On In-Class Participation
A friend and I had a conversation about a post
Her: For me it's sort of like this: I feel a /lot/ of respect for my teachers, because I have a lot of them that really know there stuff. Like omg. I have some really neat teachers. So I feel bad for not answering the question? Maybe? But I think that when I genuinely don't know the answer, I probably do that all the time.
Me: Same. I really don't like it when people do this, ESPECIALLY when they know the answer because it does a couple things:
It delays the class, because the teacher has to stand up there, waiting, (and omg so few people respect the teachers and it makes me so mad because I was raised Hindu and respect of elders is really really important to me), and it also makes the one kid brave enough to answer the questions look like the nerd who shows off a bunch, and also the teachers gets annoyed with her/him bc of that, and also the teacher thinks that this "nerd" is making the others feel bad, which they are doing, because it's kinda like a viscious cycle, so the teacher hates the nerd even more and the kids hate the nerd and guess who that nerd is
 ((this guy))
Her: ((me too))
Me: Â It just makes me so mad
Her: But also it makes the teacher think that they haven't taught the class anything, because apparently /no one knows the answer/. Even if you are maybe wrong, just say the things. Because they'll appreciate how you're thinking about the problem and that you're trying. Just teachers for the most part really really want you to learn as much as they can and theyre working for you not against you and that's important to not forget. We're all a big team, trying to make the world less dumb. And that's a cool thing
Me: Â YES THAT'S ALL SO VERY VERY TRUE.
And okay I'm gonna take the soap box here for a second. This hurts me so much with language classes. Since I do indeeed read ahead, I know all the answers most of the time. It's just a fact. I also never answer questions because if I do then people will think it's because only I know it (beause clearly why else would I answer) and there's no point of them even trying at this point. And then i have to recede again and it sucks because the way I'm trying to do Spanish and Latin are dependent on being able to apply what I've learned at home while at school as well and I am not able to learn as much and I collaterally make everyone else think they're stupid and it's really really annoying. And I like to talk to my teachers and ask questions. My Latin teacher knows fluent French, Spanish, and Japanese ina ddition to being a Latinist, so why shouldn't I go to him if I have a question? Well I'll tell you why. Because clearly I'm sucking up or just trying ot show off to them/the class.
It's impossible for me to be legitimately curious.
 /rant
Her: I am the same way in my science classes. I always read ahead, just so that I have a good background knowledge of what we're doing, and so I usually know what were talking about in advance. But I almost never answer questions in class because everyone will think I'm just a smartass. There is this one kid in my class and I think he is hella smart and hella cool, and he answers questions often and asks really intersting and thought provoking questions, but everyone in class just thinks he is a smartass and just trying to show off, but from what I can tell, he really just wants to know these things. And that should be cool with everyone. Curiosity should always be mega rad because learning is really REALLY amazing.
but it's like…if we try to be curious, it's synonymous with trying to suck up, and I don't want people to think of me as just a show off
Me: Also what's awkward (idk if this ever happens to you) is when teachers actually say that you do indeed ask too many questions and like the next day you have a lot of questions and just no I really want to know about the Byzantine Empire because our book barely says anything about it and you're a historian pls tell me pls. And then everyone around you is like "Herp derp Candry Crush"
Also there's someone next to me who basically is just as curious as me but doesn't ask any questions and I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY like seriously. I asked my sister who is more experienced in the world, and she literally just told me to adapt and just be like everyone else and I get tthat that's important but it impedes my ability to learnnnnn
Her:
I just wish it was normal to be outwardly curious. Because I figure everyone must be sorta curious. At least about /one/ subject. It would be so neat if we all were outwardly passionate about learning and tried in school not because we needed good grades, but because we wanted to know mroe things.
And I know there are so many people who just are curious about stuff. And it would be so neat to just be socially allowed to be like "HOLD UP EXCUSE ME, SCIENCE TEACHER. can we talk about quarks for a while? just like talk about them? everything you know?" because I would learn so much more stuff.
