Why do some situations in everyday school life completely throw you off balance, whilst other teachers seem to remain calm?
Why might you find it difficult to say ‘no’, whilst someone else has no trouble setting boundaries?
Why do you want to resolve conflicts as quickly as possible – or feel the need to regain control of a situation at all costs?
Our reactions aren’t just down to what happens. They’re also influenced by the expectations, beliefs and behavioural patterns we bring with us.
This personality test for teachers therefore invites you to try a slightly different perspective:
Which pattern tends to take the upper hand for you most often?
Perhaps you want to please everyone. Perhaps you need a lot of clarity and control. Perhaps you prefer to avoid conflict. Or perhaps you’re quick to feel responsible for everything.
Work it out.
Please note: This test is not a scientifically validated personality test and is no substitute for a psychological assessment. The four teacher types are simplified patterns for self-reflection. They are intended to help you become more aware of your own behaviour in everyday school life.
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Personality test for teachers: What sort of teacher are you?
The test consists of 12 typical situations from everyday school life.
Read each situation and choose the answer that best reflects how you would instinctively behave or think.
Don’t try to find the pedagogically ‘correct’ answer.
It’s not about how a good teacher should react.
It’s about how you actually react.
Here’s how the test works:
For each question, simply write down the number and the letter you’ve chosen – for example, 1A, 2C, 3B.
After question 12, you’ll find a simple answer key.
Important information for interpreting this test
The personality test in this post was developed solely as a prompt for self-reflection for this blog article.
It is not the personality test from my book ‘My Ego is on Holiday’, and the four patterns described here – harmony, control, avoidance and responsibility – do not correspond to the personality types in the book.
If you’re already familiar with ‘My Ego is on Holiday’, you should therefore not equate the two models or apply the results from one to the other. The test on this page stands on its own and is simply intended to help you view typical reactions and behaviour patterns from your everyday school life from a different perspective.
1. A colleague asks you at short notice to take on another task.
You’re actually already quite busy.
A: I’ll probably say yes anyway. I don’t want to let her down.
B: First, I’ll ask exactly what needs to be done and how it should be done.
C: I’m trying not to commit myself straight away and am hoping that another solution will be found.
D: I immediately start thinking about how I might somehow fit in this extra task.
2. A parent strongly criticises your decision.
What’s the first thing that goes through your mind?
A: I immediately think about what else I could do to solve the problem.
B: I wonder whether the parent now thinks badly of me.
C: I want to explain why my decision was the right one and why it makes sense.
D: The situation makes me feel uncomfortable and I want to calm the conversation down as quickly as possible.
3. Your lesson is going completely differently to plan.
A: I wonder what I overlooked when preparing.
B: I improvise and am just glad if we get through the lesson without any major difficulties.
C: I pay particular attention to whether my pupils are still happy with the lesson.
D: It annoys me. I had a plan and want to get the lesson back on track.
4. A pupil is obviously dissatisfied with you.
A: If my decision was objectively correct, I’ll stick to it.
B: I wonder what I could do to improve the situation.
C: This is on my mind. Having a good relationship with my pupils is important to me.
D: I’d like to resolve the tension as quickly as possible.
5. There is a simmering conflict within the teaching staff.
A: As long as I’m not directly involved, I prefer to stay out of it.
B: I try to keep everyone happy as far as possible and not let either side down.
C: I try to mediate and quickly feel a sense of shared responsibility.
D: I’d like to see a frank discussion and a concrete solution.
6. The school management asks who could take on an extra task.
A: I think to myself: ‘After all, someone has to do it.’
B: I’d like to know exactly what’s expected and who’s responsible for what first.
C: If nobody volunteers, I quickly start to feel guilty.
D: I’ll wait and see for now and hope that someone else volunteers.
7. You receive critical feedback on your work.
A: I find criticism unpleasant. I’d prefer not to go into this any further.
B: I immediately start thinking about what I need to improve.
C: I first check whether the criticism is objectively justified at all.
D: What bothers me most is that someone is dissatisfied with me.
8. In the evening, there are still several school-related tasks left undone.
A: Unfinished tasks make it hard for me to switch off. I’d prefer to tick them off the list if possible.
B: I tend to prioritise the things that others might be waiting for.
C: I often end up doing a bit more, even though I’d actually intended to call it a day.
D: I sometimes put off particularly unpleasant tasks until the next day.
9. Someone is disappointed because you said no.
A: I immediately look for an alternative that might still allow me to help.
B: It’s precisely situations like this that make me reluctant to say a firm ‘no’.
C: I quickly start to feel guilty and consider taking back my ‘no’.
