Throughout my schooling I have encountered one issue which always makes me dread going to certain classes. Yes, I am talking about the bane of every student’s existence: class participation. There is nothing which makes me want to participate less then when I am told that I have to speak in order to maintain a high grade.
Some classes I feel very confident speaking in, and I love to share my ideas on the topic being discussed. When I have a firm understanding on the topic, I will raise my hand and be very heavily engaged in the subject. I love the feeling of being able to speak intelligently on a topic which I find intriguing and I also love feeling like I have learned something new.
What I dislike is that, especially in high school, there will be some courses you are not particularly ecstatic to take. For some reason, these are the classes which are always contingent upon participation. I understand that discussing the material and saying information out loud increases your retention of it, but there are so many other elements of studying that an individual can use.
Students are dealing with their own personal issues, they should not have the added stress of required participation. More and more students are being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and being graded on how much you speak in class does not help. If you have anxiety, even sitting in a classroom filled with other students can be overwhelming. So, being called on at random times because you do not participate enough is not exactly calming.
Personally, growing up I was very shy when it came to speaking in class. I have always loved learning, and I am certain I will always have the desire to learn for the rest of my life. But, speaking in front of a group of thirty other students has never appealed to me. To this day I still hate that I need to speak in order to reach my academic goals. I do not mind standing in front of class full of people to give a speech or reading off answers from homework I completed from the previous night, but when a teacher brings up a new question and expects an immediate response is what bothers me. Some people cannot construct a coherent, strong argument that quickly. There is also the pressure that classmates will belittle you or scoff at your answer if you happen to be way off the mark. All of this pressure makes students nervous about going to class.
All I want is to sit in class, take copious notes as I always do, and answer when I feel that I can speak on a topic intelligently. If I have a question or need something explained, I have no problem approaching my professors and going to office hours as often as necessary. The requirement of participation to maintain a high grade seems ridiculous to me, and I hope teachers realize and understand that this requirement only makes students dread school and learning instead of making them excited to engage in the material being taught.