one of the worst things ever is when teachers randomly call on you to answer questions (excluding when they do it cause you aren’t paying attention) it can really be so triggering for anxiety. i’m going to be a high school english teacher and thats the most important thing to me. no putting people on the spot and if i need some way to make sure they’re really thinking i’ll assign them essays they can write at home.

Teaching in Real Life

I believe you wouldn’t be an effective teacher if you did that.  

I responded to a comment/question like this in an earlier post, so I’ve re-posted and updated it slightly:

I will sometimes pick a random student when I can tell they aren’t paying attention, when I believe that they know the answer and I’m giving them a chance to show what they know, or I try to involve shyer students to inspire some confidence in them.  I try to be aware when students have a bad day or have anxiety, and would have separate conversations with them to ensure they feel comfortable.  If I do call on students, they have every right to pass if they do not want to share, and I would respect that and discuss with them privately later.

One cannot write essays at home without sharing and deliberating their thoughts with others.  Well, they CAN, but it would not be an effective or well-written essay.  There needs to be collaboration and process work in order to produce a strong essay.  If homework was just assigned continually for students to write their thoughts, rather than share them, students, parents, other teachers and administration would not be impressed and you would get in trouble.

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