| Some studies have suggested that the personality characteristics of teachers impact early career success, interpersonal skills, relationships, and length of tenure; however, the personality assessment used in these studies has been criticized for its rigid types and unclear language. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative case study was to determine what common personality characteristics existed among highly effective teachers when assessed within the conceptual framework of the Big Five model of personality and its simpler terminology. Participants completed the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), a recurring language-driven personality test with established reliability and validity, to determine a descriptive personality profile of teachers judged to be superior by their peers. Accordingly, the sample of highly effective teachers included 17 of the 56 National Teacher of the Year candidates for 2009. Compared against the NEO-FFI normative data, participants demonstrated very high Extroversion, high Agreeableness, high Conscientiousness, average Openness and low Neuroticism. This profile remained stable when compared across elementary/secondary teaching environments and years of experience as a teacher. These results present a personality profile of effective teachers and their propensity to demonstrate individual characteristics without defining them by type. Thus, the study can contribute to positive social change by informing curriculum within teacher education programs and in-service training opportunities to model and encourage classroom teaching behaviors which have been demonstrated to be related to truly effective teachers. |
