I started the first lessons quest. Im in the hall of elements and am standing in the circle across from Tolfdir. My ward is ready and he will not attack me. Ive tried evseything. Lydia is with me by the way. Could that be the issue?

maybe there is a script issue? try loading from an earlier save or the autosave from when you enter the hall of elements. and are you exactly in the circle?

I've found he has a habit of just standing there when I cast my ward and then when I'm out of magic and my ward goes down, he tells me to cast it. I'm all like "Give me a moment!"

I've had this happen before and either someone else was close enough to Tolfdir's line of fire so that he doesn't fire OR you aren't in the sweet spot of that circle you are supposed to stand in.

Loading an earlier save is out if the question as my previous save was a while before this. I wonder if i could Fus them a little to move them back?

Worth a shot I guess. It's usually a problem with the distance you're at and as Entreri says finding the sweet spot.

Just step right up as close as you can to the NPC's face and stand there. The NPC will step back in response. Then get in his face again to force him to step back some more. Repeat until he leaves the space you want vacated.

The problem is Tolfdir is already where hes supposed to be. The students are relatively close to him.

It's literally taken me a few minutes of shuffling around and then casting the ward before Tolfdir finally shoots the spell. Annoying.

Do you have a auto-save from entering the Hall of Elements? Otherwise maybe just shuffle around the circle until he reacts. Tolfdir is a finicky fellow. I'll stand in the circle and cast, and he'll just stare at me. Then when I'm out of magicka, he'll tell me to cast a ward.

Maybe hotkeying a magika potion and chugging it when you run out will get him to cast.

Run over to the other side of the room and tell Lydia to wait then back to Tolfdir

Update:

I left Tolddir and the students a d went and did some other quests. Id say I was gone a few in game weeks. I returned and the quest restarted in the hall if elements. No issues

Nice.

I wonder if Tolfdir and those students were standing around all that time just waiting on you...