They explained their fears about answering questions in the classroom. While the details of the incidents were different there were some common threads. One student spoke of raising her hand, being so excited that she knew the answer and the teacher called on her, the answer bursting out of her, and then the laughter of the other students when they herd her voice. She vowed never to raise her hand again. Another student spoke of being embarrassed by a teacher when he gave the wrong answer. He said that he preferred to stay silent and never answer another question.
How did I go a whole year with these students and not see the fear that they had of the Question? I knew that they did not like to answer questions. I would call on them by name. I would call on the students at random. I would call on them when they did not raise their hand. All in an effort to get more students involved. But what could I have done to remove the fear?
- Prompt. - Be on time and in your seat.
- Prepared. - Be prepared. Bring your book, notebook, calculator and pencil.
- Polite.- Respect school and others property. Be courteous and respectful. No profanity.
- Participate. - We value everyone’s opinions and knowledge. Everyone is expected to be attentive and share their knowledge freely.
How do we as teachers help students with the fear of the Question? What do you do in your classrooms to address the fear students have of answering questions?
