Personality Tests for Your Paraprofessionals (and you!)

Working Relationships

I'm talking to those special education teachers with one or more paraprofessionals in your room.  I've quickly learned that your paraprofessionals can make or break your classroom. A great paraprofessional is a God send, and one who isn't so great can completely turn the tide of your classroom. Learning how to lead and to work as a team simultaneously is tricky enough - but there may be some ways to make it easier, starting with learning about who they are.

16 Personalities

Having multiple adults in the room can sure feel like there are 16 personalities, but that isn't what this is about. Before you categorize me as one of "those", hear me out! Out of curiosity, I took a free personality test at https://www.16personalities.com/. The test took 5-10 minutes and when I tell you the results were thorough, the results were THOROUGH. I was actually quite impressed that it contained so much information for a free test. So - I had my paraprofessionals take it too! At this point, I'm quite close with my paraprofessionals so I already know them very well but it was still very eye opening. It was information I could have definitely utilized a few years ago! 

These women are worth their weight in gold!

One of the best sections in the results is the "Workplace Habits" section. It can give you - as the "leader", a great deal of insight about your team - and insights about yourself.   We all read each others' results and were all dumbfounded with how accurate they were. It was beneficial for all of our working relationships (and personal as well). For example, my personality type (INFP), had this to say about my leadership habits:

As managers, INFPs are among the least likely to seem like managers – their egalitarian attitudes lend respect to every subordinate, preferring communication as human beings than as a boss/employee opposition. People with the INFP personality type are flexible, open-minded and give their subordinates the tools they need, be they responsible delegation or an intuitive and receptive sounding board, to get the job done. Keeping their eyes on the horizon, INFPs set goals that achieve a desirable end, and help the people working under them to make that happen.

There is a downside to this style, as sometimes the boss just needs to be the boss. INFPs know how they feel about criticism, and are reluctant to subject others to that same experience, whether it’s needed or even welcome. Further complicating this role, when INFPs are under stress, as when someone really does warrant criticism, they can become extremely emotional – they may not show it, but it can affect their judgment, or even cause them to withdraw inwards, in ways that can really hold back their team.

Everyone agreed this matched me, so I had some reflecting to do on my "downsides". It was actually very eye opening. One of the hardest things to do is to really reflect on your weaknesses. It's easy to get wrapped up in your strengths. 

It takes more effort and dedication to identify and work on your weaknesses. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean you become a different person. What it means is that you understand your weaknesses and do what you are comfortable with to compensate for those weaknesses. Don't forget, what is perceived as a weakness in one setting may be perceived as a strength in another. Your weaknesses do not make you any less, they merely help shape who you are as an individual.

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Western Governors University Making Dreams Possible

Modest Beginnings

I come from a very modest background. We were a working-class family in a low-income area. My parents worked right out of high school. There were times that even at a young age I knew we were struggling, but we were blessed in that we never felt hunger, we never worried about where we would be living, and most importantly we never felt unloved.

Mom, Jere (my brother) and me!

Dad and me; he started me on gaming early!

I knew early on that there were many wants I could not have and everything I had, I had to earn. I admit it wasn't without drawbacks. At the time, I felt jealousy. As a teenager, I can remember being angry when I compared what I had to what my friends had and how I had to work to get those things. As a 27-year-old, "things" are quickly losing their value. As a 27-year-old, I'm grateful for my upbringing. I was gifted something that many do not achieve in their lifetime. I was given the gift of perseverance, determination, respect, humbleness.

My parents always pushed me to do more, to do better. I did well in school and they knew they could push me to further my education. I never once thought I wouldn't go to school after high school. I'd be the first in my family to further my education because as modest as my upbringing was, my parents' upbringing was even more so and they did all they could to give me the building blocks to keep going. I had eyes set on a Ph.D.

