My Class Experience: A Reflection

I’ve never taken a class that was so welcoming of conversation in the way that this class is. I’ve  never been discouraged to raise a hand to speak in class. Overall, I think that the way the class was conducted was effective in encourage us to go with the flow of the conversation as well as continuously open the space up to new ideas and contributions. I think this especially worked well because it seemed as though everyone in the class cared about what we were learning about and what each individual in the class had to say, whether they agreed or disagreed. What I learned about myself, though, is that for certain class discussion I think I need a more structured environment to feel comfortable speaking up. I found that I often waited until everyone else had spoken or until Anne asked me what I thought to say what I had been thinking all along. I want to maintain, however, that I strongly believe that active listening is also an effective (even ecological) form of class participation. It is my belief, for myself at least, that the number of times I speak in class is not nearly as profound as what it is I have to say, which may only take but one statement or short discussion to express.