12 Part H: Humanizing In-Class Activities

“I had this prof that would always say ‘Ask me two questions’ and we always did.” – Anonymous student

In practice, this can look like:

• If you’ve taught the course before, share commonly asked questions from previous semesters and then answer them or ask students why they think they are common questions. This activity can lower the stakes of question asking.
• Ensure that the first time a student contributes something (a comment, an answer, etc.), that the interaction goes well, that you are positive, supportive, enthusiastic, and grateful.
• If you get to choose who speaks first in a session, choose someone from an equity-seeking community. Research has been done to show that if you choose a white, cis male to speak first, there will likely to be less participation from other groups.
• At the end of a semester, ask students to write short notes of advice to the next cohort of students. Share these during the first class in the new semester.
• Ask students to note 2 ‘barnacles’ that stick with them throughout class session. These might be something they agree with, disagree with, need more information about, or are curious about. Those two barnacles can help to start conversations and help the instructor get to know students through the things that stick with them, and why. This exercise can also indicate how understandable your materials are.
• Asking questions during lectures/presentations, and explaining that you find certain topics really difficult, can prompt them to voice their own questions.
• For really difficult concepts, present them both to both the whole group and to individual groups as well. This takes extra time, but it lets students ask their own questions and ensures they are understanding the topics.
• If a student answers a question incorrectly or makes a comment with erroneous information, honour the attempt and correct gently. “Thank you. That is pretty close. What do you think of adjusting it with this information…..?”
• When you want to ask if students have any questions, try to have a couple questions ready (maybe ones you’ve been asked in the past) that you can ask to yourself. This gives students time to formulate their own questions, and it might get their minds working on new questions.
• Write down activity instructions very clearly, especially if you’re teaching online and sending the instructions to breakout rooms. Share those written instructions along with your verbal instructions in the chat or on the board.
• Always debrief an activity. Otherwise it will seem like busy work.
• Give bonus points to students who show interest and engagement when their classmates do in-class presentations. At each presentation’s Q&A session, those who ask interesting questions (orally or in writing) related to the presentation get bonus participation marks. Students understand it’s not much about the grade, but it’s about collectively creating a collegial and amicable environment to alleviate possible stress during in-class presentations.
• Make sure it is clear how the in-class activity aligns with the rest of what is happening in the course.
• Use examples that resonate with your student demographic. For example, don’t ask a math question asking how to calculate the cost of landscaping your yard when most folk can barely afford the apartments they live in.^[1]
• Encourage seat movement seems beneficial. Hierarchies can develop in the classroom where more outgoing students will sit towards the front and others sit in secluded corners or seats farther back. It’s a good idea for the professor to be physically closer to a variety of students, rather than the same 3-4 who answer every question. This will also help for students to create more relationships in the classroom.
• Use active learning strategies with a goal in mind. When providing instructions on the strategy being used, include the goal. Explaining why they are doing something can be motivating.