Do students participate in class discussions anymore?

[Anonymous]

I live in Moco with a daughter in her senior your year. She is has a few AP classes and she told me how her classmates don't really participate in class discussion. I remember in high school we had a lot of them in my advanced classes. I am reading more and more how students are anxious and glue to their phones, and this anecdotal experience is kinda reinforcing this idea that students don't talk anymore. Are teachers' teaching changing? Are students? Is my experience isolated?

[Anonymous]

They don't drive. They don't do as much drugs, or drinking. They are not even having sex like we did. So yeah, Gen Z are zombies now with their phones.

[Anonymous]

Class participation was a grade in my son's AP classes. No phones allowed (private school). They even had teachers who required them to take notes by hand so no zoning out on the laptops doing other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don't drive. They don't do as much drugs, or drinking. They are not even having sex like we did. So yeah, Gen Z are zombies now with their phones.

LOL tell me you haven't talked to high schoolers without telling me. I can assure you that plenty of HS'ers continue to participate in the time-honored traditions of getting high and trying to get laid.

Source: Am high schooler, have eyes.

[Anonymous]

Socratic Seminars you mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Class participation was a grade in my son's AP classes. No phones allowed (private school). They even had teachers who required them to take notes by hand so no zoning out on the laptops doing other things.

Wish this was the policy everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Class participation was a grade in my son's AP classes. No phones allowed (private school). They even had teachers who required them to take notes by hand so no zoning out on the laptops doing other things.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't drive. They don't do as much drugs, or drinking. They are not even having sex like we did. So yeah, Gen Z are zombies now with their phones.

LOL tell me you haven't talked to high schoolers without telling me. I can assure you that plenty of HS'ers continue to participate in the time-honored traditions of getting high and trying to get laid.

Source: Am high schooler, have eyes.

Your anedotal evidence is not representative of the countless studies, surveys, and research that says otherwise. Stay in school kid, and let the adults speak.

[Anonymous]

I have noticed a drop in class participation as a teacher. I think it is due to our current climate. I think kids are afraid to voice their opinions. They fear the crazy mob that cancels people. I am sure their parents also tell them to be quiet.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher too. A lot of teachers say kids now are more polite but really they are just quiet. My honors class has students who will be opinionated. More so pre pandemic but lessening over the years. My regular classes I notice a big drop. They are very quiet. Of course there are disruptive students but deal with a lot as I once did.

[Anonymous]

Another HS teacher... Agree that discussion is becoming more difficult, especially when an adult (me) is involved. I've noticed a big change in the last 10 years. I have to set up activities to trick kids into expressing their opinion or circulate through the room while I have student groups in discussions. I also cold call kids, because anxiety or not, they have to be able to speak to their professors, bosses, etc. and need to overcome that fear. But I am very supportive of their efforts.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have a college freshman who told me that discussions were pretty sparse in his Walter Johnson classrooms (mostly AP classes and a few electives). He thought that virtual schooling habituated kids to not participate, because it's well nigh impossible to have a lively discussion on an online platform. Perhaps also being afraid to cause offense with all the things one is not allowed to say, hint or wave at?

Hopefully college will offer more freedom of debate. Haven't asked him yet.

[Anonymous]

^ me again. The reason he noticed is that pre-pandemic, he couldn't get a word in edgewise, and after coming back from lockdowns etc, he noticed he was one of a few to speak up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed a drop in class participation as a teacher. I think it is due to our current climate. I think kids are afraid to voice their opinions. They fear the crazy mob that cancels people. I am sure their parents also tell them to be quiet.

My son is very liberal and attending a very liberal school. He told me once that it’s a little sad because the students usually all agree with each other.

[Anonymous]

While my kids do well in their respective classes, I do notice how they often take information. They follow influencers who voice their opinions, read them the news, etc. It's all so passive, fast, and disposable.