I haven't been in a true classroom situation in several years. What I remember from my undergrad is that people don't like people who always answer the questions the profs ask. I'm not saying that I always answer the questions they give correctly, but as I do sit in the front row, it is easier for me to propose an answer. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who tries to answer these questions. Part of my learning curve the first week was to realize when I was sure / not sure if I knew something. I certainly blurted out some dumb answers. For example, I said that glucose would be transported by facilitated diffusion. Wrong-o! However, I do have more experience than many of the people in the class and because of that I probably do have a more in-depth knowledge on certain topics. These guys will have an additional 10 years of doctor income that I won't have so I might as well get in a few right answers, eh? I also am wondering why I feel the need to answer the questions at times. Why don't I just keep the right answer in my head and not feel the need to call it out? I think part of it is that I have had a bad run, recently and sort of need the confidence. I need to feel like I know what I am doing. Another aspect is that having been a teacher, I know what the emptiness of blank stares feels like. I feel like I am helping out by proposing the right answer to a question. Getting up in front of a large class of blank faces is nerve wracking no matter how often you do it. There always will be some aspect of nerves. So, in my mind anyway I am helping out the prof by showing that I am actually listening. Whether or not the prof perceives it this way I will never know. Finally, In this program we are all auditioning for getting into MS1 next year. So, I feel like if I am interactive and perceived by the profs as being somewhat not-braindead. Then, if they influence the admissions decision at all, it might give me a bit of a leg up. However, there is the chance that if I am too aggressive in answering questions then I may alienate possible alliances with peer groups and the profs would notice that too. They might think I have no social skills, or a big ego. Part of it also is that I have very little fear of public speaking after teaching for awhile, so I'm not afraid to say the wrong thing. Others may be struggling with this. There has to be a fine balance there somewhat. For sure, I have sat on some answers to questions just because I don't want to be the one that everyone dislikes in class. And, like I've mentioned before I have a distinct advantage in that my assigned seat is in the front row. I can imagine that someone all the way in the back may not even be able to be heard by the prof.
I guess I will take it as a blessing that I feel I know most of the answers to questions profs ask in class; with the understanding that I need to strike a balance between not answering all the questions and also not being totally silent.
PS I'm almost certain that this is something that a Guy would not even consider as a problem. I think it is part of the female conditioning process to be told that you have to be quiet / demure / retiring. "Oh, golly I just don't know; my female brain just can't handle this hard stuff.... " I think females do this to other females more so. If one female ignores the social custom of not speaking out the others will respond negatively.
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