Should introverts be required to share?
Backstory
The Great Gatsby English writing project: choose an object that encapsulates how you want people to think of you. My 15 year old's response: "I don't want people to think of me" (She is a very private kid). I struggled to help her think about how to meet her teacher's expectations without feeling like she is compromising herself. I asked questions; she shut down. Now I'm worried... by lillybrook in Six Words Questions on Feb 13, 2012 | 
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Comments
L2L3 says,
Doesn't sound like only an introvert issue but it can be explained to her as an issue of choices and consequences. She doesn't have to put heart and soul into the assignment. Teens have a rainbow of ways of being oppositional and exerting control. This sounds like one. She sounds pretty normal. Grab the recent issue of Time Magazine where they did a great story on introverts. Relevant stuff.lillybrook says,
I will, L2L3. In the end, she brought a blank sketchbook. She is an artist, but she rarely shares her sketches. She didn't want students who don't know her leafing through her art and making comments. Her teacher absolutely loved what she wrote about her reasons for wanting to be seen as an artist, but not wanting to share her work -- so she did it, even though (in her mind) it involved taking a risk (being truthful in the writing) with playing it safe (blank sketchbook).