Introducing the animal kingdom--it's a jungle out there! (Pedagogy Saturday VI).

Keith Golay, speaker

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far-away.--Henry David Thoreau

Science tells us that people are not as similar as we previously thought. It is now recognized that each of us has a particular genetic wiring which determines our temperament traits, our level of intelligence and our physical constitution. It is our temperament traits that determine the way we think, act, want and feel. These traits determine our special talents, emotional needs and the type of life we will find to be satisfying and fulfilling. These traits also determine our learning style and our teaching style. It is also understood that our environment does not determine who we are, but it can enhance or hinder the development of our temperament.

The study of temperament type (Keirsey, "Please Understand Me, II") shows people fall into four genetically determined types: The impulsive, spontaneous Artisans; the responsible, rule-governed Guardians; the analytic, theoretical Rationals; and the romantic, diplomatic Idealists. Each type presents a recognizable pattern of behavior.

According to Keirsey, the type of role one plays in relationship to one's family and one's peer group is related to the type of character one has. If you have any question about whether people do indeed have recognizable roles or styles of interacting, think of the times when you have looked at someone and said, "What's wrong with that person?" I have met many parents who say about one of the children: "He certainly is not like us," or "Where did this kid come from?"

Keirsey also states that as long as people are made to feel worthwhile, as long as significant others treat them in a manner that creates a sense of pride in who they are, people are productive and healthy. However, when people fail to do or be something they expect of themselves, they feel ashamed and thus inferior. At this point their behavior may become unproductive. And, depending on one's particular genetic make-up, the person will respond to the lack of a sense of being worthwhile and the feeling of being inferior in a way that is consistent with their character structure.

The following are abbreviated versions of Keirsey's types:

The Artisan Type. These people are impulsive. They want to be impulsive, for to be impulsive is to be alive. They value their impulses and enjoy feeling them and discharging them. These people also hunger for stimulation. They take great chances in order to gain the rush. The Artisan refuses to be tied down, and if they become burdened with responsibilities, if they feel life is too binding, they can become restless and have the urge to escape. This type is also the great performer. Whether in fine arts, performing arts, individual sports, hunters, gamblers--all these actions come from excited concentration.

The Artisan Child is highly active, easily excitable, likes taking risks and getting into mischief. They are playful and fun, and bold and daring. They constantly test the limits, and they want to be free to roam. Keirsey has labeled the Artisan Parent as a "Liberator." They take a hands-off approach and give their kids a great deal of freedom in what they can do. This parent is permissive and tends to be lenient. They under-supervise their children and can be impulsive and inconsistent with their parenting.

Some famous people of this type are Chopin, John Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Marilyn Monroe, Evil Knevil, Elvis, John DeLoren, Michael Jordon and Tara Lipinski.

The Guardian Type. These people are responsible, stable and reliable. They seek to do what is expected and enjoy fulfilling their duty. They want to belong and act to establish and preserve social units. They are givers not receivers. They are the caretaker, not the cared for. They are as steady as a rock. Guardians are realistic, practical, reliable, protective and helpful to others. They are pessimistic about the future and tend to expect that "if something can go wrong, it will." For this reason, they have a "be prepared" attitude.

The Guardian Child is a conformer and is usually seen as a "good" child. They like to know what is expected and enjoy following the rules. They tend to be a good helper around the house and don't mind chores as much as other types. Keirsey calls the Guardian Parent the "Socializer." This parent focuses on teaching their kids to be responsible and respectful and to be good citizens. They expect their children to do what they are told, and to adhere to social standards. They tend to be overly corrective and directive. They encourage conformity and create routines and schedules for the kids.

Some famous people of this type are George Washington, Mother Teresa, Jimmy Stewart, Richard Nixon, Nancy Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Betty Ford.

The Rational Type. These people have a competence hunger. They want to be intelligent, to be able to do things well under varying circumstances. They get hooked on storing up wisdom. They want insight into problems and are thrilled with problem solving. This person is always looking for the most efficient and effective way to do things. Preferring such actions as inventing and planning, this type become great inventors and great thinkers.

