How to Avoid Getting Called on in Class

How does Sparkler dannydoesntrun824 come up with this brilliant stuff? **rumages through papers, bites bottom lip** Don't ask us! —SparkNotes editors

Your hands are clammy. You keep looking over your left shoulder. Apparently, you were supposed to read chapter 14 last night, but right now you’re thinking, "I didn’t even know we finished chapter 8." Mr. Rosen enjoys calling on students and humiliating them when they don’t know the answer. You’re doomed.

...Wait, maybe not. Here are my tips to avoid getting called on:

1. Don’t turn away from the teacher.
Pulling your hood over your head or staring at the floor is same thing as standing on top of your desk and shouting, “Ooh, me! Pick me!”

2. Pay attention
If your teacher thinks your guard's down, he will call on you. When he does, you ask him to repeat the question, and the tension mounts. Your teacher asks it again, only for you to shake your head, confessing you have no idea what he’s talking about. Teachers live for that kind of stuff.

3. Wait a sec, I’ve almost got it...
(Pretend to) try to work out the problem. Look frustrated, bite the bottom of your lip, and cross out a bunch of random numbers. If the teacher thinks you don’t know the answer but you’re trying to figure it out, she won’t call on you. If you have history or English, look up at the ceiling and mouth random words. It’ll look like you’re trying to remember the dates, or figure out what the heck Hester is still doing in Boston when any sane person would have ditched the place long ago.

4. Look for your (imaginary) notes
This is a good one. Ruffle some papers around. Look frantic. Even ask your neighbor if they’ve seen them. Dig through your backpack. If you really want to go far, ask your teacher if you can go to your last period classroom and look for them. For some reason, I have a feeling your last period’s class will be on the other side of school, resulting in a lot of missed class time.

Important: Only attempt this if you know your teacher will let you go. If you have a mean/evil teacher, she’ll respond with some wicked remark like, “Well, if you did it last night then you should remember what you took notes on. In fact, why don’t you answer my next unreasonably hard question that no one else knows the answer to.”

Have any other good tips to avoid getting called on?

Related Post: How Do You Raise Your Hand?

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