The students are quieting down and assembling in their seats. The teacher writes the date on the blackboard, places down her piece of chalk, and begins to lecture. Then she poses a question for the class to answer, and the students all react in separate ways.
Each student is unique in a beautiful way, possessing different strengths and weaknesses. Some are artistic, others are strong mathematically, several have a passion for writing. Because of this fact, different students learn differently. While some may learn by promptly answering the teacher’s question, sorting out their thoughts aloud with ease and comfort, others may learn just as well by listening to their peers and teacher speak. These students should not be punished for learning the way they do, and when teachers grade class participation, that is exactly what they are doing.
According to the American Historical Association, 60 percent of students believe that graded participation does not give them incentive to participate more in class. These students believe they would be more likely to offer their two cents if they were not being analyzed on what they were saying. Students feel more comfortable vocalizing their thoughts if they know what they say will not be assigned a number later on.
Other students believe that when class participation is graded, teachers are awarding outgoing students while penalizing shy ones. Grading class participation sends the message that shy students are not good students. It makes them feel like they should be outgoing, loud, and able to learn by talking, something that makes them feel awkward and uncomfortable. Forced class participation thus causes them to feel like they need to change who they are, and that is not okay.
So while some students may immediately raise their hand to answer their teacher’s question, others may benefit from sitting back and paying attention. I personally believe that class participation can potentially hinder the learning process. In my experience with classes where class participation was graded, students who learn by observing struggle to excel. For example, instead of being able to fully focus on absorbing my teacher’s lecture, or the comments of my classmates, my mind would race with the things that I could possibly contribute to the class discussion. Either I would be too slow in raising my hand, or feel too scared to lift it at all. In both occasions I would mentally kick myself afterwards, imagining my plummeting grades, wishing that I could somehow magically be a more outgoing person. Suddenly my thoughts would be interrupted by the sound of my classmates getting up to leave, and I would realize that I learned next to nothing that class period. By focusing on the students who talk the most in class, teachers fail to award students who may be good listeners -- a skill that is equally if not more important than being able to talk in front of a group of people.
Classes where participation is not graded aid students in many more ways than classes where it is a requirement. It allows students who prefer to listen to do just that, so they can absorb the information they need to without feeling like they need to change who they are. It also allows students who enjoy participating but are fearful of being analyzed for what they say to contribute to class discussion with comfort. Finally, it allows students who learn by talking to talk. These groups of students should be allowed to feel comfortable learning the way they do. If more teachers did not grade class participation, students would have an equal opportunity to learn without lessening their self-worth.