The Rational Child shows a hunger for knowledge, is highly curious and has unending questions of "Why?" This child is calm and emotionally cool. They are tough minded, autonomous and strong willed. They question the limits and want logical reasons for those limits. Keirsey calls the Rational Parent the "Individuator." This parent takes a very rational and reasonable approach to parenting. They desire to increase each child's repertoire of capabilities and stimulate self-reliance.

Some famous people of this type are Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Edison, McArthur, Einstein, Bill Gates and Hillary Clinton.

The Idealist Type. These people do not live in a world of actions, or responsibilities, or competencies to be acquired; rather, they live in the world of people and relationships. They hunger to have deep and meaningful relationships. They strive to be sincere and to communicate with others in an empathic manner. Idealist types search for their unique identity. To be one of the crowd, just one of the gang, a grain of sand on the beach is a fate worse than death. The Idealist needs to feel special, valued for their unique qualities, to have significance, to have a sense of being worthwhile.

The Idealist Child is receptive, friendly, sensitive and emotionally intense. They require a great deal of time and attention from their parents. They care deeply about family members and are easily affected by how others treat them. They are enthusiastic and extremely curious about life. This child enjoys fantasy and will engage in imaginative play. Keirsey calls the Idealist Parent the "Harmonizer." These parents form close, harmonious relationships with their children. They try to bring out the best qualities of each child. They provide enriching experiences for their kids and give a great deal of time and effort to their children.

Some famous people of this type are Eleanor Roosevelt, Gandhi, Krishnamurti, Carl Rogers, Maslow, William Glasser, Bill Cosby, Shirley MacLaine, Michael J. Fox, Jane Fonda and Joseph Campbell.

Implications for Teaching and Learning

Not so long ago, all students were thought to be more similar than different and were all taught in the same manner. Now, with the study of character and temperament, we realize to be successful teachers need to take into consideration the temperament and learning style of each student, and they need to realize how their own temperament traits impact their teaching style.

The basic idea is that teaching and learning is a type of interaction the result of which is that the learner acquires new or improved behavior. It is up to the teacher to interact with the student in such a manner that the student achieves. It is up to the teacher to provide those instructional methods, materials, motivational techniques, props, etc. that activate learning. When this is done in a manner that is compatible with the student's personality and learning style, success improves significantly.

Let us look briefly at the learning style of each type. Those of you who have attended one of my workshops will recognize the four animals. Early on, I discovered that the icon is a very useful tool for communicating information. I chose these four animals to represent each of the types. It seems to help people remember the different types, and the use of the animals can be fun. The Artisan is the "Ape," the Guardian is the "Bear," the Rational is the "Owl" and the Idealist is the "Dolphin."

As a student, the Artisan-Ape needs a great deal of physical movement and novelty. They need stimulation and variation. They easily become bored. They prefer action roles like that of the entertainer and operator. If caught by an activity, like playing the piano, they will practice for hours on end. It is this unending action that leads them to becoming outstanding performers.

This student also likes contest and competition, and this natural interest should be utilized by their teacher. They are likely to make the lesson a playful experience. They like to show off because it is exhilarating to them. They are the classic class clown. They don't do homework assignments just because the teacher says to. They will do what they enjoy doing and only do what others want them to do when they perceive a payoff for doing it.

The Guardian-Bear student tends to be cooperative and conforming. They learn early to do what the teacher asks and desire to meet the teacher's expectations. They like skill and drill and follow routine. This piano student likes to practice scales and will find comfort in knowing exactly what to do. This is not a student who will do well at improvisation. They can be excellent in learning the mechanics of a piece of music and can play it exactly as it is written on paper, but if they are required to interpret what is to be done, they will become insecure and uncertain.

The Rational-Owl student is calm, cool and collected by nature. They like to learn, and want to know how to do things and to know about things. This learner is skeptical and takes nothing for granted, not on faith, nor will they simply accept something on the basis of authority. They seek a reasonable explanation for things. They want to know the most efficient path to reach their goal. They seek to know useful actions and convincing reasons for actions. As a piano student this person will want to know specific techniques and understand why things are done the way they are. This student needs clear answers to his/her questions if he/she is to value the teacher's instruction.

