Jacqueline,
It is a building process from day one and the foundation needs to be a positive first impression.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Making a Positive First Impression is important because the tone is set for how the class will progress from the first day and the participation for the students and boundaries and expectations will be established.
Lori,
Well said in relation to the importance of the first day of class and how students perceive you as the learning leader. This is a critical time to establish yourself for the reasons you list. Thank you.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Todd,
Good point and one that should not be overlooked by instructors as they plan for their first day of class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It sets the standard and/or pace for the remainder of the course.
The first impression is a lasting impression. It is easier to stay on top than to crawl back to the top. If you start out with being professional, on time, clear with your expectations, dressed appropriately with high integrity (Just to name a few)....it sets the tone for the class and they feel that they can rely and trust on you to help them and lead them in their learning experience. If you do not show the students that you are capable of being their leader, they will try to take advantage of that when they get the opportunity. Boundaries are important so that everyone is aware of the expectations and limitations from day one.
A postive first impression has always made me a believer in the material and and my desire to learn prior to the material being delivered.
Virginia,
I agree with your comments about trust and respect needing to be earned from the students. With passion for your field and enthusiasm for teaching it you have a winning formula established for your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By letting the students know during the first day that I not only care about the subject but also them, I feel that I am that much closer in gaining their respect. Respect itself is oftentimes difficult to get because it's almost a form of trust, and people don't readily supply trust. But when you do gain their trust and respect, it's the best feeling.
TC,
Good points because these points are what set the tone for a positive class. Bringing passion for the field and enthusiasm for teaching it helps the students to see how they can be successful if they will put forth the needed effort.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
An instructor is the tempo of the class, everyone looks to that person to keep things together and comfortable. Being a leader that understands the individuals in the class is important.
First impressions decide how involved a student may be in learning in the class. A student will get excited about the energy from the instructor and get anxious and alert to participate. Sadly, a first impression can also lead to poor performance and lack of interest.
Bianca,
Good point and something all of us instructors need to remember as we approach our students. We need to be passionate about our content and enthusiastic about teaching it. This way the students will have confidence in our abilities and leadership.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
We want our students whether traditional or non traditional, to envision the class and the instructor as a road to sucess not just something to do. I was a student not to long ago myself and it made me feel like I could be sucessful seeing a confident instructor that really cared about my education.
Marilyn,
Right you are and your add on is a good one as well. Words may say one thing but if the body does not communicate that as well then the opportunity for a positive first impression will be lost.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As they say, first impresssions make a lasting impression. Students are already anxious and feeling insecure about starting a new course. If you can put them at ease by being friendly, caring, organized and professional then you have set the tone for success in the classroom!
I agree--my motto is: the first impression of someone is the last impression. Body language is extremely important as well.
Making a positive first impression shows the students that we as teachers are confident, approachable and have experiences to share with them. If we can encourage our students to study hard, work together and ask questions, I believe they will enjoy learning
Larry,
Good advice for beginning instructors to follow as they begin new courses. Set the stage in a positive way and then build on that image for the duration of the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Breanna,
Well said in terms of what happens when we meet someone for the first time. When we instructors walk into our class for the first meeting we have every eye on us wondering just what we are like. We need to make a positive first impression so we can build on it to enhance the learning of our students in the coming sessions.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
