You know “that kid” you have in your class? The one who raises their hand to speak and the whole class starts to shake their heads and sigh. You know, the one who always has something to say about nothing. The one that causes you to physically turn your head at least twice in the time they are speaking to check the clock. You feel you hear them talk more than you hear the professor.

We all know who it is and what it is in every class setting. You know, I know, the professor knows, and well, the kid probably knows too. The problem, however, is what to do with this kid. The professor can’t get mad with the student for doing what is expected of them and participating in class. Perhaps professors need to clarify that participation should be thoughtfully engaged and not just paraphrases of what was previously explained.

Also, why does that kid always seem to raise their hand to say “I agree?” If I am in a lecture hall with 399 other individuals and someone raises their hand, solely for the purpose of agreeing with the teacher, I get confused. I was pretty sure a simple head nod would suggest to the professor and those around you that you believe the current topic of discussion holds some truth. If you feel so inclined to raise your hand and disrupt the valuable learning time of the whole class, maybe I should be paying you to listen to your opinion, but wait, you are not the teacher.

While I understand the importance of participation for collaborative learning, gaining more knowledge from your peers, debating, and networking, I recognize when and where this is appropriate. We have these sections called discussion sections and what you do there is right in the name, you discuss. This would be a fine time for that kid to get their opinion heard, among an intimate group of 20-30 students. When you go to a lecture, guess what happens? You get lectured. The professor spends a lot of time and puts in effort to accurately time out their lectures to fit the brief period they are given to provide us with the information we will need to succeed in the class.

By ranting about nonsense for minutes at a time, that kid interferes with the lesson plan formulated by the professor and the success of the students in the class. I know it seems simple but if it’s so simple why do people have such a hard time grasping what is expected of them?

When the teacher reads the title of a slide from a Powerpoint and you raise your hand to define the term before their first bullet is presented, you’re that kid. If you make “Oooh oooh oooh” noises while waving your hand so the professor will notice you, you’re most likely that kid. When you raise your hand before you even know what you are going to say, chances are you’re that kid. If people groan and moan when the professor notices you’re obviously waving your hand and calls on you, like it or not, you’re probably that kid.

If you hate this article so far because you disagree with the portrayal I am giving, big bright signs are pointing your way, flashing and displaying in dazzling colors, “that kid.”

What can we do about this?

Both professors and teaching assistants have office hours and some professors will even meet with you by appointment, so I would like to advise that kid to utilize these opportunities to connect with professors and clarify misunderstandings from class. You could discuss class exercises, homework, internships, how you like your coffee, chat about the weekend, anything you want for all I care, as long as it’s not on my time.

I choose to attend all my classes because I pay for those classes. There is never an internal debate as to whether or not I should skip a class because I’m too tired or because it’s raining, I just suck it up and go. I realize that no matter how little you think you may learn in a particular class, not going means you have learned absolutely nothing. As far as I’m concerned, a missed lecture is more than a missed lesson, its money lost. I, like everyone else, don’t like to waste my money, so next time you raise your hand in class to participate, think for a moment whether or not what you have to say will be remotely beneficial to the rest of the people around you who are paying for the time in their seat.

Don’t want to be “that kid.”

Stacey Linehan is a Collegian columnist. She can be reached at [email protected].