Do you ever find the constant babble of your chatty co-workers distracting? Do you ever tell them to be quiet multiple times a day? If so, you’re not alone. Everybody knows we live in an extrovert-friendly world. We tend to favor the outgoing, gregarious, talkative types. And we frown upon the quiet, pensive, observational ones. Teamwork, class participation, group work, office outings; while these social activities have their advantages, the disadvantages are just as prominent (depending on your personality). Where this can be troublesome is in the classroom. Our children have bright and curious minds. But are typical educational environments allowing students to fully reach their academic and personal potential? If you live in Manhattan, you can ensure that your child will maximize his or her learning with exclusive tutors at Big Apple Tutoring LLC.

HOW WE EXPEL OUR ENERGY

According to Susan Cain, author of the book ‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’, introverts are often undervalued and overlooked. So much emphasis has been put on the extroverted child being the successful child – but this statement has its own inaccuracies.

Children learn and retain information in all different kinds of ways; this shouldn’t be limited to strictly social settings, such as the classroom. Extroverts draw energy from social interactions, while introverts draw energy from quiet reflection. There need to be more available outlets to express our ideas. We, as teachers, parents, guides, and leaders are responsible for giving them these outlets.

BALANCE IN THE CLASSROOM

It’s crucial to remember that the classroom is not one-size-fits-all. It’s also unrealistic to believe that teachers can accommodate each student depending on their individual needs and learning styles. To at least have an awareness of these needs is a huge leap forward into positive educational environments.

Classroom participation shouldn’t be based solely on raising your hand and verbally answering questions. Perhaps teachers can ask students to write their thoughts or answers to questions on paper to hand in at the end of class. This can be a participation activity, rather than homework. We’re often quick to judge the quiet ones, and even less quick to give them the opportunity to express themselves. Maybe the student isn’t withdrawing. Perhaps she is so actively reflecting on possible responses that it does not occur to her to raise her hand in class.

What if teachers give students time to prepare their answers by giving them a “thinking period” before responding? This time of mental preparation is fair for everyone. Quieter students may feel more comfortable when they have the chance to think about what they’d like to say with minimal pressure. The overly participative student will need to learn to wait her turn. This type of idea is likely to create classroom equilibrium.

STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Yes, it’s inevitable that at many points in our lives we’re going to feel pressure in an uncomfortable situation. In order to prepare our kids for the real world, we should prep them with examples of this in the classroom – all we’re suggesting is “within reason.”

Stepping out of our comfort zones requires a great deal of mental energy, and takes a strenuous effort to accomplish this. The extrovert should be conscious of not dominating the conversation by allowing others to offer their opinions. Every individual should always be in the mindset to challenge one’s self and self-motivate. As scary as it may be, that trite yet accurate phrase still rings in our ears: welcome to the real world.

We’re going to encounter different types of people every single day – with some of whom – we may clash. Children who can tap into their own self-awareness regarding how to deal with people given our own personalities will soar to a successful future, in and out of the classroom. Big Apple Tutoring LLC will cater to your child’s unique and individual needs. Their exclusive tutors are highly sought after and are the best in New York City. For academic excellence call them today at (212) 479-0830.