Faculty Resources

Teaching Resources

The First Day

Your first day of class is crucial in setting the tone for the entire semester. It is a day when students come to class ready and eager to learn. You need to tap into this excitement and show them that your class is going to be a supportive and exciting place for them to learn. Use the ideas and links below as springboards in designing a first day of class that reflects your own teaching style and goals.

1. Get to know each other.
» Certainly start to get to know each others names.
   For more on learning names, go to the following pages:
   » Tips for Learning Names
   » Activities for Learning Names
» Distribute First Day Questionnaires to help you get to know students backgrounds
» You might also want to do some Ice Breakers

2. Convey and generate interest in what the students will learn this semester in your class.
» Present some student work from previous semesters
» Show some examples from your industry which employ techniques or tools that students are going to be learning in your class
» Present some of your own work

3. Set a professional, warm, appropriate tone for learning.
» Use partner, small group, and whole class discussions
» Balance the amount of teacher talk versus student talk
» Fore more on this go to Professional Boundaries and Setting the Tone

4. Give an assignment for the next class meeting.
» This will help you to get to know your students abilities fairly quickly
» It is also a great way to open up an avenue of communication with them

5. Remember administrative duties:
» Take roll
» Get contact information for your students by using First Day Questionnaires
» Distribute and review appropriate sections of the syllabus (such as important test and project dates, attendance/tardy policy, late work policy).