I'm an unabashed believer in hard work. I have very high standards and expectations of your commitment to the class and level of daily preparation. I believe a good teacher should challenge his or her students to the fullest, and this course is largely a reflection of that belief. I will be thoughtfully and thoroughly prepared each day, and I expect the same in return. I assume that you've implicitly agreed to a mutual contract.
Wide participation is better than dominance by a few.
I believe that everyone learns more with wide participation. If you're a quiet student, please keep in mind that you have a lot to contribute to the entire process. My observation has been that the quiet students make some of the most insightful comments. Furthermore, psychological research has shown that people learn more when they are active participants in the process. Thus, not only will your classmates learn more, so will you.