Do you feel like your teacher always calls on you in class? If so, don’t be alarmed. There are many possible reasons why your teacher might be calling on you to answer questions.
Teachers call on students they perceive to look distracted or bored. They may also call on students who are shy or reluctant to get involved to encourage them to participate more. Teachers might also call on confident and able students to gain useful contributions and move the lesson along.
This article will explore the most common reasons why teachers repeatedly call on specific students to answer questions during class. If you’ve wondered why your teacher always calls on you, read on!
Common Reasons Why Teachers Call on Students
The best teachers encourage active participation from their students, and many teachers integrate class participation as part of students’ grades. But why do some teachers tend to call on the same students again and again?
There are a handful of reasons why an instructor might do this. Some of the most common reasons include:
- To keep students engaged with lessons.
- To encourage participation and boost students’ confidence.
- To move the lesson along with useful contributions.
- To gauge and assess the information students are retaining.
If you feel like your teacher always calls on you during class, review these reasons to gain some insight into the matter.
To Keep Students Engaged With Lessons
There are two types of “calling” that teachers carry out during class:
- Random calls (cold calling)
- Volunteer calls
The first option involves randomly calling on students to answer questions, while the second revolves around selecting “volunteers,” i.e., students who raise their hands to answer questions.
Group random call (cold calling) offers several benefits to teachers and students, including increased discussion about the information in a lesson. For this reason, some teachers prefer to call on students who don’t raise their hands.
For a more comprehensive understanding of how cold calling works and why teachers prefer to use this technique, check out this helpful video explaining this teaching method:
One of the key benefits of cold calling is that it can significantly boost student engagement. When students know that a teacher may call on them at random, even if they don’t raise their hands, they are likely to show more effort in keeping up with the instructions and information being delivered.
The term “Random” may imply that every student has a somewhat equal chance of being called upon. However, for teachers, “random” does not necessarily mean without any method or conscious decision. Often, a teacher will use cold calling strategically to target students who seem disengaged during the lesson.
By calling on students who appear bored or disinterested, the instructor can reengage them, encouraging greater class discussion and higher information retention.
The common signs of disengagement that teachers tend to look for include:
- Not making eye contact with others during class discussions.
- Excessive fidgeting and moving around in your seat.
- Having your head down on the desk.
- Chatting with classmates about unrelated topics.
Consequently, your teacher might often call on you to answer questions during class because they perceive you as uninterested or unfocused. They’re doing their best to help you pay attention and become more actively engaged in the lesson.
To Encourage Participation and Boost Students’ Confidence
Another reason teachers might often call on specific students is to encourage greater classroom participation and boost a student’s confidence.
Students who are shy or uncomfortable speaking publicly can struggle with being called on during class. Teachers might attempt to help these students overcome their social discomfort by calling on them more often.
Speaking in front of others can be a daunting experience, especially if you have an introverted personality. And it is easy to think that the teacher is targeting or punishing you by frequently calling on you to answer. But this is almost always not the case.
A good teacher will endeavor to create a safe learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing their ideas. By calling on specific students to answer, a teacher may be trying to give them the assurance and belief they need to get more involved in lessons.
With plenty of positive reinforcement and practice, feelings of shyness can begin to lessen thanks to this strategy.
Of course, asking the quietest students to answer questions in front of the class isn’t the only method teachers use to encourage students to speak more often and confidently participate, but it can be helpful.
To Move the Lesson Along With Useful Contributions
In addition to calling on distracted or shy students, instructors tend to call on confident, high-performing students.
Students who consistently perform well and are good communicators can move class discussions along more effectively.
Teachers seek input from students throughout the lesson; otherwise, it becomes an uninspiring one-sided lecture. But if most of the class is reluctant to contribute, the teacher will often turn to the more able and confident students to keep the lesson alive and stimulating.
These contributions can also offer new perspectives and supplementary information, thus sparking further interest and engagement from other students.
Therefore, if your teacher always calls on you, it could be a sign that they value your insight and contributions to lessons!
To Gauge and Assess the Information Students are Retaining
While pop quizzes and tests can help teachers determine how well their students retain information, class discussions can be just as helpful.
The goal of every teacher is to ensure their students are learning, and calling on students during class is an excellent way to assess whether they are on track or need further help and clarification with the content being taught.
Teachers often start a lesson by calling on students to recap the previous learning covered. This is an effective way for them to gauge how much information you have retained.
When students can’t answer these questions correctly, teachers know they must spend more time reviewing a specific topic.
Especially with students who have previously struggled with new concepts, a teacher will likely interact with them more to ensure they are not falling further behind.
So, if you notice your teacher calling on you and asking questions about the lesson, they may be attempting to assess your level of understanding and gauge whether you require further support or challenge. In short, teachers will call on you because they’re eager to ensure you are progressing well in their class.
How To Find Out Why Your Teacher Always Calls on You
If your teacher constantly calls on you to answer questions, you might feel singled out. Fortunately, finding out why your teacher is choosing you, potentially more often than other students, is a straightforward process. All you need to do is ask.
That said, interrupting a lesson to ask your teacher why they keep calling on you isn’t the best course of action. Instead, you’ll want to find non-class time to discuss this issue with them.
For example, you can:
- Speak with your teacher after class.
- Speak with your teacher before class.
- Schedule a meeting with your teacher.
- Send an email to your teacher.
The best option depends on your class schedule, your teacher’s availability, and the resources available, such as access to a teacher’s email address.
Let’s discuss each course of action to determine which might work best for you.
Speak With Your Teacher After Class
One of the simplest ways to find out why your teacher always calls on you is to take a moment after class to speak with them about it.
Teachers that stay in the same classroom throughout the day can speak briefly with students after the bell. Some teachers may also encourage after-class questions from students and ensure you’re given a hallway slip pardoning your tardiness to your next class.
