First Day of Class
I have found that you can set the atmosphere for the quarter on this first day. If you give the students information on the course subject and your expectations on how you will handle homework, classroom activities and exams the students will relax more and learn more.
I think on the first day of class all information should be at a given point, so when it comes to daily tasks, homework and special assignments, it will be more a better learning environment not just for students but as well as the instructor.
Harold, I like the idea of allowing the student to read the code of conduct. I am an afternoon/evening instructor, so by the time they get to my class they have heard it at least twice! Having them read it to each other is great way to get them actively involved in the professional expectations that I encourage in my classes.
I am the instructor for the Career Preparation course. I encourage my students to think of the class more as a workplace than a classroom. I want my students to demonstrate professionalism and to use the soft skills that are essential to the workplace. I try to connect with my students via social media before the initial first day and I usually send them a written introduction the week prior.
My job does not end in the classroom. I must remain in contact with my students after Career Prep and graduation. Initially, the first day is very important because it is all about first impressions.
I need to be the "guide" and the "buddy" when managing a classroom.
On the first day of class, I introduce myself, give a brief overview of the class, and then we go around the room and my students introduce their selves. They give a brief synopsis of their life. We discuss the ground rules. I tell them we are all adults and we should act like adults. This sets the tone for the rest of the semester.
I agree that a comprehensive overview of the class as whole, expectations, assignments and the like, are key to helping alleviate student anxiety the first day. Being well prepared is transparent the first day of class to your students.
I do agree with the fact that setting the atmosphere for the class on the first day is extremely important. On the first day, I distribute various documents such as:
First day checklist, Class participation guidelines, the code of professional conduct and the syllabus.I let the stuidents take turns reading the code of conduct. I then explain it and stress the importance of abiding by it. In this way, my activities and exams will go smoothly and the students will feel more relaxed.
I agree with your comments. I feel it gives the instructor and students to kind of learn what is expected from them early on. I know there are times when some students that do not come to class on the first day of school. I think it is important to kind of revisit some of the things that were discussed the during the first class session. This gives everyone the chance to get the same information. While you may not go into great detail but it is important to touch on the important things the students need to know in order to be successful in your class.
I absolutely agree with these statements. If I do not set the "rules of engagement" within my classroom, I can easily overwhelm most students.
I establish an atmosphere of "no question is stupid if you don't know the answer" and that it is OK to say "I don't know" when asked a direct question. I also respond positively to questions when asked. This many times opens up group discussion which covers vast amounts of material while correlating related topics and information.
Finally, all classroom rules are consistantly administered fairly and evenly without subjective considerations. Normally all I have to do is look at a student breaking a class rule and they will automatically adjust their behavior. Along with that, I am very predictable relative to how I handle behavioral issues. Thirdly, I find that attendance problems do not exist when the students feel they can actively participate and realize they will miss valuable discussion if they do not attend.
The first day of class is very important and sets the tone of the entire module. I will usually get my class roster early and go around and meet my incoming students before the first day of class. This creates anticipation as well as easing any anxiety that comes along with having a new instructor. Since I have begun this practice, I find that more students find it very important to attend the first day of class.
Jo, the first day is so critical and really sets the stage for the entire time frame you are with any grouping of students. The more strategic you can be as an instructor and get the most out of day 1 the more overall success you will experience.
James Jackson
