Rethinking Solitude in Schools: How Silence and Solitude can Benefit students and Enhance creativity

The education system greatly mirrors extroverted ideals which put introverts at a disadvantage due to the collaborative nature of the teaching practices demonstrated in school programs. Differentiated instruction has been suggested to teachers as a way to include all students in learning; however, as indicated through the findings of this research study, that is a very difficult task. For this qualitative research study, three participants were interviewed. They discussed their professional teaching experiences, and explored how they use solitude as a differentiated instruction strategy to support intrapersonal learners in the classroom. Intrapersonal learners are distinguished by their preference for independence and quiet working environments, which is similar to the personality type of introverts, who prefer solitude and re-energizing after socialization. There is a plethora of research that discusses the benefits of solitude that includes enhanced creativity, metacognition, mindfulness, and student success. However, implementation of this strategy in schools has not yet been fully discussed. This study found that solitude is an important facet of a child’s development and success in school. The benefits that solitude has to offer supports not only students’ success, but their well-being as well. Teachers believe that students must be explicitly taught and supported to meet their learning needs. Furthermore, it is important that teachers are flexible to student requests and encouraging students to engage in voluntary solitude within a safe learning environment. The goal of this research study was to inspire teachers to rethink solitude in the classroom and promote the benefits it can create