Setting the Tone for the Semester

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The First Day of Class

• Setting the Tone for the Semester

Terri A. Tarr, PhD
August 13, 2008
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Getting to Know You

• Introduction by Interview
• Introduce yourself and tell how long you have
  taught and what course(s) you will teach this
  fall.
• After your brief introduction, the floor will be
  open for two interview questions.

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Getting to Know You

• Circle in the Circle
• Form two concentric circles
• Line up facing one person in the other circle
• After the prompt, discuss each question
• After discussion the inner circle will be
  directed to take one step to the right

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Objectives

• By the end of this session, participants will be
  able to
• Articulate reasons why the first day of class is
  important.
• Identify objectives for the first day of class.
• Share ideas and concerns about first day
  strategies.
• Recognize the multiple functions of an effective
  syllabus.
• Identify elements that are essential to include
  in a syllabus and consider elements that you may
  wish to include in a syllabus.

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YOUR Objectives

• What would you like to gain from this session?

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Why is the First Day of Class Important?

• The first day sets the tone of the class for the
  whole semester!

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What do Students Want to Know on the First Day?

• Is this class going to meet my needs?
• Is the teacher competent?
• Is the teacher fair?
• Will the teacher care about me?
• Scholl-Buckwald (1985)

8
Creating a Community of Learners

• Most learners respond well to caring and
  communicative educators who are willing to listen
  thoughtfully to their ideas and allow them to
  have some choice in the classroom. (Sowers,
  2004)

• Possible First Day Activities to Promote
  Community
• Introductions or icebreakers
• Learn names
• Have students work in groups
• Review syllabus
• Gather contact information
• Gather information from students
• Demographic
• What helps them learn
• Brainstorm a list of adjectives to describe a
  community of learners

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Icebreakers

• Most effective when they are tied to course
  content
• Debrief by telling students the purpose of the
  icebreaker
• Examples
• Five-fingers icebreaker
• People search
• Common ground
• Eight nouns
• Others?

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What Should We Do on theFirst Day of Class?
Lets Vote!
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What Should We Do on theFirst Day of Class?

• Involve students quickly
• Identify the value and importance of the subject
• Set expectations
• Establish rapport
• Reveal something about yourself

• Establish your own credibility
• Establish the climate for the class
• Provide administrative information
• Introduce the subject matter
• 
  (Fink, 1999)

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Think its Too Much?

• Building community can be done in small ways
  as an enhancement to what faculty traditionally
  do on the first day go over the syllabus, get to
  know the students, and introduce the subject
  matter.

13
How Much of You is in the Classroom?

• Share the awe of discovery
• Spread excitement for the work
• Show passion for the discipline
• Let students see enthusiasm in your teaching
• Let students know you remember what it was like
  to be them

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Terri Tarr
Born in Portland, Maine
Grew up in Michigan
Live in Indianapolis

• Graduated from
• Carmel HS
• Ball State University (BA, MA)
• Purdue University (PhD)

Running is the greatest metaphor for life,
because you get out of it what you put into it."
Oprah Winfrey
Married to Mike Mother of Chris (25) and Kara (20)
Associate Director, Center for Teaching and
Learning Associate Faculty, Department of
Psychology
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Think-Pair-Share

• What excites you about your subject matter?
• What kind of activity would demonstrate it and
  articulate to students why you think the subject
  is important?

16
What If Im Nervous?
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Ending the First Class

• Bring closure to earlier activities
• Make an assignment
• Give time for reflection (minute papers)

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Action Plan

• What is something you might do differently on
  your first day of class this semester?

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What to Keep in Mind

• First impressions are lasting (even those first
  10 seconds!) so make the most of the first day.
• Success is dependent upon planning, so do! DONT
  wing it!
• Ask yourself, could problems during the course be
  alleviated by having a more effective first day
  session?

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Designing an Effective Syllabus
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Considerations Prior to Preparing a Syllabus
What do you want students to know and be able to
do as a result of this course?
Objectives
How will students get it?
How will you know if students got it?
Assessment
Activities
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The Role of the Syllabus

• The syllabus is a contract between students and
  faculty.
• The ordinary syllabus conveys faculty
  expectations of students.
• An extraordinary syllabus conveys what students
  can expect from faculty.

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What More Can the Syllabus Do?

• If you want students to have a passion for
  learning, you may want to start with something
  more interesting than school policies.
• The syllabus gives you an opportunity to disclose
  your values, enthusiasm and interests.

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Motivating with a Syllabus

• Convey your enthusiasm for the subject
• Convey the intellectual challenge of course
• Provide a personal context for student
• Convey your respect for students ability
• Objectives are attainable and stated positively

• Grading conveys possibility of success
• Assignments are clearly presented
• Assignments address different levels of Blooms
  taxonomy types of learning
• Students learning is assessed frequently
• Conveys the desire to help students

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Essential Elements of a Syllabus

• Course information
• Instructor information
• Required materials
• Course description from university catalog and
  prerequisites
• Course goals or objectives

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Essential Elements of a Syllabus (cont.)

• Content outline
• Grading standards and criteria
• A statement regarding accommodations for students
  with disabilities
• Course policies
• A disclaimer such as The above schedule and
  procedures are subject to change in the event of
  extenuating circumstances.

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Why Are These Elements Important?
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Possible Elements of a Syllabus

• Conceptual structure of course
• University policies
• Grading rubric(s)
• Statement providing estimate of student work load
• Glossary of terms used in course
• Bibliography

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Possible Elements of a Syllabus

• Campus resources
• List of co-curricular activities relevant to your
  course
• Supplementary material
• Space for names and telephone numbers of two or
  three classmates
• Statement on your beliefs about teaching and
  learning and instructional methods you will use

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Additional Syllabus Considerations

• Doesnt have to be a linear document
• Details are essential
• Course map
• Introductory information
• Course procedures
• Detailed schedule
• Weekly overview

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One Final Question

• What one or two new elements will you add to your
  syllabus?

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References

• Fink, D. (1999). http//www.ou.edu/idp/tips/ideas/
  design4.html
• Scholl-Buckwald, S. (1985). The first meeting of
  class. In J. Katz (Ed.) Teaching as though
  students mattered. (New Directions for Teaching
  and Learning, Volume 21). San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.
• Sowers, J. (2004). Creating a community of
  learners Solving the puzzle of classroom
  management. Portland, OR Northwest Regional
  Educational Laboratory.