Many students will look at a class’s syllabus on the first day and turn immediately to the grade breakdown supplied by their professor. Invariably, class participation is worth a significant part of the final grade. For the outgoing, confident student this is a breath of fresh air. Some people are just more comfortable raising their hand in class and offering their opinions on the given subject matter. For the rest of us, the prospect of 10 percent of our final grade reflecting our participation is downright frightening.
If you are nervous about your class participation, it’s a good idea to speak with your professor early on in the semester. If your instructor is confident that you are doing the reading and paying attention in class, they will devise ways for you to receive full credit even if you are incredibly shy. One excellent way to alleviate your anxiety about joining in a class discussion is to simply ask a question, instead of answering one. Often, the professor will begin class by asking if there any questions about the current material. If you can bring up something from the reading for that class that was puzzling, you can have your voice heard without the prospect of actually incorrectly answering a question.
This brings us to the nature of college classes. Keep in mind that most students are in your class by choice. They chose to go to college. They chose to register for the class. These are truly your peers so you can start to eliminate the feelings of unrest you may have had in high school. Professors aren’t terribly excited by the student who sits in the front row and answers every single question. Rather, they are looking for a genuine discussion to occur. This can only happen when students are willing to offer opinions, even when they’re unsure whether they’re on the right path. This is one of the best ways for professors to gauge whether their students are actually absorbing the pertinent information of the course.
Don’t be concerned with being right all the time. If you feel like you’re having a hard time jumping into the discussion, jot down some notes about the discussion and discuss them after class with the professor. This will show your instructor that you are truly engaged in the course. Sometimes your body language can be a part of your class participation. If you are sitting in your seat slumped over and look close to falling asleep, the professor will subconsciously mark you down. Sit upright, maintain eye contact with whomever is speaking, take notes at the appropriate time, and look genuinely interested in the discussion.