Think about the last time you were sitting in class and your professor asked a question. Chances are, that question was followed by silence and students looking around thinking, “Who’s going to answer?” Students are often afraid to participate in class. They may be scared of answering incorrectly, being judged or feeling embarrassed.
Well, student participation in class is essential for their learning and performance and directly improves students’ grades. We need to put an end to situational embarrassment, and that starts here at UT.
Journalism freshman Violet Mendoza, like many students, has grappled with the fear of public speaking in class.
“There’s definitely an issue breaking the silence, and I think when you do, you tend to have a problem overthinking,” Mendoza said. “You’re hyper-aware of everyone listening to you, and you don’t want to sound stupid.”
Don’t miss out on answering a question. It can be scary, but the solution is simple: if you have a thought, just raise your hand.
Neuroscience associate professor Joseph Dunsmoor explains that the fear of being wrong dates back to our primate ancestors. According to Dunsmoor, humans never lost the self-defensive instinct we developed to avoid being exiled.
“The reality of it is that nobody should be embarrassed by what they say in class (when) they’re just trying to answer a question, but people still have that innate fear,” Dunsmoor said.
Students must realistically think about potential consequences. When was the last time that someone got made fun of for answering a question, even if that answer was wrong or their opinion was disagreeable? That simply doesn’t happen.
No one has to participate in class, but there are so many things you could learn from taking that step outside your comfort zone.
When I raise my hand and get it wrong, the professor often uses that as an opportunity to teach. Getting answers wrong is an important part of the learning experience. If you misunderstand, the rest of the class likely does too and can benefit from the explanation.
This doesn’t just apply to answering questions. Last week, my music professor asked the class to sing along to “Do Re Mi” from “The Sound of Music” so that we could learn our solfège. As I sang along, I looked around and only saw one other mouth moving. That made me sad — the professor was trying to make learning fun for us, but the class had too much pride to participate in an amusing activity. High school social hierarchies don’t exist in college, and “jocks” aren’t going to make fun of you as they do in the movies. Those social dynamics have changed. Loosen up a little. Have whimsy.
What’s the worst thing that happens when you participate in class? Someone looks at you weird? They might just be having a bad day. They shouldn’t stop you from doing something that can help you learn.
Professors are not out to get you. They want to hear from you and want to help you succeed. Answer questions. Participate in that silly activity. Remember this: other students are just as scared as you. It’s a shared mindset. The only way to break the cycle is to be brave.
Acevedo is a journalism freshman from League City, Texas.
