Hi Lawrence,
You make a good point about the education they are receiving as being the big time. Sometimes they forget they are preparing for their future thus they need to learn all they can to be ready.
Gary
During the first (and following) class sessions I use a whiteboard/chalkboard to sketch an agenda which I take the students through for the first and next class sessions. Their voices (surfacing on evals) suggest that I am a very organized instructor.
With the syllabus it's important to cover it on a page by page basis asking if they have questions as we proceed.
If there are major assignments such as end of term papers or extra credit opportunities I prefer to print them up on sheets which are seperate (not embedded) in the syllabus. In this way they have a set of manageable "chunks" of info to focus on.
I make my expectations very clear from day one. They must do review homework for what we are doing the next day. Then we review and they have to just get it. I tell them this is the big time. You must work to understand and then perform
I do all the things in the module on first impressions but I do a little more. Before class, I have an iPod playing lively music. I find that this relaxes students. It often spurs conversations before class even begins. This allows me to bridge that gap. Once class starts though, the iPod is turned off. This signals the students that it is time to work. Every subsequent day, I play music before class. It's an audio cue when the music ends for the day that we are starting class.
Hi Susan,
Way to go in laying a solid and clear foundation for your students. This should reduce any confusion on the part of students. Plus, they know they can ask questions and will feel comfortable in doing so.
Gary
Hi Michelle,
Good way to lay everything out for the students. I like to use the separate grade sheet with my students as well. This helps to reinforce the course requirements. The follow up really lets your students know that you are serious that them completing their assignments in a timely manner.
Gary
I am going to make my expectations simple yet clear and let my class realize that I am always willing and available to clarify any information they do no understand. I will go over the syllabus in its entirety the first class.
i use a list for each class session. i find this keeps me foom repeating material and the students need only look at thelist(posted in fornt of the class)attempt each session
I go over the syllabus on the first day, and I hand out separate "grade sheets" for the class, listing all of the assignments, the percentage of the final grade that each assignment is worth, and blanks for the students to keep track of their grades for each assignment. I keep the same grade sheet current for each student myself, so they can always see what assignments they are missing. I also e-mail the entire class directly after class with what we worked on in class, what was due that day, and what will be due next week, including any special materials they might need to bring for next week's activity. This way, absent students only need check their e-mail to know how to catch up.
Hi Brenda,
This you can't do too much. Students of all ages and backgrounds need repeated reminders to they will keep on target with their homework and/or upcoming assessments.
Gary
I make sure my syllabus is accurate as well as the scope and sequence. Every day before they leave we make it very clear what the homework is, if any assignments are coming due soon and what will happen tomorrow so they can prepare.
After introductions, I make sure that the students have a copy of the book already as the class is primarily based on the reading material (Culinary World History course).
I go over the syllabus and reiterate again what the course goals and SLO (student learning objectives) are for the class. One method I get students to understand is that I go around the room and ask questions pertaining to the assignment i.e. "When is the first research paper due and what topic will it cover?"
By having students repeat it themselves gives a clearer understanding of what is expected and leaves no room for confusion.
~Louis
I give a very simple explanations of what I can do to help them learn and what I expect them to do to pass (homeworks, quizzes, major exams, group discussions/presentations, regular attendance). I am not a "scary-stict" type of instructor. I make sure they know that I am here to help them get to their goal and that is to graduate and pass the board exam, however, I make it clear that they have to do their part as students as I do my part as their instructor.
