society, there are a myriad of ways in which their approach can bring them peace and prosperity. Furthermore, they can pickup skills to help them not only get by but thrive in extroverted settings. But we need to teach them these skills and strategies with the same approach that we would apply to one who needs to brush up on their geometry skills. Cain stresses that “if you want your child to learn these skills, don’t let her hear you call her ‘shy’: she’ll believe the label and experience her nervousness as a fixed trait rather than an emotion she can control. She also knows full well that “shy” is a negative word in our society. Above all, do not shame her for her shyness” (p. 249). Our introverted students are not less than. Nor are our extroverted students. The perfect school and society is one that respects and maximizes the strengths of each.

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Despite being an introvert myself, I recall failing on a number of these points when I was in the classroom. To this day I carry this self-imposed guilt about the way my brain works, feeling pressured to be more gregarious and aggressive. And this came through in my lessons, as I attempted to solve in them the deficits I saw in myself. I would come home from school completely drained, and about half of my students probably did so as well. I wish I had read Susan Cain’s book a decade ago, as I might have found a few more generals in my students, and a little more self-acceptance in myself.

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If you’re feeling the cabin fever of this extra-long weekend, consider picking up a copy of Quiet, or checking out her Ted Talk below. It’s a tremendous read.