Why Students Do Not Ask Questions

When a student is struggling in school, generally speaking it is a good idea for them to go up to the teacher and ask questions. In theory, while the teacher should not do the work for them, they can give them valuable insight. The role of the teacher is to steer the student in the right direction and make sure students understand the material. After all isn't it a bad reflection on the teacher if the students they teach do not understand the source material?

It does seem simple for a student to ask a question to clarify something that they do not properly understand. Yet for some reason some students do avoid their teachers and do not feel they are approachable. It causes their education to suffer. Let us discuss why students are fearful about asking questions about their class assignments to their teachers.

Why Students Are Afraid of Asking Question to Their Teachers

One of the top key reasons why students neglect to ask their teachers questions is pride. Pride is rather something that can really be the downfall of many of us. It might seem foolish, but they want to get the work done, no matter what the struggle. No matter how much they do not understand the work, they wish to make it on their own.

Pride is tied into the fact that many children and teenagers(and some adults) are fearful of any show of weakness. To them, asking questions when they do not understand will be showing weakness. Absurd, silly, foolish but this is truth one hundred percent of the way. There are many students who just fear what their peers might say if they are caught asking questions in the classroom.

Another somewhat related reason is stubbornness. It does not require too much of imagination to see that there are some students who just don't feel like they need to ask questions. They feel they understand the material even if it is painfully obvious that they do not. They will dig their heals into the ground. Being stubborn can be a trait that could potentially lead to success.

In the case of asking a teacher for a question, it is going to come back and bite the student in question. So being stubborn is one of the key reasons why students tend to refuse to ask questions. They believe that it is perfectly under their control. Everything will click. They do not need help.

Fear of the teacher can really be an answer where students do not rather like to ask questions. Let's face it, it is not easy running a class room. If you don't run a tight ship, you may get eaten alive by your students if you are a teacher. However some teachers tend to really intimidate their students to the fact that it seems like every interaction is as if they are walking on egg shells. Which is not conductive to education and the learning process.

Then there is the fact that some teachers tend to be very short and rude when students actually ask questions to them. That is really the sad part, as some teachers just tend to sleep walk through their job, do the bare minimum effort, and collect their paycheck. Doing their job is secondary and their help amounts to "read the textbook." Something that students should do but sometimes the textbook is not the be all and end all.

The really awful thing is one teacher can really sour the entire education of many students with that attitude. Case in point why the best teachers should be appreciated one hundred percent.

Regardless of the reasons, students should really try and ask questions. Even if it does end up that the teacher might be less than receptive. Otherwise, you're doing yourself a disservice.