At our school, we are fortunate enough to learn in an environment where our thoughts are valued and our input is considered. Opportunities for discussion and even respectful debate are central to the structure of many classes and are a core expression of scholarly ability. That said, there is an issue present that hinders this quality from enhancing learning to its fullest potential: many students outright refuse to speak in class unless forced. Even with the external pressure of participation grades, a large subset of the student body either does not feel motivated or is too anxious to speak up. No matter the reason, it is a detriment to the experience of everyone to abstain from class discussions. Students, even those apprehensive, should strive to participate if they do not already.
Whether or not someone speaks up in class is not an issue of competency. Our school maintains a standard of excellence that is regularly met by all students, so insight from any given student is very likely to be valuable. Even outside of specialized knowledge specific to any one subject, a student can rely on their general personality and sentiments to enrich the already present discussion. It is unfortunate that these thoughts would go unheard for any reason, especially if that reason happens to be a lack of confidence. Classrooms at this school are intended to be places where effort and attention are rewarded — places where mistakes are neither punished nor ridiculed. Most teachers would much rather see a student attempt to contribute and momentarily fail than remain silent out of fear of being wrong. Participation is an essential method of demonstrating, or for those who lack it, building academic courage.
Expressing oneself also benefits everyone else in the classroom. A discussion is vastly improved by the addition of various voices and perspectives. When answers regularly fall to the same few people, interest quickly stagnates. Other students and teachers are often looking for fresh input, and seemingly small comments can have a great effect when the habit of making them is repeated. There is a genuine desire from many teachers to see students put in this effort to interact with material, and the benefits of this go far beyond simple participation grades.
There is also real educational value in verbally engaging with material. Giving answers and expressing ideas out loud forces students to organize their thinking and respond to questions in real time. It is an opportunity for a critical evaluation of a variety of ideas that are unique to the classroom environment and thus extremely valuable. Participation is much more than appearing engaged or maintaining interest; it is an essential part of the learning process itself.
It is understandable that some are shy or simply don’t feel comfortable constantly engaging, but contributing meaningfully to class discussions is an indispensable aspect of personal edification at this school. Students who regularly avoid this are not only hurting their own experience but the experience of others. We are lucky enough to exist in a school environment where almost everyone is tremendously competent and has important insights into whatever the material may be. Speaking up is a concrete action towards a more interesting class environment, superior diversity of perspective and better understanding of material.
