Teenage Bullshit isn't Always Bullshit

[gabbygrl]

One of my students- one of my brightest, laziest students- said today how happy he was to be going home tomorrow.

We’ve spent a hundred and six hours in class over the last three weeks. That’s a lot. It’s a full-time job. And in between class hours, the students have had other structured activities to do- dances, talent shows, field days, carnivals

Comments

[belovedseason]

I've always been that loud kid and I can speak from experience - it really hurts when a teacher is like "Let's hear from someone else." Like although I rationally know it's not a sleight against me or my ideas and they want to get a feel for how the rest of the class is taking the information, it feels that way. It makes you resent the teacher and the classroom; frankly, it would make me not talk at all in class and not pay attention for a few days - even in undergrad. Especially in the situation where they would call on a student who didn't offer their hand up just because they want "everyone" to interact.

And at the same time, I think forcing kids who aren't raising their hands to speak is just humiliating for those individuals regardless of whether or not they know the answer or not. (And probably more so if they don't even if they could answer other questions.) I just think it'd be better if teachers called on those who raised their hands only or did like Mrs. Poynter did where she had cards that she'd shuffle every round and you'd have to answer a question at least once per round or how Livesay made it so you had to comment at least once per discussion. I think both those methods take the pressure off and I think they could both work for a variety of subjects/settings. I always felt more comfortable in their classrooms than any other because there was never an instance where I felt like I should shut up.

[gabbygrl]

I don't ever call on people without hands raised, unless NO ONE'S hand is raised (the line is "if I don't get volunteers, I'm choosing victims"). I also don't ever make a spectacle of picking new kids-- rarely do I SAY "I want to hear some new voices." If the only hands are my loud ones, I let them talk. But if there are two hands in the air, and one is a Matthew (who has something to say to every question) and the other is a Hannah (who offers to speak maybe once every other day), I am biased in favor of calling on the Hannah. And sometimes the Matthews get upset by this, and I understand that, because it sucks to have something to say and not get the chance to say it.

But I'm also responsible for making the quiet ones feel comfortable, and I've seen it happen where one or two loud kids end up monopolizing the whole day and then the quiet ones (even the ones who otherwise talk) turn off because they know it's never going to be quiet enough for them to talk. It's a compromise.