D: If my ‘no’ was well-founded, I stick to it – even if the reaction annoys me.
10. A pupil repeatedly provokes you.
A: I want to make it clear what the rules are and that they must be followed.
B: I wonder why we seem unable to get on with one another.
C: I try to give the provocation as little attention as possible and avoid things escalating.
D: I think about what else I could try to get him to change his behaviour.
11. A task within the team isn’t being carried out the way you’d imagined.
A: If in doubt, I’ll take on part of it myself to ensure it works out in the end.
B: I don’t want to upset anyone, so I’ll raise the issue very carefully.
C: I find it hard not to step in when things aren’t going as agreed.
D: I might just let it run its course for now, so as not to start an unnecessary discussion.
12. You’ve had a particularly stressful week at school.
What’s most likely to be on your mind at the weekend?
A: Things immediately spring to mind that I still need to sort out or improve in the coming week.
B: The things that didn’t go as they should have.
C: I don’t want to hear anything more about the problems for the time being.
D: Whether I’ve done justice to everyone.
Results: What sort of teacher are you?
Have you written down your answers, for example 1A, 2C, 3B …?
If so, marking the answers is very simple.
Check your answers to see which of the following combinations you have chosen.
You get one point for each match:
Harmony type
1A · 2B · 3C · 4C · 5B · 6C · 7D · 8B · 9C · 10B · 11B · 12D
Control type
1B · 2C · 3D · 4A · 5D · 6B · 7C · 8A · 9D · 10A · 11C · 12B
Avoidance type
1C · 2D · 3B · 4D · 5A · 6D · 7A · 8D · 9B · 10C · 11D · 12C
Responsibility type
1D · 2A · 3A · 4B · 5C · 6A · 7B · 8C · 9A · 10D · 11A · 12A
Now simply count which row contains the most of your answers.
Example:
Did you choose 1A? → 1 point for ‘Harmony’.
Did you choose 2C? → 1 point for ‘Control’.
Did you choose 3A? → 1 point for ‘Responsibility’.
The type with the most points reveals the pattern that is most evident in your answers.
A close match? Then read through both analyses. Perhaps one pattern is more evident in the classroom, whilst the other is more apparent when dealing with parents, colleagues or the school management.
Let’s take a closer look at your result.
Feel free to read more about strengthening your soft skills here.
Mostly A: The Harmony Type
Relationships are important to you.
You probably have a good sense of how other people are feeling, and you want pupils, parents and colleagues to feel seen and taken seriously when they are with you.
That is a great strength in the teaching profession.
Things can get tricky, however, when a thought that initially seemed helpful changes without you realising it:
From
“Other people are important to me.”
it might then become
“Other people mustn’t be unhappy with me.”
And suddenly, other people’s reactions take on enormous significance.
A pupil is angry with you and, that very evening, you’re still wondering whether you were too strict.
A colleague asks you for help and you say yes, even though you don’t really have the time.
A parent criticises you and afterwards you keep replaying the conversation in your head.
Not necessarily because your decision was wrong.
But because someone was unhappy with you.
Your strength
Empathy, a focus on relationships and a keen sense of others’ needs.
Your potential pitfall
Without realising it, other people’s satisfaction becomes the yardstick for whether you’ve done the right thing.
This can make it difficult to set boundaries or to cope with someone not agreeing with your decision.
Ask yourself:
What would I decide in this situation if I weren’t responsible for ensuring that everyone was happy with my decision?
If you particularly recognise yourself in this, the topic of setting boundaries as a teacher might also be of interest to you.
Mostly B: The Control Type
You appreciate clarity.
You prepare yourself, think ahead and want things to run smoothly.
When you take on responsibility, you want to be able to rely on agreements being honoured.
That, too, is a great strength.
After all, lessons need structure. Pupils need guidance. And schools would probably descend into chaos quite quickly if no one took responsibility for how things run.
It becomes difficult when
‘I want to be well prepared.’
unnoticed
‘It has to go exactly as I’ve planned.’
becomes the norm.
Because school surprisingly rarely goes to plan.
A pupil reacts differently than expected.
A perfectly prepared lesson takes on a life of its own.
A colleague tackles a task in their own way.
Parents don’t share your assessment.
And suddenly, something over which you have only limited control ends up draining a great deal of energy.
Your strength
Structure, clarity, reliability and a sense of responsibility.
Your potential pitfall
You put a lot of effort into trying to control things that are beyond your control.
Ask yourself:
Which of these things are actually within my control – and which are allowed to turn out differently from how I had imagined?
Mostly C: The Avoidance Type
You probably have a good sense of when situations might escalate.
