Hi Mariela,
Thank you for the description of how an instructor can give a comprehensive description of the courses requirements, polices and activities to help the students to become comfortable with what is going to occur in the course. This first class meeting is critical to the success of the course since it lays a solid foundation of things to come.
Gary
Hi Stephen,
Good point. What seems like common sense for many educators such as expecting the students to know that they are organized and prepared gets away from others. These types need to be reminded just how important being organized prepared is to teaching success.
Gary
To me as an instructor, a well-prepared syllabus spells out exactly what the course is all about and what its completion is going to require from my students and from myself as their instructor. It is my habit to go over it at our first class in order to give them a birds-eye view of what the next ten weeks of instruction hold. Next to the time when they receive their first exam grade, it is the one time that the class is quiet and at its most serious. That's because I use the syllabus as a way of setting the tone that taking this course is important; and in terms of their effort, should be given priority in their lives in preparation for their future. For me, laying down "ground rules" serves as an affirmation of my role as instructor and their role as students. This way there are no unpleasant surprises. A syllabus is what gives my students that immediate and concrete "reality check" and a chance to decide right at its onset the expected level of investment that will be required on their part if they are to pass it. As addendums to my syllabus, I go so far as including a) Individual Instructor's Policies b) Detailed Final Project Guidelines and Rubric and c) a detailed Participation rubric. I also include a detailed "Acknowledgement" that students must sign. While up-front the total syllabus is formidable in terms of amount of pages, by the last week of class, it has been quoted extensively in one form or another when students resort to making statements such as, "I didn't know we were to....." or, "I didn't hear you say that." This acknowledgement is one way to document that the Syllabus and all the aforementioned course information and guidelines have been gone over, that they have read it all for themselves, and that they are going into this course with "eyes wide open." The Final Research Project Rubric provides the criteria for grading from minimum to excellent. In a sociology class where we get into some lively discussion and in-class group activities, a well-prepared syllabus results in my knowing what material I have actualy gone over in class and what material I need to go over at our next class because we got so caught up "in the moment." A well-prepared syllabus is for me a safety net in that it helps me be organized and structured, something that is critical when dealing with large classes. It is also a safety net in terms of "grade appeals," when students challenge the course content. Finally, just the other night, a student said, "Mrs. Gazsi, you have gone over everything in the syllabus, so can we go home?" I did let them go home, but not before I went over one more thing that was part of that evening's teaching.
Well, obviously A well-prepared syllabus is necessary for the course to be well-organized and coherent, and it helps the instructor make sure everything that needs to be is covered. But perhaps even more importantly, it lets the student know clearly and from the beginning what the course content is and what is expected in order to do well in the class.
Hi Valentina,
Right you are. This gives a clear set of expectations for the student to follow so the outcome will be clear.
Gary
I have always thought it is a contract between instructor and the students if it is well prepared
