Get Your Students Hired
Hi everyone,
I've enjoyed reading about all of your great ideas for employing active learning in the career college classroom. I incorporate active learning through writing groups, small group discussions, and guided activities. My goal is to involve all students, but I find that shy students do not participate as much in activities that involve the entire class. In my experience, they do better in small groups. Does anyone have any advice for getting them more involved in all-class activities?
Hi Catherine,
Give everyone student a role, including the shy student. The shy student tends to open up more in a smaller setting.
Patricia Scales
I like that this approach is sensitive to the comfort of shy students in the learning environment without excusing them from participating in the activity. Assigning roles is a fair way to ensure their involvement so they do not withdraw from participation entirely or feel persecuted when the instructor comes around gently trying to prod them into participating.
I agree 100% with group activities being a plus for shy students. As they say strength in numbers.I have seen shy students get caught up in group discussions and slowly begin to react and begin to express their own points of view getting lost in the discussions and their shyness takes a back seat during the interactions.Paul T. Rougemont
Hi Klaus,
Great way to encourage participation from shy students. Let's continue to bring out the best in shy students, give them something meaningful to be in charge of.
Patricia Scales
This seems to me the best way to work with shy students. I often ask such students to be my assistand when I demo something.
Hi Heather,
It is amazing what you get from shy/quiet students whenever they in put in charge. Normally, they do a fantastic job!
Patricia Scales
I try to engage the students in a variety of activities in order to address the various learning styles. The students seem to enjoy activities like Jeopardy and any competitive things the best.
Hi Karla,
I concur! We have to really encourage participation from shy students! They can shine if you pull it out of them.
Patricia Scales
Small groups are great for shy students. In order to make them be more active in the activity, giving them a leadership role, maybe reporting answers back to the instructor. This will keep them on their toes and know that they need to be more engage.
Hi Mohammad,
Small groups work extremely well for shy students. They really do open up more in a smaller setting.
Patricia Scales
Shy students should be asked to work in a small group. This way will be able to work among friends.
Hi Joan,
I like to take it easy and slow with shy students. They are very tender in so many ways, and if you throw them to the wolves so to speak, they may shut down completely. Ease them into more involvement!
Patricia Scales
Hi Shannon-
I like your response. I do not think "throwing shy students in the deep end" is a good solution, but rather building self-confidence through small steps. Providing non-threatening activities, such as games, initially is a good way to start. Group activities should also be monitored by the instructor.
Hi Glenn,
I like how you utilize location to bring out the best in your students. Sometimes you do have to take your students out of their comfort zone to make them utilize their full potential.
Patricia Scales
I find that if you move them around and get them away from their friends the results are better. For example in our cooking lab days i notice that the shy ones tends to isolate themselves with the less passive students, but by placing them next to others who are more aggressive and are on game will help the passive ones become more involved in the day lesson plan.
Hi Shannon,
I concur! Shy students will become more comfortable with you when you engage in small talk with them.
Patricia Scales
Shy students need to feel comfortable in their environment and with the other students. I think the best way to do this is develop a relationship with them that may include just asking them how their day is going everday. Working in small groups also helps because they do not feel threatened by a large group of students. Continuously changing student groups and,assigning certain roles within the group, and always changing who is in those roles will help shy students ease into the active learning process.
Hi Cecil,
You are right! Those who are into the game are getting it; those who are withdrawn are lost. We have to help those who are lost.
Patricia Scales