Good point, Jeff!
Students can tell pretty quickly when a faculty member is not prepared. Many colleges insist on detailed written lesson plans for each class meeting. This is a good practice.
An organized class is the best first impression a professor can make. It is reassuring to the student when the person who is supposed to be in charge is in fact ready to go.
Be aware of how friendly and approachable you may appear to your students. Introduce yourself or say hello to give the students the comforting feeling that you are someone that they can talk to. The uncertain can be intimidating and we can help relieve some of that right from the begining.
Thanks, Billy. We need to be role models for our students. What are some specific things you model that you want them to internalize?
Since I have started teaching I have found that the start of each class you need to present your self in a manner that you would like your students to emulate and be as professional as possible too show students the tone of the class, once you have accomplished that the students know they can do the same with their chosen field.
Conduct a meet and greet at the class entrance way on the first day of class. Welcome them to class with a smile and a firm handshake.
By demonstrating you care. Whether they pop in the office to proactively request assistance, or when meeting them as a group in orientation or first day of class it is vital to show you are glad to see them and are looking forward to helping them with an issue, getting started off on the right foot, or digging in to the material & meeting course objectives.
One on one, be certain to focus on the individual. Do not let your eyes stray to your email or something on your desk you need to tend to or God forbid, answer the phone in the middle of a conversation.
While addressing a group, BE PREPARED and insure to draw in each individual by making use of the whole floor in the seating area/lab and involving each student. Walk around, help make their eyes follow you as you roam and speak.
I sort of strayed from the topic here so...
First Impression:
Smiling is probably the number one best way to make the best impression.
Thank you, Paul.
It is important to make a good "first impression" at the start of every class meeting. What are some things that you do regularly to get your classes off to a good start?
This is one that I have been successful with for years. I dress professional, tie, bright shirt, dark slacks and polished shoes. After a very quick introduction, name and class, I welcome the class with congratulations for being in attendance for the first day of the rest of your program. I then go over the attendance roster name by name and ask each student why they are here. This now becomes personal as well as social and lets the students know that I take an interest in their attendence here at school. I also mention that if you, the student, is not here tomorrow, you will hear from me. This takes it one step further acknowledging that they are important.
I will make an extra effort to ask the student his or her name. I will introduce myself and use the students name to help me remember it.
The first impression about you comes from within you. You must first be enthusiastic, happy, and friendly from within yourself. What is in a persons heart, comes out through his/her countenance, tone, and communication. For this reason, you may need to spend some time alone preparing to meet people.
Personal appearance is the first and foremost thing that you can do. If you have no respect for yourself, you will not give respect to others. The manner in which you dress signifies your level of respect for yourself. Your sense of fashion will also become a critical aspect in the first impression. Therefore, keep it professional and break down the negative barriers by using a smile.
This is a tuff one, I am usually in with a "hello how is everyone", I am "name" an I want to welcome you to Clinic 4. I make sure everyone has signed in , this way if they have not it reminds them to get it done, I also make sure they have all recieved a handout packet. I am enthusiastic about the class and I am hoping they are as class gets going. The couse is a computerized cousre so some students are intemidated by a computer and I tell them that I am always here to help them thru any process or problem they may run into.I am here to help.
