Therapeutic Education (The Four Temperaments in Education, Part II)

In this second of two posts, we will discuss the four temperaments and how to work skillfully with them. This understanding is necessary to provide a therapeutic education to our students. One of the unique insights of Rudolf Steiner, creator of Waldorf Education, was that studetns are different and need different treatments from one another. Unique temperaments bear unique gifts and challenges. Therefore, rather than expect all our students to meet the same standards, we should instead give each student what they uniquely need to bring out their gifts and temper their imbalances.

A Brief Review of The Four Temperaments

Let us briefly summarize the four temperaments and how they function. The choleric temperament is associated with the element of fire. Its qualities are leadership, being quick to anger, and having the willingness to work. It is also ruled by the blood and the human Ego. Cholerics are most easily aroused and the strongest willed. On the opposite end is the phlegmatic temperament. Ruled by the regular rhythms of the lymphatic system, phlegmatics are by far the most naturally content of the temperaments. These are the folks who will invite you over for chicken soup and gladly listen to you rattle off all your problems with a smile. They are the ones with the weakest wills and find themselves least easily aroused.

Next, we have the melancholics. They are the ones who bear the pain of the world. You can bet on any given day that something is hurting the melancholic. It may be a backache, the argument they had with their mother, or the general state of the world. There’s always something wrong with the world, and the melancholic will let you know what it is. (For the record, I don’t watch the news. I just ask my melancholic friends.)

Finally, there are the sanguines, and they are the life of the party. Highly gregarious and easy to laugh, they are the ones the melancholics envy for being “so happy all the time.” Yet, their attention is flighty, as is their ability to concentrate. The sanguines above all desire variety. For a more thorough explanation of all four, see The Four Temperaments in Education, Part I.

Therapeutic Education for the Choleric

I had a boy in my class back at Asheville Waldorf School who was quite choleric. Don’t try telling him what to do, no way. That is, unless it had to do with empowering him with a job. This boy would gladly take a pile of wood and move it across the playground. He would gladly clean up any mess. This choleric fellow would be my messenger anytime, any day.

He struggled with math, but his pride did not want anyone to know that. He was quite grateful when I agreed to have him come in 20 minutes early each day for a preview of what we’d be doing that day so he could be successful.

I tell you these things because a therapeutic education for the choleric children involves putting them in leadership roles, giving them things to be responsible for, and making sure they look good in front of their peers. These children need opportunities to shine and be out in front, like leading songs or movement activities or being a team captain in a game. Do these things for them, and they will love you. At the same time, if they get angry about something, become as phlegmatic and matter of fact as you can. If you stay cool, that will help it not get worse for them. Then, you can address the issue tomorrow, not today.

Therapeutic Education for the Phlegmatic

The phlegmatics can be the hardest to remedy. When I say that, I don’t mean that temperaments are a problem. They only become that way when they go too far in one direction. The ideal is that each individual finds the gifts and challenges of their temperament, bringing out the former and balancing the latter.

The phlegmatics’ gift above all is to bring comfort and wellness to others. They are the friends that everyone likes being around because they hardly ever offend anyone and tolerate just about everyone. In helping a phlegmatic child find their way, therefore, give them opportunities to make life more comfortable for others. In the same class I mentioned above, I had a phlegmatic girl who was harder to get to do anything than a mountain. Yet, she was an amazing cook, and when I asked her to cook her tom kai soup for the class, she came alive. It also increased her standing in the class.

With the phlegmatics, therefore, strive to interest them in bringing gifts in for others. Food is usually an effective choice, but it doesn’t have to be that. They are also good knitters and handicraftsmen. Anything that requires the patience of monotonous focus is good for them. They don’t mind being bored!

Therapeutic Education for the Melancholic

Oftentimes, melancholics bear great gifts for the world that take a long time to develop. They are the St. Francis’s of society. Since they feel the pain of the world most acutely, they are also the most compassionate.

Melancholic children can drive you crazy with their complaints. They’ll come up to you complaining about the finger their hurts, even though you’re sure it was the finger next to it an hour earlier. What they are expressing is the deeper human experience of being a soul-spiritual being in a physical body. That contraction is not easy for any human to bear, but the other temperaments forget about it more easily than the melancholic.

If you want to provide balance for this temperament, give them opportunities to be of service to others. This takes the focus off themselves. It may sound ironic, but it is self-centeredness that causes their pain in the first place. Thinking about how to alleviate the pain of others is medicine for them. You can also tell them stories of people who have overcome great adversity. They identify with people who have suffered, but stories of triumph over great adversity gives them hope that it’s a meaningful struggle, that it’s not for naught.

Therapeutic Education for the Sanguines

As I said before, sanguines above all need variety. They can challenge you by being disruptive because they are super chatty. They also struggle staying on task. These are the classic “ADHD” children. You can help them by giving them stories and assignments with lots of detail. Ham it up. Describe every color and texture of the scene. Then, have them add extra details in their drawings. Let them dress up and wear bright colors. Bring a festive element into your lessons.

Other Helpful Remedies

Remember that very few people are solidly one temperament. Therefore, you may have to apply a host of remedies to help your students find their balance. Don’t be afraid to mix and match and try different things. Sometimes the students themselves will show you what they need. One of my classic phlegmatics once brought me the most delicious bar of chocolate I ever had. That’s when I realized what good gift-givers phlegmatics are.

Consider also the love languages of your students. While these five love languages aren’t strictly tied to the temperaments, they are another way to understand your students. When you know their love language, you can both provide for it and give them opportunities to express it towards others.

Finally, there is more at work in some cases than the four temperaments. Rudolf Steiner also outlined a number of polarities in his curative education lectures. These can be another helpful lens through which to view the children and provide remediation for. I highly recommend Dr. Adam Blanning’s book for more information on this topic: Understanding Deeper Developmental Needs.