Introverts
Introverts are often defined negatively: "shy, socially withdrawn, and tend to talk less." I belive this is the case because extroversion is idealized by American culture. What could be positive attributes of introverts? For example, they might be "socially withdrawn" in some situations but thrive in smaller social groups.
I have found that when I have had some introverts in the class, I try to reach out to them individually. It seems like the ones I had been able to work with actually indicated that they felt they had a voice in my class, where before, in an in-person class, they did not. I would agree with you extroversion is idealized in American culture. We want our children to advocate for themselves, but when they are painfully shy and don't speak up, we worry. I have two children, one who speaks out and questions, and the other one who does not. It seems like introverts, while they may not speak out, many of them observe. They are often forced to listen based on their own shyness. The goal is to be able to get their thoughts out there. For some people, online classes give them that outlet.