However, some teachers change classrooms from period to period.
In this case, finding after-class time to chat with your instructor can be challenging. Arriving at class early might be the better option if your teacher doesn’t have after-class availability.
Speak With Your Teacher Before Class
Do you typically arrive at class before class starts? If so, you can use this time to have a quick word with your instructor and ask them why they always call on you during class.
Mentioning your concern right before the lesson should ensure that the matter remains fresh in your teacher’s mind, so they’ll be more conscious about calling on you from there on out.
However, there are two potential drawbacks to this option:
- Your teacher may be busy preparing for the upcoming lesson and, therefore, unable to answer your question.
- Other students entering the classroom can be distracting or cause you to feel anxious about speaking with your teacher.
If you’re nervous about speaking with a teacher in private, consider asking a trustworthy friend (preferably a classmate) to stay close during the conversation. Knowing that you have the support of a friend can help you feel calmer and more confident.
You can also review a few helpful tips about how to talk with teachers.
Schedule a Meeting With Your Teacher
Sometimes, finding time before or after class to talk privately with your teacher is not possible. In this case, scheduling a meeting with your teacher might be the better option.
Ask them for a suitable time, potentially during recess, lunch, or at the end of the school day.
Alternatively, you can speak with your parents about setting up a parent-teacher meeting to discuss the matter.
If your school offers an integrated online platform that allows parents to communicate with teachers, they can use this tool to request a meeting with the teacher.
This option is best for students who feel uncomfortable approaching their teachers in person or without parental support.
If you have additional concerns about your classes or your teacher’s behavior, you can also use a meeting to address those problems.
Send an Email to Your Teacher
If your teacher has provided you and your classmates with a professional email address open to students, you can email them and inquire why they always call on you.
Email is often the least confrontational and impulsive mode of communication. It allows the sender and the recipient time to compose a well-thought-out message, something that is not possible during a face-to-face interaction.
Students opting for this communication method should remember to word their questions in a respectful manner. A good example is:
“Dear [teacher’s name], I have noticed that you call on me more than the other students during class. Is there a reason why this is the case? Thank you in advance.“
Avoiding an accusatory tone and being polite is the appropriate way to open a dialogue with your teacher. Mutual respect is vital to positive teacher-student relationships, and ensuring you communicate respectfully is an excellent way to understand why your teacher consistently calls on you during class.
How To Get Your Teacher To Stop Calling on You
Even if the reason for being called out by the teacher is positive, some students simply dislike having to speak in public. Besides talking to the teacher about the matter, here are some other ideas on how you can avoid being called on by the teacher:
Look Engaged
Show that you are following the lesson by looking at the teacher or at the board. If you look engaged, the teacher will assume that you are retaining the information and will instead focus on other students who might need redirecting.
Look Busy
Similarly, the teacher will not want to disrupt your workflow if you appear to be doing something productive. Taking notes about the topic or reading information from the board are positive signs for a teacher, so why would they want to interrupt this level of engagement by calling on you?
Answer Questions When Called On
It is a sign of concern for teachers when a student cannot answer questions about the topic discussed in the lesson. Either the student needs more explanation and support regarding the content, or they must build their confidence. Both require the teacher’s attention, which means the teacher will likely call on you repeatedly to help you overcome the issue.
The best option to avoid more drawn-out questions is to give a satisfactory answer the first time when called upon. Even if you are not confident with your response or yourself, give your best shot at answering the question. That way, the teacher will likely move on and not see the need to call on you again.
Sit Out of the Direct Line of Sight of the Teacher
Sometimes, a teacher will stand side-on when teaching, so they might have a limited line of vision. For instance, if they are facing toward their right side to read from the board, they will not have direct sight of the students over their left shoulder.
There is a greater chance of teachers calling on students in their direct line of sight, so the students sitting to the teacher’s left have a lower probability of being called on.
Similarly, if you are hidden from view, perhaps sitting behind a classmate or a pillar, you are more likely to slip under the teacher’s radar.
These suggestions are only recommended if you absolutely feel singled out or are seriously uncomfortable with the teacher calling on you. Otherwise, remember that teachers are genuinely interested in your well-being and progress, so actively seeking to be overlooked by those trying to help you will thwart your development.
Is the Teacher Really Always Calling on You?
It’s also important to note that sometimes when you think a teacher is constantly calling on you, it’s just in your head.
Your interaction with the teacher is the most memorable for you. That’s why you’ll focus on and recollect the times when the teacher speaks to you in particular, while you are less likely to notice and remember the times that the teacher calls on the other students.
Consequently, your perception is that the teacher only calls out your name, and you’ll remember every such instance due to confirmation bias.
For reassurance, ask others in the class if they’ve noticed the teacher focusing solely on you. If they say no, it’s probably just in your head.
Conclusion
Teachers might repeatedly call on students who seem to be unengaged, as calling on them can get them refocused on the lesson. Some teachers also call on shy students, which helps them participate more in class.
Moreover, your teacher might always call on you because you offer excellent contributions to lessons and act as a positive role model for your peers.
If you’re unsure why your teacher calls on you often, you can ask them. Just be sure to do so respectfully during non-class time.
Still, remind yourself that your belief that the teacher is always calling on you may be magnified in your head. It’s best to approach the matter objectively and ask others for their impartial perspective.
Sources
- ResearchGate: Group Random Call Can Positively Affect Student In-Class Clicker Discussions
- YouTube: Kitchen Pedagogy| Cold Calling by Tom Sherrington
- Edutopia: Encouraging Shy Students to Speak Up in Class
- Student Futures of America: How to Talk to Teachers| 10 Tips for Student Success
- IGI Global: What is Parent Portal
- Greater Good in Education: Positive Teacher-Student Relationships
