speak up please

that awkward silence that follows almost every teacher's question is really really annoying. i hate being one of the multitude that reply with black stares on their helplessly bored faces. the problem with discussion based classes is that if the group of students that are in there are not willing to contribute their thoughts, everyone ends up sitting through a painful 50 minutes of a professor performing a monologue of q&a. what’s even worse is when you have one student playing trivia with the professor by answering and arguing every single thing the professor asks and says. now, i admit, its not their fault they are the only ones willing to speak up, but it hardly compels other students to join in. at least that’s my view of things.

so why, you ask, am i complaining about how people don't speak up and then criticize someone that finally does? well, its a complicated situation. i just can't make myself happy. i'm willing to break the silence a few times to respond to something, but only one or two times a class. after that, silence...silence...silence. (that scene in ferris bueler's day off captures the essence of the classroom perfectly: "anyone...anyone...anyone?") i hold my tongue, no matter how compelled i am to say the answer. why? because i don't want to look like miss smarty pants because i myself find such people annoying. so there i sit, holding myself to a double standard, trying to pretend like i don't know as much as i do. hmmmmm. something seems wrong with my philosophy on things. but hey, for those who are in my classes, here is what that post-question silence is pleading: if you know the answer, speak up please and save us all from our misery!