When a new term starts, I make my expectatios and class rules known to my students, in writing, along with the syllabus. I provide an opportunity for questions and check for understanding. There are no surprises, the boundaries are clear. I do not deviate throughout the course. My particular method of teaching changes according to my student population. One of the best graduate courses I have ever taken is "Styles of Teaching". The course addressed different learning methods for different personalities. Each class and each student are unique; as instructors, we must learn to adapt.