How many times do you lay out a syllabus and have it ready before you meet your students for the class for the first day of class? I submit that you are missing a great opportunity to connect with your students. I have the requirements of the school and any accrediting bodies identified as the first priority, then any additional minimum items that I want to cover. Then, most importantly, let the students fill in the blanks. Why, you ask? If we predetermine what the next ___ weeks will be, are the students really engaged from the beginning? I have them review all the chapters of the text to get an idea of the full scope of what will be covered then have them write a paper for the next class in which they tell me what topics are most important to them and what kind of learner they are so I can make changes to the syllabus and rearrange how I prioritize the material and how and who will be teaching what parts during the term.