As a student the Idealist-Dolphin is cooperative and interested in doing what the teacher requests. This student wants a harmonious relationship with the teacher and other students. They want to be recognized as unique and someone who is special. They want to be liked and to get along with others. This student tends to be enthusiastic and likes to learn to express themselves. Music becomes a way for self-expression. This student is easily bored with routine and with the skill and drill that is so valued by the Guardian. This student will learn best if the teacher takes time to talk with this student in a personal manner and shows an interest in the student's life outside the studio.

The personality of the student, however, is only half the equation. Teachers also have their character, which determines their style of teaching. They are also Apes, Bears, Owls and Dolphins. And despite the years of indoctrination received in teacher education, after a year or two out in the field teachers revert to teaching in ways that are compatible with their personality. Terrific if you happen to be the same temperament as the teacher. But what happens if you're not? Trouble is what happens. The student's learning suffers, and the teacher's success rate lowers.

I call the Ape teacher the Experiantialist. This teacher takes the position that one becomes skillful with experience. In fact, experience is considered the best teacher. The idea is in order to learn it, you have to do it. You learn by doing. This music teacher will focus on improving the student's performance. This teacher encourages students to play with ease and grace. This teacher will give lots of confidence-building statements like, "You're the best." The more expressive teachers will be playful with students.

The Bear teacher is the Traditionalist. They follow standards that are handed down. They utilize a body of teaching material and procedures that has stood the "test of time." To this teacher, tradition is authority. Their charge is to transfer from one generation to the next the understandings and skills that were taught to them. This teacher focuses on students learning information and will utilize the teaching method of explanation more than demonstration.

The Owl teacher is the Pragmatist. This teacher is very practical and logical in their approach. They focus on assisting students in reaching their goals. They encourage students to set their own expectations. This teacher focuses on using those teaching approaches that best fit each student and will use innovation whenever possible. This teacher wants to help each student increase his or her repertoire of capabilities. They also want to help each student to become a self-reliant learner.

The Dolphin teacher is the Catalyst. A catalyst causes an action between two or more persons. This teacher focuses on bringing out the best in each student by developing a personal relationship with students. This teacher is naturally empathetic toward students and easily gives encouragement. Like the Rationalist, this teacher tries to match instruction to the student. They are willing to use all sorts of aids to help students get involved and learn.

Understanding both your teaching style and your student's learning pattern can put success within your grasp. Of course, there are many other variables which will affect your teaching results. And, each variable needs to be looked at in terms of how it applies to each type of learner. For instance, does the room where you teach have a table so you can interact with students face to face, or do you spend all your time at the piano? Do you use such props as audio or video recorders, or a piano keyboard? The video recorder is an outstanding tool for showing the student his posture, or whether or not s/he holds his hands properly.

Intimately related to this is the vital question of, "How do I get students to practice at home, to do their homework?" A most important topic since most of a student's playing is not done in the presence of the teacher. The problem of errorless practice is an important one to solve.

In closing, I would like for each of you to consider that if a student's music lesson is incompatible with his/her learning style, achievement drops, and, if the lesson is compatible, the student's achievement increases, as does motivation. It's easy to teach when you have a student like yourself. That's because, directly or indirectly, you encourage him or her to be the way they are, and you will provide instruction which matches that student. But most music teachers do not have that "luxury." In a nutshell, you can't force the student to fit the program--you've got to make the program fit the student.

Keith Golay is the creator of the "Temperament Teaching Model," and the author of the book Learning Patterns & Temperament Styles. He can be contacted by e-mail at [e-mail], by calling [phone] or by writing to Fullerton Behavioral Health Center, 100 W. Valencia Mesa Dr. #203, Fullerton, CA 92835.

Andrew Hisey, Commentator

In my piano pedagogy courses over the years, students have been exposed to the ideas of Keith Golay, a familiar presenter and the author of Learning Patterns & Temperament Styles (1982). While students often resist the notion of categorizing or typing people, the underlying foundation of such an exercise is a valid one, leading to a closer analysis of teacher and student and a more careful exploration of the best ways of communicating, motivating and engaging students in the learning process. Even for one-on-one music teaching situations, where first impulse dictates reliance upon experience, observation, intuition and perception of the moment, an understanding of character traits and connotative labels to describe them can provide a great start to leading the "examined" life of teaching and learning.

