A diverse classroom brings excitement and a great learning experience

I’ve asked myself this question a lot over my past three years in high school, and I am still inconclusive as to what sort of learning environment I enjoy the most. I’ve had loud classes, in which I still manage to get work finished, and quiet classes, in which nobody ever raises hands, much less speaks to one another. I really want to figure out which classroom environment best suits different types of student.

In my opinion, I feel that a very diverse classroom is an excellent one. Variety is always welcomed, and diversity helps solidify that. My ideal class would have the quiet students, who hardly ever speak up, but who are the smartest individuals you may ever meet, and obnoxious people that speak out of turn, who may know what they are talking about even if it doesn’t seem that way. The dynamic of the two completely different types of students makes for a very relaxed vibe in the class, with the loud people yelling at each other, with the quiet students, smirking from behind a book.

“I feel like a classroom with both loud and quiet students fits me,” said junior Katherine Pham. “If it is too quiet or too loud, people may be too intimidated to speak up in front of the class, or the teacher may be unable to take control.”

In my opinion, a successful teacher needs to get involved with his or her students through either assigning exciting tasks, or by joining in with the class during discussions. If they are too quiet or laid back, their students may take advantage, and if they are too strict, their students will most likely dislike them. The ideal teacher should be both relaxed and assertive.

“I feel like discipline is a large part of whether the class works or not,” asserted band teacher Steven Hendee. “The students need to know when it is a good time to talk, and a good time to be quiet. In music, a bad rehearsal generally means a bad performance; it’s pretty much the same in other classes. A bad class means a bad experience for the teacher, and for most students.”

All in all, I feel that a well-balanced class composed of louder and quiet students, and a teacher who pushes for discipline and perseverance, is needed to have a fun, safe learning experience.