Temperament
Temperament is, “a set of behavioral characteristics that seem to be inborn and generally persist throughout life” (University of Maine Cooperative Extension). People are born with temperaments, which develop into personalities later on in life. Knowing a child’s temperament is helpful when it comes to both parenting and teaching. It gives teachers insights into what traits their students might have as well as ways to guide their students. Children fall into one of three types of temperaments according to Alexander Chess and Stella Thomas. The types are easy, difficult, and slow-to-warm-up (Chess and Thomas, 1977). Easy children are easy going, usually optimistic, and not easily upset. They go with the flow a little more and adapt well to change. However, a difficult child, is generally pessimistic and doesn’t adapt well to change. Difficult children experience more intense emotions, and they often have an abundance of energy. A slow-to-warm-up child might seem negative at first, but once they become used to a situation they become more comfortable, so they interact more. They tend to be more cautious, which is why they do not like new situations (University of Maine Cooperative Extension).