Back to School: Raising your hand in class

It is not the end of the world if you feel as if you can't put your hand up to answer a question in class.

I feel like a lot of people (including me) really struggle with one particular thing in school: putting your hand up to answer a question or contribute to a discussion.

The fear of getting it wrong, of mucking it up and being laughed at or just not wanting to.

It is okay.

Teachers act like it's the end of the world if you're a student who doesn't like to answer questions in class but it really isn't. Every single parents' evening almost all of my teachers say "she's a really good student but it would be great if she could put her hand up more." every. single. time.

Teachers that pick on students to answer questions are the worst. If they can't respect the fact that not everyone is confident enough to put their hand up then honestly I think they shouldn't teach. No-one should be forced to do anything. I suppose some teachers think it'll make us more confident if they pick on us to answer a question but personally I feel like every time I'm picked on to answer a question my confidence gets knocked a little more, it makes me want to raise my hand less and hide more.

You've probably heard all the advice in regards to putting your hand up about trying to set goals to do it maybe once a day or something or not worry about making mistakes because it means you learn so I'm not going to repeat all that but I will say that if you feel like you can put your hand up and contribute to a discussion or answer a question then it is great that you have enough confidence to do that and please do it, even if it is just once, but the world isn't going to end if you don't raise your hand and you don't answer questions, you will still be able to have a life after school.

One of my teachers said that I'd need to raise my hand more to get a better grade in a class but I rarely (if ever I can't even remember) raise my hand in that class and don't contribute to class discussions and I am doing just fine because your classwork can make up for your lack of contribution in discussions.

Just remember: you're fine. If you feel like you can't raise your hand, that is fine. If you feel like you can, that is also fine.

And teachers: don't pick on students that you know don't like to answer questions to do so because it is not going to magically make them a super-confident person that is all of a sudden fine with raising their hand. If they're anything like me, it'll shake them up for the rest of the lesson and make them not want to do any work any more. You should respect the fact that not everyone wants to put their hand up.

Just breathe. You're doing great, I promise you.

Goodbye

:)