You don’t have to turn every problem into a conflict and can simply let some things be.
That can be a great social skill.
Not every comment needs a response. Not every difference of opinion needs to be discussed to the full.
But sometimes we pay for short-term peace with long-term unrest.
That difficult conversation with a parent gets put off.
A problem with a colleague remains unspoken.
A boundary isn’t clearly set.
A certain behaviour in class is tolerated for longer than is actually good for you.
You don’t have to put up with the unpleasant situation today.
But it’ll still be there tomorrow.
Perhaps even worse than before.
Your strength
Prudence, restraint and the ability to de-escalate situations.
Your potential pitfall
Not only do you avoid unnecessary conflicts, but occasionally you also avoid necessary ones.
Ask yourself:
Which difficult conversation would give me more peace of mind in the long run if I had it now?
Mostly D: The Responsible Type
When something isn’t working, you look for solutions.
You don’t wait around for someone else to take action. You contribute ideas, roll up your sleeves and take responsibility.
Schools need people with this attitude.
But responsibility has an interesting quality:
it can grow.
What starts as
“What can I contribute?”
eventually becomes
“What else do I need to do to make it work?”
A task is left undone – so you sort it out.
A pupil is struggling – so you think about what extra you could do.
A colleague needs support – so you step in.
Nobody volunteers – so you put your hand up.
And at some point, you’re no longer just shouldering your own responsibilities.
You’re also shouldering some of the responsibilities of others.
Your strength
Commitment, initiative and a solution-oriented approach.
Your potential pitfall
You feel responsible for things that aren’t solely your responsibility.
This can make it difficult to let tasks slide or to consciously leave responsibility with others.
Ask yourself:
Is this really my responsibility right now – or am I just taking it on because no one else might step in otherwise?
You’re not just ‘a certain type of teacher’
Personality tests lead us to an interesting thought:
“Ah, so that’s what I’m like.”
That is precisely what this test should not be about.
Perhaps you chose option A eight times and recognise yourself strongly in the ‘Harmony’ type.
That doesn’t mean you are the ‘Harmony’ type.
What’s far more interesting is: when do you behave like this?
Perhaps you have no trouble saying ‘no’ to colleagues, whilst you find it extremely difficult to do so with your headteacher.
Perhaps you react in a very controlling manner when lessons are disrupted, but prefer to avoid conflicts amongst your teaching colleagues.
Or perhaps you feel responsible for everything when it comes to your pupils, but are otherwise very good at keeping your personal and professional lives separate.
We’re not just four letters.
That’s why it’s not the label that’s interesting.
What’s interesting is the personality pattern behind it.
Personality patterns do not only show up in the way we respond to conflict or other people. They can also become visible in the expectations we place on ourselves. If you find it difficult to accept that something is simply “good enough,” you may also find my article on teacher perfectionism helpful.
What does your result have to do with your ego?
In everyday school life, we often don’t just react to what’s happening right now.
We also react to our idea of how things ought to be.
Perhaps you’ve had thoughts like:
- I must be a good teacher.
- My pupils must respect me.
- I mustn’t let anyone down.
- I must have this under control.
- I have to help.
- I mustn’t make any mistakes.
- The others need to understand that I’m right.
As long as everything goes according to our expectations, we often don’t even notice these inner thoughts.
Things get interesting when someone thwarts them.
A pupil doesn’t respect our boundaries.
A parent criticises our decision.
A colleague rejects our idea.
The lesson doesn’t go to plan, despite good preparation.
Or someone is disappointed because we say no.
Suddenly, we feel anger, guilt, insecurity or a desperate desire to put things right.
And that is precisely where self-reflection can begin. Not solely with the question:
“Why is the other person behaving like that?”
But also with:
“Why does this particular behaviour affect me so deeply?”
Developing your personality does not mean becoming someone else
When it comes to personal development, one can easily get the impression that we need to get rid of certain traits.
Less in need of harmony.
Less controlling.
More willing to engage in conflict.
Less responsible.
That’s not the point.
Because there is a skill to be found in each of these patterns.
The ‘Harmony’ type brings empathy to the table.
The ‘Control’ type creates structure.
The ‘Avoidance’ type can de-escalate situations.
The ‘Responsibility’ type gets things done.
The aim, therefore, is not to shed these traits.
It is about having a choice.
Can I be empathetic without having to please everyone?
Can I create structure without wanting to control everything?
Can I de-escalate a situation whilst still having a necessary conversation?
Can I take responsibility whilst still recognising when something is not my responsibility?
That is precisely where an automatic pattern becomes a conscious decision.
From teaching style to self-reflection
Your test result is therefore less of an answer and more of an invitation to take a closer look.
