Center for Teaching Excellence,
Iowa State University
March, 1998
which excludes the rest of the class. Where you stand or sit affects whether
the entire class feels included so you may need to move away from one student
to bring the rest of the students into the discussion.
Most of us are more comfortable in some kinds of situations than in others.
Some people are the life of the party while others really shine in smaller,
more intimate groups. Spend some time thinking about the kinds of groups in
which you tend to speak up and the ones in which you're more likely to keep
quiet. Think about the conditions that increase your comfort level and those
which inhibit you. Then think about how your students might feel. You're not
going to create the ideal environment for everyone but you'll have a better
understanding of yourself and your students.