A Millenial Cliche

I attended a community college for the first two years and earned my Associate of Arts in English and Psychology. I then went on to graduate from Georgian Court University, a wonderful, small school on a beautiful campus. I had no more than ten other students in each class. As an aside, I'd recommend them in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a small, humble environment.

https://georgian.edu/

I began my teaching career in 2014 with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Elementary Education, along with my teacher of students with disabilities endorsement. I was hired not long after graduating, a gift in and of itself. Still, I, like many, graduated with almost $50,000 in student loan debt, and that was after I received a good amount of funding from scholarships and grants (about $10,000 or so, to be exact).

I worked while attending school and commuted to class. I paid for what I could but the interest was like a black hole. Some of my loans had a 12-16% interest rate and had grown phenomenally since I started school. When my deferment period ended, I was left with a (minimum) $700/month student loan payment. I'm not sure if you know, but teachers don't make much. $700 was almost 30% of my take-home pay. I still had to keep a roof over my head and food in my stomach. My goals of grad school were seemingly abolished. There was no way I could afford to be in any more debt when I was struggling to pay off what I had.

Truth be told, I hunkered down (and am still "hunkering").  Granted, I still don't have many "things" but I never worry about bills being paid or food being on the table. I've managed to pay of $20,000 in two years (I'll do another post and link to this one on how I've done this with some financial tips I wish I knew before starting school).

I still have over half to go but I've been chugging along. I've been asked a few times about going to grad school but my answer has always been, "I'd love to but just can't afford it." Or, "I'd love to, but I'm still paying student loans." It's disheartening. I'm getting older, I'll want to start a family soon. I had given up on the idea of going to grad school. Besides finances, I was already short on time and just plain tired whenever I did have any. Not only was/am I a millennial cliche, but a teacher cliche as well. Overworked, overtired, and paycheck to paycheck.

WGU to the Rescue

I can't remember how I first came across Western Governor's University - perhaps an ad in Facebook was listening to someone ask me the previous questions haha (but not really). I saw them around 2016 and it was something in the back of my mind that would pop up every so often. I knew they were online and that it would work with my schedule. This past year around June/July I started to really look into them. What I saw left me in disbelief. Around $3,000 for six months of (unlimited) credits. No pay $500 per credit like the other schools I had researched. $3000, flat fee, everything you can fit in six months time. There have been people to complete programs in the first six months! Fully accredited (believe me, I checked with my district and researched like crazy). They had an exact program I wanted (M. Ed. Learning Design & Technology). It was all too good to be true, there had to be a catch. I decided to make the call.

Guess what. There's no catch. It's all real. They're extremely professional and there are loads of student services in place to maximize student success. I applied, was accepted, and I started September 1st (that's flexible, too). So far, I'm loving my experience. I've just wrapped up my fourth course with two months to go before my first semester ends. I'm hoping to finish another 2-3 before then! Last month, I received a WGU Excellence Award. Talk about a confidence booster. Here I was not even six months ago dragging my feet about not being able to achieve this goal. Now I'm enrolled, kicking a** and receiving an Excellence Award to boot!

I can't stress enough how much you should check them out if you're thinking of going back to school. If you're interested in learning more, check out this referral link:  https://www.wgu.edu/landing/referfriend4

For now, I'm off to make dinner!

Jess

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Introduction

Here it is, my first post!

I've finally decided to begin my blogging journey, and what better way to start than introducing myself? My name is Jess Horner and I'm 27-years young. I am a teacher, nature and wildlife enthusiast, dog (and all other pets) lover, a motorsports driver, a hobbyist photographer, a fantasy nerd, a mediocre at best cook, and an avid dreamer. Through this blog, I hope to inspire and be inspired in all facets of my life.

Profession

I have been teaching special education (severe learning and language disabilities) for four years now. To say I love my job would be an understatement. I teach a group of second, third and fourth-grade students who I come to love as my own. My students are so amazing and unique in their own ways and I am truly blessed to be a part of their lives for as long as I am. I work with three paraprofessionals who are like family to me. Through this blog I hope to network and provide second-hand experience to other teachers, specialists and parents. I've linked my Teachers Pay Teachers account to the blog to begin sharing great resources. There's not much there just yet, but there will be! I, personally, have been extremely grateful for so many resources on there!

