If you are thinking that I got the title wrong, then I have got your attention. Yes, I know that most of the time it is teachers who tell their students to be quiet. But really, there is a case for teachers to be quiet in the classroom.

Studies have shown that teachers often need to be quiet in class. Teachers in their eagerness to assist their students to answer questions, usually give students little time to think. It was found that teachers often follow up a question with another in rapid succession. All it takes is a 1.5 second pause before a second question is fired at the student. Of course, the second and third questions are usually rephrased in the hope that the student would understand better.

But what is the effect of this rapid succession of questions from the teacher on the students? Although as teachers we may think that we are trying to help the students, for the former it would be like a series of different questions. Imagine that if you are the student you are already grappling with the first question and before you have had time to think, another question is shot at you. Immediately, the mind will try to reorganize itself to tackle the second question. This grappling in the mind is made worse if another questions flies at you. The mind has to reorganize itself again. The grappling just goes on.

Teachers can help prevent this incessant reorganisation of the thinking that goes on in the heads of students by learning to just be quiet after asking the first question. Mary Budd Rowe (1972) called it “Wait Time”. She found that by just being quiet, a teacher will be rewarded with better  responses from her students. I have found this to be true from my own personal experience too. We simply need to give our students time to think! Nothing very sophisticated about that to add to your repertoire as a teacher. Just be quiet! It will go a long way towards creating a positive climate for learning.