As a backdrop for his thoughts, Golay reviewed with us the efforts of Freud, Sullivan, Adler and Maslow to see all humans as driven by desire or need for, respectively, pleasure, solidarity, competence or self-actualization. Each of them may have been partially right. Their thinking may have been flawed only in their wish to place all humans in the same category. Instead, using Golay's animal icons, our world is peopled with a mix of Freud's apes, Sullivan's bears, Adler's owls and Maslow's dolphins. Humans differences, how we think, act, want and feel, may well be "hard wired."

Golay's menagerie of apes, bears, owls and dolphins may not have changed much over the years, but his presentation, interwoven with personal and family anecdotes, elucidated his thoughts effectively. He has added to their resonance by discussing how each type functions as parent and teacher, not just as a learner.

"Apes" (Keirsey's sensory-perceptive temperament), Golay dubs "artisan" learners. They learn through action and intense concentration, following their impulses. They are playful, bold and value their freedom and sense of self-determination. As parents, Golay and Keirsey call the apes "liberators"; as teachers they are "experientialists." An ape's natural approach to teaching focuses on the doing and allows experience to be the primary teacher. Intuitively, these teachers will emphasize problem solving, skill building, performance and confidence development.

"Bears" (sensory-judgmental) are the "guardian" types. Responsible and reliable, these individuals care about belonging, knowing what is expected of them and fulfilling those expectations. "Bear" parents are concerned with respect and responsibility, routine and obedience, cooperation and conformity. Keirsey names them "socializers." Golay's descriptor for the "bear" teacher is "traditionalist." Her natural choice of materials will be the tried-and-true; her approach to teaching will reflect the desire to transfer traditional understanding and skills to a new generation.

"Owls" (intuitive-thinking) are "rationalists" who want to understand why and how things are as they are. Problem solving, inventing, planning and critical thinking characterize this type. As parents, Keirsey gives the title "individuator" to the owls; as teachers they are "pragmatists." Practicality and logic, innovation and self-reliance are these teachers' concerns. They individualize their approach to help each student set and meet his own expectations.

After audience members assessed their own type by using a shortened "Keirsey Sorter," we discovered that a disproportionately large number of us were bears and dolphins. "Dolphins" (intuitive-feeling) are the "idealists." Their world is built upon human relationships; they seek fully to experience their own uniqueness and care deeply about others. As parents, Keirsey calls them "harmonizers;" as teachers, Golay calls them "catalysts." By developing relationships with students, "dolphin" teachers seek to bring out each student's best. They are empathetic, encouraging and intently observant.

The rub in teaching, of course, comes when a teacher of one type works with students of other types. One's "natural" approach does not work equally well with all students. I believe strongly that the value in Golay's work lies in the imperative it places on us to take the time to observe ourselves as teachers and our students as individuals. Golay responded to a skeptical question by encouraging us to view his outline as a map. If it makes us better observers and teachers and takes us toward our goal, it has achieved its purpose. If not, it can be reworked or discarded as we search for better ways of understanding.

Part of our task as teachers may be to help students expand their repertoire of learning skills, to escape the limitations of default modes of learning. Another part may be to adjust our own natural approaches to accommodate students who aren't our type. Certainly, environment and experience can add layers of new attitudes, learning skills and flexibility, but essential characteristics, like the core of a mature tree, remain unchanged. Making the effort and taking the time to know our own core and that of our students can be a powerful tool in functioning as teachers and as humans.

Andrew Hisey is associate professor of music at the Oberlin Conservatory. Hisey created Oberlin's Piano Lab program and co-directs the National Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy Forum.

