Glossophobia: The fear of public speaking. According to mentalhealth.com, public speaking is  “a common phobia, ahead of death, spiders and heights and 10 percent of people with the condition report that it interferes with life’s daily activities, including work and social functioning.” Why is it that this has been the top fear in annual surveys of Americans for many years, and yet, it is still a large deciding factor in student’s grades?  

At WHS, a large part of students’ grades are based on participation, but how fair is this system? The answer is: It isn’t.   

Some teachers teach with a clipboard in their hand and check off names, as if a single comment proves that someone has learned the material. Some give points based on who their favorites are, rewarding confidence, not understanding. Some don’t even take accurate notes of exact participation and grade students based on what they “remember” at the end of the week. This isn’t an accurate grading system, it’s just guesswork. 

The bigger issue goes beyond just inconsistent grading and lazy teaching. The bigger issue is that participation grades punish students for their psychological issues and anxiety. A student with glossophobia isn’t just choosing to stay silent during a class discussion, just like how people with peanut allergies aren’t just being “dramatic.” 

Their heart is racing, hands shaking and mind is blanking. But instead of being supported and receiving help, they are told that they are “lazy,” “uninterested,” or “not trying hard enough” and their grade takes a toll for it. 

Of course, public speaking and participation are important skills when it comes to education, but when they are large portions of students’ grades, it harms them more than it helps them. It sends the message that students’ performances are valued more than their learning. It rewards the loudest and boldest voices, neglecting to recognize that students who struggle with public speaking can still offer insight and engage in class discussions.  

What makes this even more frustrating is that teachers are already well aware that students all learn in different ways. They provide visual aid, groupwork, hands-on activities and more. But when it comes to participation, suddenly, everyone is supposed to demonstrate their understanding the same exact way. 

For teachers to accurately incorporate participation into their grading system, they need to offer alternative forms of assessment, like written reflections, exit tickets or even small group discussions, based on the severity of the student’s phobia. 

Teachers have so many options to choose from. They could create safer and more supportive learning environments, where speaking doesn’t feel like stepping up onto a stage. 

Participation is not an accurate reflection of a student’s ability to learn and comprehend information and definitely should not be a measure of a student’s ability to suppress their fears, ones which millions of adults still struggle with. 

It’s time that we stop grading students based on their anxieties and time we start grading them on their genuine understanding through other forms of work.