Crickets in the Classroom

Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or one who's just started teaching, you’ve faced the dreaded silence among your students. All classes have their own flavor—some are more boisterous and talkative, others quiet and tentative. But at some point, every one of us will be met with glassy eyes, avoided gazes, and yawns of boredom.

So what can you do to stimulate your students so that you don’t become that bland “sage on a stage”? By making your students more willing participants, they will retain more, and you will find it’s much more enjoyable coming to class. Here are some tips I’ve discovered.

Give students time to answer your question. Every instructor dreads the silence after asking a question, and many will jump in to answer it just to keep the class flowing. Let them squirm! While it may be initially uncomfortable, EMS students must get used to speaking in public. If everyone refuses to participate, call someone’s name. As class progresses, students will relax and be more forthcoming. Set a precedent at the start of class that no one is safe from participation.

To mitigate some of the resistance, choose students randomly. Write the name of each student on an index card, then have one pick a card. Or select a student based on a characteristic such as length of hair or birthday months. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard.

Monitor participation. For seasoned instructors this is a far easier task. For a new instructor trying to acclimate to the course material and get comfortable in front of students, this can feel overwhelming. A simple strategy is to ask a question, then rotate around the room getting answers from each student. If a student shuts down, ask the class to help out their classmate.

Promote peer-to-peer learning. Split students up into small groups and ask an engaging question relevant to EMS. It could be about a current event, an objective the class is struggling with, or a challenging question. The group then talks to each other to solve the problem or come up with an opinion about the event. Students discover they’re not the only one who may find the material difficult and will gain confidence in their knowledge. Walk around the room and facilitate groups that are lagging. You’ll hear your students’ thought processes and find modules they’re struggling with.

Have students write their thoughts down on paper about the topic covered. Randomly call on students to share their thoughts. Some will be hesitant at first, but if they can speak their mind without fear of recrimination, they will get more comfortable as the class progresses. Encourage participation from all students. When one is speaking, the others must be respectful and listen. One obstacle to participation is a class bully who mocks whomever is speaking. Stress that all ideas are valuable.

Don’t cram too much information in a single class. This can be challenging, considering the time constraints of a course and what needs to be covered for the National Registry. One tactic is to focus more time on critical topics such as anatomy and physiology, along with patient assessment, and less time on initial course chapters such as EMT wellness, which is much more straightforward. If students are fumbling with the A and P and struggling to conduct assessments, they will only become more lost as the class progresses. Receiving feedback from former students about taking the National Registry exam also helps.

Introduce simple and practical skills early. Instructors tend to talk about the skill stations when they cover the related module, such as demonstrating oral pharyngeal airway insertion after lecturing about airway. True, students may not get the total concept of the skill if showed early, but they can always build on the baseline knowledge. Getting students moving around and interacting early in the course is the goal. Once students expect to just sit and listen to you lecture, they will be much harder to pry from their seats. Bolder students will be happy to get up and show off their skills. Quieter students must be encouraged.

Some may complain that you did not cover this in class, but by explaining that it’s just an entry-level introduction, you’ll be less likely to meet resistance. Others may openly refuse to practice when you ask them, citing that they’re uncomfortable. These students need to be reminded that they will have to perform the skill in front of many bystanders, some of whom may be hostile, while doing their job, and that they must become comfortable working in front of people. Stress that the classroom is the perfect place for this; you can make mistakes, ask your peers for help, and maybe have a few laughs.

Learn your students’ names. Acknowledging students shows you take an active interest in them. If you’re bad with names make a seating chart. When you call on someone to answer, note their name. Repetition is a great way to solidify names. Make a conscious effort to memorize two to three names per class. Students are far more receptive if you call them by name.

By making a conscious effort to include all students from the beginning, you’ll create a more open and friendly group. If a class still remains quiet, don’t take it personally. Just continue to engage and realize every class has a different flavor. You’ll find you enjoy teaching your class more if students are talkative and excited to be there.

Leslie Cieplechowicz, BS, MS, is a paramedic and instructor at Life Support Training Institute and St. Clair County Community College in Michigan.