I also appreciate this post! I agree that it can be distracting, especially when I'm on a small panel and I know that I'll be called on in a certain class. I strangely find that I enjoy the socratic method more when people aren't told who is "on call" ahead of time because I guess I feel like it's unlikely I'll be called on and it only becomes something on my mind in that instant when the professor asks a question.

I do think cold calling/the socratic method can be valuable depending on how it's executed. While sometimes I feel like it's not clear what value is being added (I can imagine that was the case when your professor asked you to read his mind), there have been times where I've really benefited from cold calls. Whether I'm called on or someone else is, the questions the professor asks helps me think about the case in a way I've never thought about before. And instead of the professor just telling us what to think, I appreciate the chance to think independently before hearing the professors opinion. While I agree the same could be accomplished with volunteering, I feel like one benefit of cold calling is that it increases the chances that we'll hear from more people and get different perspectives.

Overall though I completely get where you are coming from. I don't think I ever realized the distraction cold calling can be for me when I know I'm "on call" so this post helped me be more aware of that. I hope it's something I can work on in the future re not being as distracted by it.

-- EthanSinger - 20 Jan 2021