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How can students demonstrate good classroom participation skills?
Prepare. Questions and discussions usually key off of homework or the prior night’s reading. If you haven’t done the homework or assigned reading, you won’t have much to say. Sitting in class hoping your teacher won’t call on you can be pretty uncomfortable. Prepare. Do the homework. Do the reading. It’s much easier than the constant stress of trying to hide in plain sight. Anticipate. When doing homework or assigned reading, try to anticipate questions your teacher will ask, or discussion topics they might raise. Prepare answers. Jot down notes. Run through answers in your head or say them aloud. When a question is asked or a discussion starts, your notes will prompt you to recall the answer. Be Relevant. Comments should be relevant to the point under discussion. Establish relevancy by linking back to the reading, or to a comment made by another student. If you don’t have a relevant comment to make, try asking a relevant question. If you’ve prepared for class, you should be able to answer most questions. If you can’t answer a question when asked directly, politely say “I don’t know.” Redeem yourself later by answering another question. It’s better to make one relevant comment and ask one relevant question, than ten pointless or irrelevant ones. PRODUCT PREVIEW Don’t go all judgey. Don’t expect greatness right away. The ability to effectively participate in class develops over time, with patience and practice. Set a goal to participate twice in every class. Keep at it. Don’t worry if your answer comes out less-than-perfect, if your voice cracks, or you’re nervous. Don’t go all judgey on yourself (or others.) Confidence builds with effort and practice. Your skills will improve. A special note to the introverted student Ever notice how some students can jump right into a conversation and answer questions without hesitation, yet others stammer and stall even when they know the answer? An estimated one in four people are introverts. Introverts are not just “shy” students, and they are not afraid of participating. They are thoughtful, often gifted people, who need a bit more time to process a question and formulate a verbal response. Unfortunately, their delay can be interpreted as a lack of preparation or inability to answer. If you’re an introvert, take notes when you’re doing the reading and homework. Have your notes handy in class. Let your teacher know that when called on, you need a moment to formulate your response.
The rules of engagement: Good Citizenship
Be polite. Listen attentively when classmates speak. Don’t look around the room, tap your pencil, roll your eyes, or make a disparaging comment or noise. Never scoff or laugh at a speaker and do not judge them as cool or uncool, smart or dumb. To do so would reveal the extent of your immaturity. In a classroom discussion, it’s ok to disagree, but don’t let a disagreement get personal. Don’t bring personal animosities into the classroom.
Chapter 27 | Good Citizens! Perfect Participants! 256
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