Teachers love it when students participate in class. Some even make it part of their grading routine, but what happens when students stay quiet and do not participate in class discussions?
Some college students feel that participating in class is a high school thing, and in college you are supposed to keep to yourself and just do your work.
What most of them do not realize is that, when they stay quiet in class, they are cutting short their ideas and are robbing the entire class of knowledge.
When a student is quiet, the teacher and even the classmates will think that the quiet student does not understand the subject, or that they are not paying attention. Quiet students also miss out on participation points, which really help toward a higher grade.
In my personal experiences, I have enjoyed the classes I have been more active in participating than those where I just sit and listen to lectures.
Due to participation, I got better grades because I interacted with my classmates and the professor.
Another reason students should not stay quiet during class discussions is that they might have different ideas than the teacher and other students. By sharing individual perspectives the learning experience is enhanced for everyone.
According to a survey by the Department of Education at the Valparaiso University in Indiana, 58 percent of students said that class discussions helped their ability to comprehend.
If those students were cut short of a class discussion, due to students not willing to participate, more than half the classroom would be confused about the subject.
The problem most quiet students face is that they are afraid to give a wrong answer, so they would rather not say anything at all.
According to the survey, 58 percent of students revealed that they would feel embarrassed if they gave a wrong answer.
However, 18 percent said that they would not feel embarrassed because their wrong answer helped the class find the right answer.
Students who put themselves on the spot, even if they give a wrong answer, are actually helping us learn.
When everyone participates, the learning experience becomes beneficial for every student.
As the semester is still young, students must let their voices be heard and not be afraid of mistakes. This is a learning experiences.