First Impressions
You only get to make a first impression once. Your relationship with your students develops very quickly and a poor first impression can lead to a student becoming de-motivated. It is the responsibility of the teacher to make sure that he/she is prepared right from the first moment.
Hi Wilmer,
This is why it is so important to be prepared and have an introduction that engages the learner. This way you can "hook" them on your subject area and then they are ready to learn more about what you are teaching.
Gary
I read somewhere that in the first 10-15 seconds of a person entering a room an impression is made in the brain as to whether a person is comfortable with what they see. Would this not also apply to the first time you speak or the first time you introduce a new subject?
I remember having Dr. Brown for one of my college courses. He came in looking like he had been on a three day crack binge. After listening to him over the course of the next hour I came to realize that he was a genius. Sometimes a first impression can be deceiving, but how long does a first impression really last? I spent an hour in that first day of class and the last 59 minutes were much more impressionable than the first minute.
Thomas J. Costello
Orlando, FL
In a career based training environment, I believe the first impression is your time to strike the interest in a student. This is the time where you can show them the passion for your trade, which only further validates the sacrifice each and everyone of them has made for their education.
After you have been teaching a while the word gets around how you are, Then your reputation follows you around. So it pays to give a good impression every day.
Admitting a mistake and moving forward can help build repor with students because they need to know that making mistakes is normal.
But move forward and go on.
Hi William,
Well said! It is easier to move forward with students rather than spend valuable class time trying to correct a poor or bad first impression. As instructors we spend enough time doing this when we make mistakes even with good first impressions. Why compound the situation.
Gary
OK we do only getone chance. I tell my students who I am preparing for the job market this. You never get a second chance to make a first impression so make sure you are prepared. I live by this rule and hve done so my entire career. When you go to apply for a job you are at your best so why not be that way when you first meet a class. A first impression is a lasting impression yes it can change and so do but doesn't it make sense to try and make it a positive one the FIRST TIME.
We are only human and that First Impression could go south on any given day. I agree that you should try to fix that as soon as possible, but more impotant than that is creadability.If you are going to teach a class on some specific suject matter,you better be prepared to answer any question that comes your way.
I agree first inpressions happen every day you can always recoup the class by chaing the outcome of the next by improving onthe things that may have been over looked for some reason (any one can have a bad day)
Hi Richard,
Thank you for those good comments about being prepared for the first class meeting and how important first impressions really are. Yes, you can correct some early student impressions by working hard to reflect a improved professional image, but it is so much easier make a good first impression and work from there.
Gary
I also teach English and while agree with what you said in a broad sense, there is something to be said for those first few mnutes of the first day and how it affects students.
Yes, you are going to have many occassions to really let them know who and what you are but if you show up a wreck, disorganized and looking like a deer caught in headlights on day one, chances are you are going to have a few students who will have judged you to be not very effective. I'll wager that the content you deliver to those students in the first few days will not be taken seriously. I can't help but feel that something valuable will be presented which will be lost to them in that time when they are sure you're a mess and not worth their attention.
it is very important, once again the saying purposeful prior planning prevents poor performance comes into play.
Hi Manal,
Thank you for those good comments. You are right on target concerning how students view instructors at the first class meeting. Students talk so they may have formed an opinion of you before ever coming to class. It is up to the instructor to cultivate that opinion and image to the point that it is positive and keeps the students focused on the course content, because they know they are being taught by a dedicated professional.
Gary
I believe that first impression is not everything during the first meeting, but it's definitely very important as people tend to be judgmental, so might be our students.First impression can be one way to reassure them that they're in good hands and whatever they spend on this course is worth it and that "this instructor knows their stuff"
Hi Ryan,
You make a good point about the first impression. As the instructor with a new group of students you are trying to develop rapport with them and being organized and professional you are moving in the right direction to develop the respect and rapport that is needed for a successful class.
Gary
On their first day, students will judge a teacher's appearance, intellect, and personality. This is expected. But by setting a good first impression, it's a lot easier for students to follow someone they both like and respect.
I teach English. So, I find it very interesting that you think there is only one possible way -- yours -- to interpret a given statement. I understand the term "first impression" in many different ways. Your way is one.
But a first impression is also (to me) the least important one. For instance, when an artist or a scientist examines something or even presents a theory, the first impression is usually the least important. In real life, one gets many opportunities to make a first impression. It is always possible to start anew without ignoring the past.
My experience with people (especially intelligent people, such as college students and teachers) is that they rarely trust their first impressions or base their judgements primarily on first impressions. Mostly, they wait a long time and look at the big picture as well as the details before they would be willing to tell you even what their "first impression" of someone is or was.
I think that if we dont take first impressions seriously, we take a huge rick of losing the students immidiatly. We dont get two chances at a first impression.
