Tip #1: Suggestions for the First Day of Class
- Create a positive learning environment. Depending on class size, personally greet each student as they enter your classroom. To minimize embarrassing students who have come to the wrong room, write your name, the course title and number on the board. The following site provides nine first-day ideas for setting the desired tone. http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/firstday.htm
- If you want students to feel comfortable interacting with one another, plan an icebreaker activity. 34 icebreaker activities can be found at http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/teachingettes/icebreakers.aspx.
- Begin to learn students' names. For example, obtain a digital camera (cameras and help are available in the CTE). In the classroom, pass a blank sheet of paper around and ask students to write their names on the lines. Follow the paper around the room and take pictures. The camera will assign a number to the individual picture files, these numbers will correspond to the order of the names on the signup sheet. For more complete instructions on how to download and save pictures for later reference see "John's Timely Tips".
25 strategies for learning names can be found at
http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/teachingettes/whatsinaname.html
For more tips on the first day of class go to
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsfdc.html
http://www.honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/teachtip.htm#firstday
http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/teachingettes/firstday.html
http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/onlineworkshops/firstclasssession/
References
Fink, L. Dee. "The First Day of Class." First Day Of Class: What Can/should We Do?. 19 July 1999. University of Oklahoma Instructional Development. 13 October 2006. <http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/firstday.htm>
"Center for Research on Learning and Teaching." Teaching Strategies: First Day(s) of Class. 01 June 2004. The Regents of the University of Michigan. 13 October 2006. <http://www.crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsfdc.html>
"Teaching Tips." Faculty Development Teaching Tips. Honolulu Community College
Intranet. 13 October 2006.
<http://www.honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/
teachtip.htm#firstday>
