Author Archives: jon

Who Am I?

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Jo told me this evening about a well-known personality-test, one which seems to be used by professionals (whatever that means), universities and the like. Being rather curious to find out just how decent the test is, I took it, and the result is a fairly good representation of who I am.

I am an Idealist:

Idealists, as a temperament, are passionately concerned with personal growth and development. Idealists strive to discover who they are and how they can become their best possible self — always this quest for self-knowledge and self-improvement drives their imagination. And they want to help others make the journey. Idealists are naturally drawn to working with people, and whether in education or counseling, in social services or personnel work, in journalism or the ministry, they are gifted at helping others find their way in life, often inspiring them to grow as individuals and to fulfill their potentials.

Idealists are sure that friendly cooperation is the best way for people to achieve their goals. Conflict and confrontation upset them because they seem to put up angry barriers between people. Idealists dream of creating harmonious, even caring personal relations, and they have a unique talent for helping people get along with each other and work together for the good of all. Such interpersonal harmony might be a romantic ideal, but then Idealists are incurable romantics who prefer to focus on what might be, rather than what is. The real, practical world is only a starting place for Idealists; they believe that life is filled with possibilities waiting to be realized, rich with meanings calling out to be understood. This idea of a mystical or spiritual dimension to life, the “not visible” or the “not yet” that can only be known through intuition or by a leap of faith, is far more important to Idealists than the world of material things.

Highly ethical in their actions, Idealists hold themselves to a strict standard of personal integrity. They must be true to themselves and to others, and they can be quite hard on themselves when they are dishonest, or when they are false or insincere. More often, however, Idealists are the very soul of kindness. Particularly in their personal relationships, Idealists are without question filled with love and good will. They believe in giving of themselves to help others; they cherish a few warm, sensitive friendships; they strive for a special rapport with their children; and in marriage they wish to find a “soulmate,” someone with whom they can bond emotionally and spiritually, sharing their deepest feelings and their complex inner worlds.

Idealists are rare, making up between 20 and 25 percent of the population. But their ability to inspire people with their enthusiasm and their idealism has given them influence far beyond their numbers.

It’s a bit crap, really. Using this test you get to be one of four temperaments (Guardian, Artisan, Rational or Idealist, albeit with four subcategories in each), whereas a Horoscope gives you twelve, and you can be far more interesting things, like a lion, fish or set of scales.

It’d still be interesting to take the test again, only this time lying throughout, and see how near to my perceived personality it is. I could just go and read the summaries on the site, but this is not an option at the moment, since it’s nearly bedtime.

I’m waiting to see what Jo’s (and Leigh’s) is, to see how much of their personality summaries fit (or could fit) what I think is Jon.

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Enough Is Enough

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I used the authority vested in me to take affirmative action today. I have had some behaviour problems with Class 2 (actually, with the 6 year-olds, Class 1 and Class 3 as well, but this was the first call to action), and little I do seems to help. As a last resort I can shout at them, and it helps for a while, though I need an approach that does not lead me to anger/sadness/despair. So, for the first time in my 5 years as a teacher, I rang a few parents after the lesson concerned, with the individual children present to explain to their parents how they had behaved.

I have avoided this course of action for so long, mostly because I really don’t like to speak in Swedish on the phone (although 99% of the recipients don’t have Swedish as a first language), or maybe it’s the potential of a confrontation I’ve been trying to shirk.

Anyway, today I spoke to three people, explaining the situation, and I seem to have got a good response from them. I sincerely hope this will resolve the situation, or at least be the beginning of it, because I do not intend to take too much more of the disrespect I experience on a daily basis.

This morning I was sitting waiting for my train to come when I experienced the “stone in the stomach” feeling I often have at this particular time. I cannot ever recall any job I’ve had where I have felt so worried about the day to come, and, whilst I have felt it many times this past half a decade, today was the day where I finally said stop. From now on there is to be a new “Jon the Teacher” that simply does not accept the shit I have had to endure. I do not desire to become a martinet, just someone who deserves the respect that is due for such a position, and a human-being.

At Last, Mr Hollingworth

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Finally, after what seems like an eternity (and includes several failed attempts), we saw James Hollingworth in concert this afternoon. We all agreed (well, maybe not Freya, who either did not understand the significance of the occasion or was completely phased) that it was so very much worth the wait.

James Hollingworth sang children’s songs in the 70s. Not songs like “Clap your hands, the Sun is shining.”, but meaningful songs like “The Elk are Demonstrating” and “I’m a slow animal.”
It’s difficult to do justice to the songs (especially when translated from Swedish) without hearing them: only then would one be able to appreciate this man’s talent.

There were about 100 people at today’s concert, and Mr Hollingworth has obviously had an effect on the generation that grew up with him. Many of the adults were participating in his calls to the audience to sing certain parts in a funny voice, or whisper the odd word of text to a neighbour. It was a cosy, intimate concert, and the quality was at its best.

He’ll doubtless be gigging a bit more frequently in the near future, with the release of a new CD, written in collaboration with another well-known artist, Jojje Wadenius. In fact, they are playing in Stockholm in a few weeks time. Thank you, James!

To The Exhibition!

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Freya And Miffy

There is an Expo this weekend. Now normally that simple word conjures up huge videogaming events, with all the pomp and circumstance it should entail; however this expo was entitled “Wonderful Children”, and had very little nothing to do with gaming. Except that there was another, smaller, expo on in another part of the hall, for Sci-fi and videogames. Oh, well.

I hadn’t, therefor, expected too much from it, but knew from the website that there would be a few things to keep Freya occupied, and with Christmas coming up it gave us the opportunity to scour for presents.

As it happened, it was a fantastic event. Not only was there ample space for parents, children and a fair number of prams, with a “picnic” area and free push-chair parking, but the amount and variation of stalls within the hall kept us occupied for a fair few hours.

Freya had the time of her life. She met Bamse, Skalman and Miffy (along with other unknown characters and animals), drove cars, made a stone troll, finger hand-painted, drew a tiger, and “bought” lots of give-aways.

I’d expected the whole thing to be child-friendly, but some of the stalls had their wares available for playing with, which meant she never became bored of walking around. I’m surprised her head didn’t pop with all the input.

Halloween Party

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Esther And Freya

Although a few days late, we were at a Halloween party this evening at Freya’s nursery school. Jo had spent a fair few hours on the floor and in front of the sewing machine making Freya’s Yoda costume. I must say I was impressed at just how good a costume it was, considering the time/money spent on it.

All week Freya had been reluctant to try on the costume, but when we arrived, she had no problem with it, and must have relaxed even more when she saw all the other children (and many of the parents) wearing their fancy-dress.

Sadly, Freya did not win the best-dressed competition, nor did we the Halloween quiz. She did get to eat sweets, though, and was over the moon when Emily, a younger girl who has now left the school, showed up.

A big thumbs up, then, to the school for arranging the event, and everyone (excluding us and a few others) for taking the time to dress up.