Picture this: your class is perched on the edge of their seats, breathlessly waiting for your next thought-provoking question. You throw out a hot topic and—bam!—the room erupts in enthusiastic waves like they’re bidding bon voyage on the Queen Mary.
Sound familiar?
Yeah… didn’t think so.
Let’s be real. Most days, you ask a question and maybe five or six hands go up—and let’s be honest, it’s usually the same five or six students. And who can blame you for calling on them? You’ve got a lesson to get through, and they’re ready and willing.
But here’s the problem: the rest of the class checks out. They’d rather doodle, daydream, or watch the second hand on the clock do its slow, torturous dance.
Here’s what I tried—and it actually worked:
I created a simple chart to track which students had answered questions. Before each class, I’d glance at it and make a point to direct questions to the quieter students. The results? Kind of amazing.
Suddenly, everyone had to stay alert—they might be next! The energy went up, participation increased, and yes… more learning actually happened.