Observe your most prominent pattern over the next few days.
Don’t try to change it at all to begin with. Instead, focus on five questions:
- In which situations does this pattern occur particularly often?
- With which people is it particularly pronounced?
- What thought precedes my reaction?
- What am I afraid of if I were to react differently?
- What other reaction might be possible?
You might realise:
I don’t say ‘yes’ because I really want to take on the task. I say ‘yes’ because I want to avoid disappointing my colleague.
Or:
It doesn’t bother me at all that the lesson is going differently. What bothers me is that I feel as though I’m losing control.
Such small insights do not immediately change our behaviour. But they achieve something crucial:
They create a gap between the situation and our reaction.
→ You can find more self-reflection exercises for teachers here.
If you’d like to understand your personality patterns better
Perhaps you recognised yourself quite clearly in one of the four analyses.
It is precisely these patterns of thought and behaviour that ‘My Ego is on Holiday’ explores.
It’s not about becoming the perfect teacher.
Nor is it about setting yourself even more tasks that you should ‘do better’ in your day-to-day school life.
On the contrary.
It’s about recognising your own patterns in the first place:
- Why does a particular comment get to me?
- Why do I find it so hard to say no?
- Why do I feel the need to be right?
- Why do I take on responsibility even though it isn’t really mine?
- Why do I find it so hard to let go of certain things?
The better you recognise these mechanisms in yourself, the more likely you are to decide how you actually want to act – rather than automatically reacting in the same way time and time again.
Can a teacher’s personality change?
Of course, our personality doesn’t just disappear after a few reflective questions.
Nor does it need to.
But we can learn to recognise our own behavioural patterns sooner.
That is precisely where the big difference lies.
Anyone who only realises after a conflict that they felt personally attacked can learn from it.
Anyone who recognises this moment at some point during the conflict is already presented with a choice.
And anyone who knows their pattern so well that they notice it just before the automatic reaction kicks in gains even more room for manoeuvre.
Personal development therefore does not necessarily mean becoming a different person.
It can mean dealing more consciously with what is already within us.
If you’re interested in this topic, you might also like to read:
→ Teacher personality: What really makes a good teacher
Frequently asked questions about the personality test for teachers
What different types of teachers are there?
There is no universally applicable classification of all teachers into specific types. The four types in this test – Harmony, Control, Avoidance and Responsibility – are simplified patterns of reflection. They are intended to help you become more aware of typical reactions in everyday school life.
What makes a good teacher?
There is no single ‘ideal’ type of teacher. Qualities such as empathy, clarity, self-reflection, good communication skills and the ability to set appropriate boundaries can be helpful in day-to-day school life. It is also crucial to be able to adapt one’s behaviour to different situations.
Can you change the way you teach?
Personality is complex. Nevertheless, people can reflect on their behaviour and develop new ways of responding. Simply recognising one’s own patterns early on can help one to act more consciously in difficult situations.
Is this personality test scientifically valid?
No. This personality test for teachers is not a scientifically validated assessment tool and is not intended for psychological diagnosis. The results are intended to encourage self-reflection and help strengthen soft skills – you can find further suggestions on how to improve your soft skills as a teacher here.
Why is self-reflection important for teachers?
Teachers make decisions every day and find themselves in situations where emotions, expectations and personal experiences come into play. Self-reflection can help them to better understand their own reactions and to distinguish between automatic behaviour and conscious decision-making.
What should I do with my test result?
Don’t see your result as a label, but as a starting point. Pay attention in your everyday school life to when the pattern in question actually emerges. Situations where you notice that your reaction is stronger than you’d actually like it to be are particularly interesting.
What personality pattern have you spotted in yourself?
Perhaps you’re mainly the ‘harmony’ type.
Perhaps you recognise your desire for control.
Perhaps you realise that you tend to avoid conflict more often.
Or you might notice how quickly you take on responsibility.
The important thing isn’t which letter appears at the end of your test.
The more interesting question is:
What will you do with this insight?
You don’t have to get rid of every automatic reaction.
But you can learn to recognise them sooner.
And sometimes that tiny moment is all it takes to stop yourself from immediately slipping back into old patterns, and instead make a conscious decision:
How do I want to react right now?
If you’d like to explore this path further, ‘Mein Ego hat Ferien’ is here to guide you, offering ideas for self-reflection and a more mindful approach to your own patterns of thought and reaction in everyday school life.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “After 37 years as a teacher and having asked myself what more I could learn, I found this book surprising in many ways. It is excellent for self-assessment and also offers ways to improve one’s own behaviour and actions.”
Secondary school teacher – 2025