Everybody Talks

Robert E. Probst takes the idea of talking in the classroom to a whole new level in this chapter. Whenever I think of talking in class I don't normally think of deep conversations but rather getting students to listen and not whisper snide comments and rude remarks to their friends. Speaking in class is not a fun thing. I have never enjoyed it and I'm not sure that I ever will. Peers are harsh and judgmental. Getting ideas across clearly is also a concern. I had always wished that teachers would provide some sort of sheet with discussion topics on it so that coming to class with thoughts prepared was an option. I think a problem that educators are faced with is getting students to clearly articulate their thoughts. That is one of the worst things about speaking up in class, making sure that your thoughts are clear so that everyone can understand what you are trying to communicate. Not only is clearly explaining your thoughts important, but actually having a thought on the topic. Sometimes a student just doesn't care about the topic at hand. One day in high school my AP Lit teacher was having a particularly hard time to get discussion out of us after a dry portion of The Grapes of Wrath. Instead she turned the conversation completely around and made us argue as to why the due date for our paper on the novel should be pushed back. Every single hand shot up in the class. After the debate (which we won) my teacher asked us why couldn't we communicate like that during other aspects of class discussion. Allowing for students to be more prepared for classroom discussion while at the same time making sure that there is at least a kernel of interest to the students I believe will go a long way in improving classroom discussion.