After a month in class, and with midterms rapidly approaching, the time seems ripe for a classroom etiquette Public Service Announcement. The following isn't of grave importance. It isn't about how messed up a world we live in. It isn't about saving the world. It is, however, an attempt to make life a little less annoying for those of us in the storied Academical Village, and to make chronic eye-rolling just a little less common.
You've had a class with him -- we all have. He's "that guy" or "that girl" who always wants to contribute just a little too much, or doesn't quite seem able to go with the flow of the discussion, or is forever asking a question that the professor just answered. There are as many ways to be "that guy" as there are classes at the University, but there are a few simple ways to minimize classroom annoyance and maximize learning.
Rarely, if ever, should a question in class begin with the phrase "will this be on the exam?" Few and far between are the professors or TAs who will respond favorably to this type of question. If it's being covered in class, it's a fair bet that your professor thinks it's worth teaching. Not every word out of the professor's mouth will be explicitly questioned on exams -- there just isn't time. But you -- or your parents -- have got to be paying thousands of dollars for something beyond good grades -- the pleasure and privilege of learning perhaps?
Speaking of learning something, listening is often a good way to start. Believe it or not, your TA and even your classmates do have valuable things to say, even during discussion. Listen to them. Contribute too, but only when your comments are relevant, unique and thoughtful. Spending all your energy in a misguided attempt to earn all of your participation points is a sure way to annoy your peers. If your classmates are shifting in their chairs, rolling their eyes or clearing their throats, chances are you're talking too much for their taste. And if your professor or TA avoids eye contact every time you raise your hand, try putting it down now and again.
Another common "that guy" pitfall: asking way too many questions during lecture. Yes, professors often invite participation even in large lecture classes. And yes, many will encourage you to ask questions if something is not clear, because they figure other students will be confused about the same thing. And you should ask questions. And often other students will wonder about the same thing. The problem comes when you find yourself asking three or four questions in the same hour. Again, your classmates will give you a pretty good idea if you're asking too much; same cues as before. Pay attention to them. With only 50 to 75 minutes in a class and upward of 100 students, it just isn't fair to engage in a one-on-one conversation with the professor, whether it's clarifying questions or a topic you'd like to discuss in greater depth. That's what office hours are for.
All of this makes it sound like the best plan is to sit in class, take notes and never open your mouth. That isn't true. Just as annoying are discussion sections where TAs ask leading questions which are never, ever answered because no one wants to step up. No one learns anything in those classes either and they are the primary reason so many people avoid courses with a required discussion. Additionally taxing are classes where the professor speeds through material while the entire class sits there with blank looks on their faces because no one wants to request clarification.
What's important, then, is balance. Productive classes are a delicate balance of listening and absorbing and actively participating. It's important to everyone's enjoyment and education to develop a comfortable class dynamic. Nothing interrupts that dynamic more than someone who feels like he has to participate all the time, or say the first thing that pops into his head. Because the guy who doesn't participate at all may not get anything out of the class, but he also won't greatly interfere with anyone else. So remember, participate when you have something to say, but not when you have just anything to say.
And, no, this won't be on the exam.
(Megan Moyer's column appears
Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at mmoyer@cavalierdaily.com.)
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