In addition to my day to day, I also lead my school's Technology Committee. I have a high interest in ed-tech, especially when it comes to assistive devices and augmentative communication devices for students with special needs. This year we became Future Ready Certified (which was a TON of work!). This was especially fantastic because our school is a Title I school, meaning we are below a certain socio-economic level. My interest in ed-tech has become so strong that I've even begun going back to school for my Master's in Learning & Technology through Western Governor's University. As an aside, for anyone considering them I HIGHLY recommend them. I've had nothing but positive experiences during my first semester and the price can't be beaten!

I linked my Twitter (which I solely use for my professional life) to the blog to show some of the cool things we do in class!t

Hobbies

These are the topics I mostly plan to write about, so I've decided to introduce them as well!

Nature

Originally I planned to be the female, American Steve Irwin. I genuinely cried for days when he passed on. Unfortunately (but forunately) the stars didn't align and I am where I am today. Given the opportunity, I would live in the middle of the forest in a tiny log cabin with a tiny farm surrounded by the things I love most. I grew up in a small town in South Jersey and for those familiar with the pine barrens, I affectionately call myself a "piney". Being in the woods is in my very DNA. I spent countless hours romping through unchartered territory of the NJ pines with my dog, Kali. Kali girl is waiting over the rainbow bridge for me to come romp in the woods again, but until then I enjoy the endless memories we made together.

Kali, my childhood companion.

Though some may call my childhood unconventional, I'm grateful for every moment of it. When I moved out of the pines I was desperate to find something to fill that void, often going through small bouts of depression as a result. Eventually, I became hooked on hiking as a way to get my fix. In the warmer weather it's not uncommon to find me with a fishing pole. 

Jett and I traversing the Black River County Park (Gorge Trail) in NJ.

Most of my photography comes from those hikes and small adventures. I will be sharing and posting photos of past and present adventures here, and making pieces of those experiences available through my Redbubble site! You can also find galleries shared in the "Gallery" section of the blog. 

Fantasy Nerdism

Ok, I am officially publicly admitting that I am a HUGE nerd. I greatly enjoy fantasy series, especially ones set in Middle Ages.  I can get completely immersed in other worlds through reading and gaming alike. Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Farseer, and (of course) Potter....Witcher, Skyrim...just to name a few worlds that have captivated me completely. When it comes to gaming, I prefer single player, story rich RPG's. Seriously, Witcher 3 blew my mind! I added a "Currently Reading" widget to the home page. Right now it's "Ship of Magic" by Robin Hobb. I couldn't get enough of the Farseer Trilogy and had to keep going! I'll throw up a review once I'm finished!

Cooking

So, my kitchen is decked out in Harry Potter decor. Though that doesn't make my cooking magical, I do try to do a lot of experimenting! Admittedly, I used to loathe the idea of cooking. I am still on unsteady ground with it. For some reason, though, I find myself trying new recipes multiple times a week. It may have something to do with my significant other's love for good food. Love makes us do crazy things 😉. I tend to veer towards flavor-packed meals, mostly vegetarian but we do have meat maybe once a week or so, so those will be mixed in as well! In the future, I would like to post recipe walkthroughs and reviews.

Breakfast this morning was pancakes and leftovers from last night's "Rösti Casserole with Baked Eggs"!

Motorsports

That feeling when you get your FTD! Really missing the warm autocross weather on this cold, rainy day. #GE3KSPDMotorsports | #FiestaST

A post shared by Jess (@ladyge3kspd) on Feb 12, 2017 at 8:30am PST

I'm often questioned about my career choice and my hobby choice, financially anyway. I admit I probably didn't think that one through, but I'm still pretty happy with both. For stress relief, I autocross my 2015 Fiesta ST. Long story short, I love the sport and I love my car. My instagram is filled with posts just about my car.  It's off season right now to give my tires a chance to cool, but when April rolls around it's game on! For now, click on the photo for a fun article about my first season of autocross...

Photo by: Scott Terrace

Wrap Up

Thanks for sticking around this far! I hope the introduction has explained a little about who I am and where I plan to take this blog. I am excited to get learn, share and be inspired!

Ciao!

Jess