There are two types of people in the world: those who jump on the chance to respond to a question, and those who cringe when the teacher says “participating is required.” Participation can be easy points for those who are extroverted, but a nightmare for those who are introverted.

“Talking in class doesn’t determine if you are smart or not. It just shows who is more confident in what they have to say, and who is more engaged in the topic,” sophomore Soraya Marashi said.

Studies have shown that when a student participates, their memorization and public speaking skills improve. Participation also teaches students to prepare effectively and formulate ideas to share.
Sometimes teachers are at a dead end with students and have to enforce a participation policy in order to have a discussion. But, sometimes this comes with a price.

“If there are participation points, then it forces people to talk even if they don’t have quality responses,” sophomore Rachel Williams said. “This creates a stressful environment that doesn’t promote sharing ideas.”

Many students argue that taking tests, doing homework, coming prepared and being attentive in class is enough work, and participating shouldn’t be another factor in the already complicated grade makeup.

“Participation should be based on doing your homework and taking notes during class, not how many times you talk,” Williams said.