Don’t Train Your Students NOT to Participate

Ever ask your class a question and end up answering it yourself? Stop training your students NOT to participate! Learn how to embrace silence, boost engagement, and make crickets your secret teaching weapon.

We’ve all been there. When I was a young educator and even later in life when I was facilitating adult training, I would ask questions in my workshops and toss out a brilliant question ;), full of energy and wisdom, and… crickets. The silence stretches, you feel awkward, your palms sweat, and before you know it—you blurt out the answer yourself. Congratulations—you’ve just trained your students not to participate.

When teachers jump in too soon, students learn an important (but unfortunate) lesson: “If I sit here long enough, my teacher will do the work for me.” And who can blame them? Free answers with zero effort? What a deal!

The Science of Awkward Silence

Here’s the thing: silence isn’t laziness—it’s thinking time. Research shows students need a pause to process, especially since what feels “obvious” to you may be brand-new for them. That dead air you dread? That’s actually the sound of learning in progress.

The Anti-Cricket Strategy

To break the cycle, try this simple process:

1. Ask the question. Clear, direct, no trickery.

2. Wait. Yes, really wait. Count in your head if you have to.

3. Get comfortable with silence. Awkwardness builds character.

4. Rephrase if needed. Same question, new angle.

5. Don’t cave and answer it yourself. Remember: you already know the answer!

6. Expect participation. Make it part of the classroom culture.

Warm Them Up

Still getting blank stares? Break the ice with easier, low-stakes questions first. Give students safe chances to speak before you dive into the tough stuff. Think of it as stretching before the mental workout.

Why It Matters

When students know you won’t rescue them from silence, they step up. Participation increases, discussions get better, and they start to realize learning is something they do, not something that happens to them.

So next time you’re tempted to answer your own question, resist. Let the silence hang. Trust the process. And remember: sometimes the best sound in your classroom is… nothing.

Because that “nothing” means your students are thinking.

Author
Joe McClary, CAE, Ed.S is the Executive Director of The National Business Education Association