Oops
So normally I don't call on students in class. I figure if they don't really want to talk it's not my job to make them--they're big kids, and they know they're getting graded on participation. If it's not important for them to do well on that, it's their business. Added to that, I know what it's like to be shy and uncomfortable talking in front of people--and what it's like to have been too busy to read the assignment. I sympathize with these things.
Today my students were turning in an essay about a short research assignment they've been working on--a few hours of ethnographic research. I figured everyone would have something to say about it, so we had a class-wide chat about what they found out, how it went, etc. Just about everyone volunteered, so when I noticed I only had 2 names left without checks on my list, I figured what the hey, let's get everyone a participation point today. So I called on one of them.
Poor guy immediately got very flustered, started half a dozen sentences without finishing, trailed off into embarrassed silence with a half-whispered apology about not being able to talk. Clearly the poster child for my previous policy of DON'T CALL ON STUDENTS. I felt really bad about it.
Then this evening I got an e-mail from him apologizing profusely, deeply concerned about his grade, explaining his mild autism and anxiety problems, and hoping desperately that he could find some way not to fail the class. Wow, worst case scenario--let's put the anxiety sufferer on the spot in front of the whole class.
I'm hoping that if I haven't traumatized him too much we'll work out something--I'm ok with him writing up comments for me or some other kind of alternate method. Hopefully my response will reassure him a bit.
Today my students were turning in an essay about a short research assignment they've been working on--a few hours of ethnographic research. I figured everyone would have something to say about it, so we had a class-wide chat about what they found out, how it went, etc. Just about everyone volunteered, so when I noticed I only had 2 names left without checks on my list, I figured what the hey, let's get everyone a participation point today. So I called on one of them.
Poor guy immediately got very flustered, started half a dozen sentences without finishing, trailed off into embarrassed silence with a half-whispered apology about not being able to talk. Clearly the poster child for my previous policy of DON'T CALL ON STUDENTS. I felt really bad about it.
Then this evening I got an e-mail from him apologizing profusely, deeply concerned about his grade, explaining his mild autism and anxiety problems, and hoping desperately that he could find some way not to fail the class. Wow, worst case scenario--let's put the anxiety sufferer on the spot in front of the whole class.
I'm hoping that if I haven't traumatized him too much we'll work out something--I'm ok with him writing up comments for me or some other kind of alternate method. Hopefully my response will reassure him a bit.