On the first day of class the students are given a syllabus with the class expectations that they must read and sign. I also give verbal reminders through out the class.
Hi David,
By having a syllabus that is clear and comprehensive you save a lot of time since the policies and requirements of the course are outlined. You can focus on answering the many questions that come up from the content of the course and that is where you want to spend most of your time and energy.
Gary
The syllabus is described as a contract between the instructor and students. It states the graded items, provide a guide to weekly learning.
In addition to the syllabus, it is necessary for the instructor to verbally communicate with the class his or her expectations in terms of attendance, class room behavior, late assignments and all that is necessary to make the class a successful learning experience .
Hi Robert,
You just outlined some of the key reasons why people become teachers. The opportunity to work with others, share knowledge and watch growth. Plus, you get to start a new group of students every phase and see how they react to learning the content and developing the skills that you are sharing. This is what makes it worth while. Keep up the good work.
Gary
The first day of class is my favoite time in schooling. Everything seems so fresh, students are nervous as well as instructors sometimes. I enjoy getting to know the students and their interests I like to start with a get to know you and your goals to ease the nervouseness and then introduce the coarse outlines syllabus etc...
Response to Gary, I agree that we as instructors need to be very clear about expectations, policies, etc. to the students. One this prevents confusion and two the student cannot say they did not know. I also believe that by letting the students know what is expected of them, we as instructors can guide them with time lines, assignments, team work and other managements skills.This will also prevent any issues from arising in the future when a student may be failing and we instructors have to have a clear case of what our actions have been the entire time. Sharon
Hi Lidia,
This way this will be reduced misunderstanding about what the expectations and polices of the course are going to be.
Gary
BY BEING CLEAR FROM THE FIRST TIME YOU TALK TO THEM.
Response to Joseph, I agree that we need to be clear with students about what is expected of them. I also feel that it gives the students a manageable take on the course ahead. i also get students excited about how great the class is by introducing some of the content and labs they will be participating in. Great post, Sharon
Response to Kirk, I agree that giving students an overview of the class, explaining specifics such as late work, team projects, grading is very important. This prevents confusion and lets the students know what is expected of them. Great post, Sharon Plotkin
Hi Kirk,
Good comprehensive approach to class planning and the sharing of information about the class. These methods will help your students to understand what is going to happen in the class, expectations for the course, and what your policies are. This should enable you to get into your teaching quickly and be of real benefit to your students.
Gary
I give them a syllabus the first day of class. I use the board and write down the key points about the format of the class, materials required, what the goals and objectives are for the class, and the grading system. I also use handouts, and give them written procedures about using the equipment in class.
On the first day of class I give them an overview of the course content of the class. I explain the grading system, the type of exams that they will be required to pass, and what materials they will need on a daily basis. I also explain school policies.
enter on the board any computer based labs required, any assignments, or tests that will be done during class. I also discuss the lab sheets for what they shiuld be doing.
Response to Phillip, I agree that the first day has also got to be an introduction day. I try hard to get the students excited about the class by giving as feedback session so that students can introduce themselves to one another. I also introduce myself, which creates a more personal environment. After that I introduce the syllabus and what is expected of them. Then we jump right in to hands on activities to get the blood flowing. It seems to work. Sharon
Response to Geraldo, I agree that letting students know the first day of our expectations will helps prevent confusion. The course syllabus team projects, objectives and other handouts help with this. I make sure that the syllabus is easy to understand and clear. I also have a schedule of what the student can expect from each class and pertinent information about the policies and procedures handed down by the university. Sharon
It seems to be most effective by establishing a mental picture in the mind of the students of what the competent graduate will look like. We can have brief discussions that compare the differences between a professional who is among the best of their peers compared to a mediocre performer. This discussion should not only help the student to see themselves in the best possible light at the end of the "learning road" but make them want to not only arrive at the final destination but to arrive there in style. Having the students set high expectations for themselves and visualizing themselves as a high performer, they will be more receptive, inquisitive and take more pride in their results.
Dr. Meers,
By reading the syllabus and then taking questions about same, I find out if the students understand what is expected of them.
I ask them to answer outloud that they understand what is expected of them. This too ensures they know what to do.
Prof Ferber
Instructional objectives should include four components in order to be effective for both of students and myself as the instructor.
These components are:
A. Audience, who targeted individuals.
B. Behavior, the acting process, which has to shared with students.
C. Condition, which trained and enforced the rules and regulation, with the use of the memory.
D. Degree, which shows the level of proficiency.
While I am discussing the course objectives I will let the students know how they can fufill these objectives and by what criteria I will judge this completion.
