A surprising number of both high school and college courses require students to stand in front of the class and do what the teacher is supposed to do: present information in an engaging, comprehensible manner. I’ve always thought presentations were equivalent to movie days. They just give the teacher a chance to nod off with their hangover in the back of the classroom. It seems like in some places, they’re taken more seriously than that, based on this viral tweet from @bluexmasgcv, or Jordan.
Jordan wrote, “People with anxiety shouldn’t have to present in front of their class if they aren’t comfortable,” and added a grinning emoji for some sort of emphasis.
He added that he had a teacher who allowed him to submit his project and walk her through it privately, instead of presenting in front of the class and it made a huge difference. He also said this isn’t a new debate and a similar tweet went viral but got deleted because the original poster got so much hate. They may be cowed in the classroom, but they won’t be silenced online!
fucking stop with forcing every kid to present and if they don’t they fail. it’s so fucking draining presenting stuff in front of my classes and makes me so insanely anxious it is not fun
— jordan (@bluexmasgcv) September 2, 2020
comfortable with presenting in front of people i wish i could be like you. no? shut the fuck up. your opinion does not and will not matter.
— jordan (@bluexmasgcv) September 2, 2020
It is very strange that so many people have a strong opinion about how others should be forced to present just because they once were.
im sorry but no
if I had to so should they https://t.co/kiunU3MaTS— ur mom (@moon11142003) September 3, 2020
I respectfully disagree, this is an important life skill… I think those with anxiety be given lots of support and extra time but should do the presentation! You CANNOT allow anxiety to own your life & control it! My panic disorder & anxiety does NOT control me!!!
— JenSeeingLouis2020 (@333nikita) September 2, 2020
We should always strive to be accommodating when need be. But as you said, public speaking is an invaluable skill. Professors have the ability to be lenient with but an employer simply wont give a shit.
— Rees (@Vortf) September 3, 2020
If you really have bad anxiety and it’s hurting your mental health I’m not saying you should be able to present but some people just need a nudge and they’ll be ok and it might make next time a little easier to, it just depends on the person I guess
— •serena• (@nctot21ftw) September 2, 2020
I’m torn on this. Public speaking is pretty essential and mastering that fear can benefit you greatly – and this is coming from someone with anxiety and depression who aced my public speaking class. Ended up loving it because my professor taught me to overcome it!
— jomsh B.L.M. ✊🏿 (@writejsk) September 3, 2020
Ok I might get hate for saying this but I had this exact thing happen to me where I was forced to present and I put it off till the very last possible time lol but I got up there shaking and stuttering but eventually it went away and I felt comfortable almost?
— •serena• (@nctot21ftw) September 2, 2020
Presentations and had many panic attacks for simply being called on, but saying we should be exempt from working on overcoming it to become a part of society instead of feeling like outsiders unable to catch up. The crutch starts in our mindset, not our mental Chemistry.
— Ku’e Hawaiian (@kalaniskaked) September 3, 2020
I had to learn how to handle my anxiety by being forced to face it. It wasn’t fun – it was terrible -, I went to a psychologist, I had countless panic attacks, but here I am: I debated in the national championships, my work is presenting and I go to uni making countless exams.
— dee 🍋 (@evolvinq) September 2, 2020
If you’re a teacher and have your reasons, I guess that can be debated from a more relevant place. If you’re not a teacher, why do you care?
There were many people who supported Jordan, though, because they have anxiety as well, and talking to or in front of people is a real challenge. It would make their real work of study much easier if they didn’t have this added work of becoming public speakers all of the sudden.
person: [anxious]
teacher: [puts them in stressful situation] how do you feel?
person: [more anxious]
teacher: wrong answer you’re supposed to say confident
— jordan (@bluexmasgcv) September 2, 2020
I told a teacher I have anxiety and wasn’t comfortable presenting and she told me it would “boost my confidence.” It just made me more anxious and gave me trust issues. Not to mention she still makes me read in front of the class. I also had to throw up in the bathroom after
— Nova 🧽🧽🧽 (@the_tide_loose) September 2, 2020
+ forward to 3 presentations later and she calls on me, I looked at her like 😳. “Umm…I talked to you about it before class.” And she goes “if only life was that easy, you need to get over it because your going to have to talk in front of people regardless.”
— Vettita⁷⧖ 🐿🐱 (@Minettegia) September 3, 2020
On the other hand, a classroom is a place where you can kind of mess up and it’s not a big deal. There are probably people who know they have anxiety but want to try and work through it in a relatively safe environment and this might be the start of that, even if it is stressful. Of course, the word “mandatory” kinda takes the personal choice out of it.