Ruth Burrow, student commentator

At one time or another, we all have adjectivally associated someone with an animal characteristic, with either a positive or negative connotation, but I don't know many who initially would find such identification useful for pedagogical advancement. I admit, the idea of looking at my students as apes, dolphins, bears and owls seemed a bit superfluous at first, but in his session, Introducing the Animal Kingdom-It's a Jungle Out There!, Keith Golay brought a whole new meaning to the idea of understanding our students by way of the animal kingdom. In his opening comments, Golay, an educational consultant/trainer and practicing psychologist, shared a quote by Henry David Thoreau:

   If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he
   hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music, which he hears,
   however measured or far away.

This statement poignantly summarized his underlying theme: People are fundamentally different. Certainly, no one would disagree with this statement. Yet, in approaching our students, it can be a challenge, particularly for young teachers, like myself, to get into what I like to call the "one-method-fits-all" mode. This simplistic approach will leave one frustrated with those who do not fit the mold, as well as create a detrimental condition for the student's growth processes.

Looking at the grand learning theories of the last century, particularly within the last few decades, Golay points out that we have difficulty approaching people's differences. We all are aware of the universal friction between the power of nature versus nurture and the epistemological and educational impact of the psychoanalytical perspectives of Freud, Sullivan, Adler and Maslow. In effect, these varying opinions have brought us to a place where educators often attempt to make students fit a universal mold rather than making molds to fit the student. Problems often arise due to mismatched teaching and learning styles. Accepting every student's fundamental differences in his or her approach to and reception of information will facilitate the appropriate learning conditions for the student and drastically improve the student-teacher relationship.

To nurture and draw out the best in each individual, a teacher must understand the fundamental differences in one's "wiring." Based on the concepts and temperament theories in David Keirsey's Please Understand Me, II, Golay has created a menagerie of icons characterizing temperament identities to assist pedagogues in assessing and more effectively approaching student differences in a realistic and pragmatic manner. Within the Keirsey/Golay classification, Golay illustrated four "genetically determined" character types: the Artisan/Ape, spontaneous, competitive and impulsive; the rule-governed Guardian/Bear, structured, routine and responsible; the Rational/Owl, analytic, theoretical and problem solving; and the Idealist/Dolphin, relational, romantic and sensitive. Golay laid forth in-depth characteristics of these four categories and had the audience take personal inventory. Incidentally, the audience primarily consisted of Bears and Dolphins; of course, there was a handful of Apes and Owls.

Both verbal and the operative communication processes are different with each type. The presentation of information and the motivation tools for each type are very critical. Golay stressed that approaching the student with a desire to understand and facilitate the talent and temperament at his or her core requires openness and flexibility. For instance, while music naturally turns on the Ape, a natural performer, possessing "excited concentration," they have a very low tolerance for being clumsy. Thus, if a teacher does not know how to adequately approach this type of student, this student will quickly drop out. According to Golay, a common mistake of coaches and educators is the desire to direct the high acquisition of a skill to high exposure, exhibition and competition without fully understanding the student's make-up and disposition toward such activities. It is important that teachers recognize and determine the individual's "calling," pointing out that not every student will be a Rubenstien or Heifetz, and the duty of educators is to tailor to each individual's fundamental talents. It is not so much that one type will acquire a given dimension of music and another not--"Dolphins cannot grasp theory; whereas, owls easily understand it."--but the method of presenting the material must be compatible with the student's temperament.

Interestingly, Golay stressed the fact that while this method of classification is a powerful and complex tool, it is not an absolute and all-conclusive answer for developing perfect learning relationships between teachers and students. There will be exceptions, and, ironically, one could get stuck in these temperament criteria as universal standards. Even in the workshop's question-and-answer segment, I heard a few wary comments and questions about pinpointing one's "animal" category. Some, who took these ideas too literally, were obviously nervous about how to deal with those border-dwelling individuals or what to do if you are a Bear and your student is a Dolphin. Golay effectively assured the audience that the temperament teaching method is to be utilized as a map or guide to bring a given "type" to full competency potential. He said to use whatever method best enables the most effective approach to meeting the student's needs and for bringing out the best in them.

Ruth Burrow is completing a B.M. in piano performance and piano pedagogy at Wichita State University, where she is the current president of the MTNA collegiate chapter.