Don't be scared to speak up in class
Aaron Moorefield
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with feeling lost in class. It happens
to all of us. But it becomes problematic when you feel lost but don’t try to
fix it. Sitting in silence, maybe even slightly embarrassed that your peers
around you can participate in class discussion without making any mistakes. That’s
how people fall behind and their grades start slipping. There is no shame in
asking questions to figure out what you may have missed in a slight
miscommunication or just a simple lapse in focus. Occasionally, you may reach a
point where you’re sitting in a classroom as the teacher writes something on
the board and you think, “I have no idea what I’m doing”. That is when a
conscious decision must be made to get back up to speed with the class or sit
and feel like an out of place dog in a funny meme.
All jokes aside, it is extremely important to engage in class discussion, and facilitating the class discussion is the best way to do so. Facilitating a class discussion is usually viewed as the professor’s responsibility. But more often than not a professor will be happy to answer questions relevant to the topic they’re teaching, and they generally appreciate student feedback. Keep in mind, if you are confused about something in a classroom full of students, chances are someone else in the class is confused as well. Asking questions not only helps you get back on track in the class session, but the following discussion can create a memorable moment in class to look back on during a test or quiz, which reinforces learning.
Facilitating or participating a class discussion not only reinforces learning but also makes you as a student seem more engaged, active and committed to the classroom experience. Most professors have some sort of participation grade in their rubrics, so when it comes down to finals time, the extra one or two questions asked each day could be the deciding factor for your final grade. So, next time you’re lost in class just remember, simply working to get your questions answered could make or break your grade in every class you take!
All jokes aside, it is extremely important to engage in class discussion, and facilitating the class discussion is the best way to do so. Facilitating a class discussion is usually viewed as the professor’s responsibility. But more often than not a professor will be happy to answer questions relevant to the topic they’re teaching, and they generally appreciate student feedback. Keep in mind, if you are confused about something in a classroom full of students, chances are someone else in the class is confused as well. Asking questions not only helps you get back on track in the class session, but the following discussion can create a memorable moment in class to look back on during a test or quiz, which reinforces learning.
Facilitating or participating a class discussion not only reinforces learning but also makes you as a student seem more engaged, active and committed to the classroom experience. Most professors have some sort of participation grade in their rubrics, so when it comes down to finals time, the extra one or two questions asked each day could be the deciding factor for your final grade. So, next time you’re lost in class just remember, simply working to get your questions answered could make or break your grade in every class you take!