Hi Mark,
What a great way to kick off a class. This gets the students settled into the class and enables them to concentrate on what you are saying about the course polices, expectations and requirements.
Gary
I am setting at ease. I let them know a little about my professional and personal background, and aske for the same from them. I also make it a point to learn their names that first night, which really impresses them, such that I call them by name, rather than "hey you." I know that it is appreciated. I also interject a fair amount of humor as well!
Because students come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, I have found that having the students introduce themselves, summarize their backgrounds, and identify what they want to learn from the course is a good first step. As the students take turns introducing themselves, I also ask them to tell the class an item of non-professional information; that has been a good way of injecting some cameraderie into the course opening.
I believe you are learning about thier learning style and the amount of knowlegde they know about course
Creating a rapport and also gaining insight into who these students are and their backgrounds; learning names and something unique about each one should be high on an instructor's list as they will be impressed when you can call them by name in the second class; it also allows me to humanize myself by discussing my family, my background and my dreams.
Letting them know I have experienced some the things they are probably interested in experiencing whichmay motivate them. Letting them see that I care about their progress and growth they will support my efforts to guide them. To hear other student's situations they can feel comforatble by identifying with one another and be more relaxed which is more conducive to learning
Hi Missy,
Your approach really helps your students to connect with you and develop rapport. This is so important as you work them through the course and the see how the course fits into the overall success potential they have.
Gary
It allows the student to get to know your passion for the subject, experience in the profession and my favorite, allows a student to see you are human and can be candid. I want my students to be able to approach me with questions, share with me their successes and challenges in what I am trying to teach them. By me sharing that I struggled or that I have walked in their shoes, it sets a common bond.
It is my experience that my students have more interest and respect when I share with them my professional history. It is important for the students of a career college to know that their instructor has had an active career in the professional industry for 16 years.
Hi Terrie,
Good approach. I am sure you have some great stories come out when the students talk about being on both side of customer services. Great way to create a team in the classroom.
Gary
My first class is in customer service. In this class, I have students share their own customer service experiences - as a customer - both positive and negative - how it made them feel, etc. I also encourage them to share something about themselves - why they chose to come to school, their favorite thing to do in school, what food they would prepare and serve to a guest, and their long term goals. They also have an opportunity to ask me questions. The students usually discover new things about their classmates and it gives me an opportunity to learn more about them. Since we all work very closely, it has helped form a more cohesive group experience.
Learning about the students and having the students learn about you to gain appreciation of your experience.
Hi Marcelene,
What a great way to start a class. It gets everyone involved, there are lots of laughs and the students get a chance to get settled into the course. Sounds like a lot of fun for everyone.
Gary
I feel that the first day of class is a time to unite and what better way to do this than follow all the suggestions in Mod. 3. I especially like the suggestion of planning an activity so the students get to know each other. I play a game in my class that involves questions any "lay person" might ask of a professional dental hygienist. We have fun with this and the answers may be: 1. pooled from the audience (other students),or, 2. phone a friend (we use an old fashion telephone). This usually gets everyone laughing and we're off to a good start. It doesn't matter whether the answers are correct or not, it is an activity of making all fee comfortable during that dreadful first class.
By introducing myself, I want to "break the ice" with students, and show my enthusiasm for visual effects and motion graphics through some personal anecdotes. Student introductions can also aid everyone in getting to know each other, and fosters a comfortable environment to initiate learning.
It is important that students understand that you—the instructor—were a student, too—and in many ways still are. Students like to know what their instructor thinks and feels about being a teacher, a writer—someone who has passed over the same road they are now taking. I often share my own writing with the class, as they share theirs with me. I will tell my students how I overcame test anxiety, how I developed my own study skills, how I gradually grew to love learning and the learning process. My aim is to encourage the class to become active participants in the learning process, not passive recipients. My history—although not unique—helps them to understand that they are not alone and can share their experiences freely with me and the class.
Dr. J. Greco
Hi Ann,
Good point and good example. Hopefully the first day is positive enough and sufficiently engaged for the students to the point they will want to stay for the entire "movie".
Gary
I can't agree more! the first day is like the first fifteen minutes of a movie... you know whether or not it's going to be a good one worth watching,
Hi Matthew,
This is why as you indicated in your comments that the first day is so very important. It is so much easier to build on a positive base than correct a negative first impression.
Gary
Students will remember (potentially) more about that first day of their first class than anything in between.
