Behavior management has long been a challenge for teachers in general, but there has been a lack of research on behavior management through the lens of personality type, such as introversion. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the strengths and skills of introverted teachers to facilitate positive behaviors in their classrooms, as well as challenges they encountered. In a semi-structured interview, five teachers from a school district in the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan were presented with a specific set of questions (See Appendix C) targeting their experiences in behavior management as introverted teachers. The results highlighted the teachers’ unique traits of establishing positive relationships with their students coupled with firm expectations. Such combination could inform teacher training, focusing on the best methods employed by introverted personality types. The challenges these interviewed teachers faced revealed themselves to be the expense of energy required to socialize and be in continual contact with people. Additionally, the introverted teachers experienced discrimination as described by Smith et al (2018) as professionals in a world that promotes an extraverted ideal. Recommendations are put forward that school administrators should seek to recognize the unique needs and assets of introverted teachers to retain a diverse workforce. Environments that are supportive to both introverted and extraverted teachers should be provided that assist collegial understanding to promote positive professional development and mental health support.
","abstract_html":"<p>Behavior management has long been a challenge for teachers in general, but there has been a lack of research on behavior management through the lens of personality type, such as introversion. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the strengths and skills of introverted teachers to facilitate positive behaviors in their classrooms, as well as challenges they encountered. In a semi-structured interview, five teachers from a school district in the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan were presented with a specific set of questions (See Appendix C) targeting their experiences in behavior management as introverted teachers. The results highlighted the teachers’ unique traits of establishing positive relationships with their students coupled with firm expectations. Such combination could inform teacher training, focusing on the best methods employed by introverted personality types. The challenges these interviewed teachers faced revealed themselves to be the expense of energy required to socialize and be in continual contact with people. Additionally, the introverted teachers experienced discrimination as described by Smith et al (2018) as professionals in a world that promotes an extraverted ideal. Recommendations are put forward that school administrators should seek to recognize the unique needs and assets of introverted teachers to retain a diverse workforce. Environments that are supportive to both introverted and extraverted teachers should be provided that assist collegial understanding to promote positive professional development and mental health support.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hamel, Bambi A"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Education Specialist","degree_level":"Education Specialist","degree_discipline":"Education, Leadership and Public Service","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Bethney Bergh"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2025-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:24:38Z","subjects":["introversion","teachers","behavior management","phenomenological","relationship-building","extroverted ideal","personality","Adult and Continuing Education","Adult and Continuing Education Administration","Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Psychology","Higher Education Administration","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching","Psychology","Secondary Education and Teaching","Social Psychology","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/908","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Bethney Bergh"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hamel, Bambi A"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-10-04T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education, Leadership and Public Service"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Education Specialist"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Education Specialist"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["introversion","teachers","behavior management","phenomenological","relationship-building","extroverted ideal","personality","Adult and Continuing Education","Adult and Continuing Education Administration","Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Psychology","Higher Education Administration","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching","Psychology","Secondary Education and Teaching","Social Psychology","Teacher Education and Professional Development"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/908"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Behavior management has long been a challenge for teachers in general, but there has been a lack of research on behavior management through the lens of personality type, such as introversion. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the strengths and skills of introverted teachers to facilitate positive behaviors in their classrooms, as well as challenges they encountered. In a semi-structured interview, five teachers from a school district in the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan were presented with a specific set of questions (See Appendix C) targeting their experiences in behavior management as introverted teachers. The results highlighted the teachers’ unique traits of establishing positive relationships with their students coupled with firm expectations. Such combination could inform teacher training, focusing on the best methods employed by introverted personality types. The challenges these interviewed teachers faced revealed themselves to be the expense of energy required to socialize and be in continual contact with people. Additionally, the introverted teachers experienced discrimination as described by Smith et al (2018) as professionals in a world that promotes an extraverted ideal. Recommendations are put forward that school administrators should seek to recognize the unique needs and assets of introverted teachers to retain a diverse workforce. Environments that are supportive to both introverted and extraverted teachers should be provided that assist collegial understanding to promote positive professional development and mental health support.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF INTROVERTED TEACHERS"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Bethney Bergh"],"dc:creator":["Hamel, Bambi A"],"dc:date.available":["2025-10-04T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Behavior management has long been a challenge for teachers in general, but there has been a lack of research on behavior management through the lens of personality type, such as introversion. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the strengths and skills of introverted teachers to facilitate positive behaviors in their classrooms, as well as challenges they encountered. In a semi-structured interview, five teachers from a school district in the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan were presented with a specific set of questions (See Appendix C) targeting their experiences in behavior management as introverted teachers. The results highlighted the teachers’ unique traits of establishing positive relationships with their students coupled with firm expectations. Such combination could inform teacher training, focusing on the best methods employed by introverted personality types. The challenges these interviewed teachers faced revealed themselves to be the expense of energy required to socialize and be in continual contact with people. Additionally, the introverted teachers experienced discrimination as described by Smith et al (2018) as professionals in a world that promotes an extraverted ideal. Recommendations are put forward that school administrators should seek to recognize the unique needs and assets of introverted teachers to retain a diverse workforce. Environments that are supportive to both introverted and extraverted teachers should be provided that assist collegial understanding to promote positive professional development and mental health support.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/908"],"dc:subject":["introversion","teachers","behavior management","phenomenological","relationship-building","extroverted ideal","personality","Adult and Continuing Education","Adult and Continuing Education Administration","Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Psychology","Higher Education Administration","Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching","Psychology","Secondary Education and Teaching","Social Psychology","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"dc:title":["A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF INTROVERTED TEACHERS"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Education, Leadership and Public Service"],"thesis:degree_level":["Education Specialist"],"thesis:degree_name":["Education Specialist"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:24:38Z"}