Student Participation is Key

As a professor in the religion department, Brother Eaton has instituted several new ideas that help his students delve deeper into the classes, declare their opinions, and open up to the other students. His student participation techniques are unlike the usual hand-raising exercises. They include study groups, hot seats, and different student discovery techniques.  Brother Eaton stated, "...on the very first day of class, we discuss what students can do to get more out of class.  In that context, we always discuss student participation in class and preparation for class, among other things." For many religion classes it seems like there are always several students who never participate in classroom discussions. This is disheartening for any teacher. Fortunately, it sounds like Brother Eaton has found some ways around the shyness factor. He says, "...I try to follow up on that by teaching in a way that elicits student participation.  The goal isn't just to have them talk; it's to have them participate in discovering insights for themselves.  That way, they're much more likely to retain them."

One of these techniques is "The Friendly Hot Seat." The students already know that they will be called on that day to express their views and opinions, so that they have plenty of time to prepare. On occasion, Brother Eaton will call on some of the quieter students in class, and they will make comments until everyone has had a chance to participate. "The result tends to be relatively broad student participation," he stated. Jennifer Jones stated, "I really enjoy this because every one participates. It's just not the most talkative students, but even those that have great things to say but don't have the courage to say it..."

Brother Eaton also uses study groups to encourage student participation. These study groups, however, are not taking place in class like many other teachers prefer. In Brother Eaton's classes, the study groups meet every other week for an hour to discuss doctrine, what they're learning, and any questions they might have. There can be no more than five people in a group, making the group a close nit community for easy conversations. One of Brother Eaton's students, Logan Stiles, shared an instance in which he and three other students shared a great moment of learning in a discussion group, "These are shy individuals who, in class, generally give little or no input into the discussions. I was pleasantly surprised and quite touched as I was able to hear them speak candidly about the scriptures and how their readings have inspired... I saw a side of these dear, shy sisters rarely seen in class."

Class participation is essential for a successful learning environment. Calin Bruce said, "Being required to speak and having to be prepared for class each day, makes it easier to participate. [Brother Eaton] now has us doing one to two minute talks on topics in the chapters we read. You know when you have to talk, so you have time to prepare. I guess the biggest thing that has helped is being required to be prepared for class. It leads more insightful discussions and many people have great input."