Talking in class isn’t about being the smartest. It’s about being willing to think out loud.

Classrooms look like places where finished answers get submitted, which is why most people stay quiet waiting on a certainty that never arrives. The real value of speaking is that a half-formed idea gets corrected in thirty seconds instead of sitting wrong in your head all term. It also makes you a participant rather than an observer, which changes how much stays with you. Nobody remembers who said the clumsy version.

Aim for one contribution this week, and let it be a question if that is easier. Say the part you are unsure about out loud. The second time is noticeably less difficult than the first.