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UTD Teaching Tip of the Month: The First Day of Class |
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You walk into the classroom and there
are 10, 50, 100, or more students staring at you. What do you do? Experienced teachers pay close
attention to beginnings of classes because the first day can set the tone for
the entire semester. Here are some
thoughts about what to do the first day: |
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* Dress more formally than
usual. It is important for students to
perceive that you take teaching seriously.
“Dressing up” for the first day or two of class sends a message of
professionalism that students notice. |
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* Have a plan. Sometimes faculty do not think the first
day is important for anything other than administrative activities. How you handle class on the first day will
be the clue students use to decide whether you are organized or not. Research on teaching suggests that students
respect faculty members who are organized. |
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* Tell the students how and
why they will benefit from the class.
Research on motivation and learning tells us that students want to
know on the first day what’s in it for them.
Tell them why you teach the class.
Be enthusiastic so they will be motivated to be there. |
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* Have an exercise so
students can meet each other. A big
concern for many students is whether they will get to know classmates. You can create a collegial learning
environment by asking students to get to know each other. Have them introduce their new “friends” to
the rest of the class. By
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