Your First Day in the Your First Day in the classroomclassroomAt Tulane… or elsewhere!At Tulane… or elsewhere!

Why focus on the first Why focus on the first day?day?

• Crucial for establishing a productive working Crucial for establishing a productive working relationship with studentsrelationship with students

• ““Patterning:” Patterning:” • Everything you will expect of your students – Everything you will expect of your students –

writing, analyzing, speaking, group work, etc. – writing, analyzing, speaking, group work, etc. – you should have them do the first dayyou should have them do the first day

Foster CommunityFoster Community

• Arrive early and greet students as they enter.Arrive early and greet students as they enter.

• Have your name and class name on the boardHave your name and class name on the board

• Learn their names as quickly as you canLearn their names as quickly as you can• Review the class roster before classReview the class roster before class• Photos?Photos?• Self-completed index cardsSelf-completed index cards• Make them introduce themselves the first dayMake them introduce themselves the first day

Encourage students to be Encourage students to be interestedinterested

• Don’tDon’t begin by reading the syllabus begin by reading the syllabus

• Spend some time talking about Spend some time talking about youryour interest interest in and engagement with the subject matter in and engagement with the subject matter

• Think about questions you can ask about the Think about questions you can ask about the material to make students engage with the material to make students engage with the subject matter subject matter even if they have not read the even if they have not read the material.material.

• Try to create a “need to know”Try to create a “need to know”

Get students to take you Get students to take you seriouslyseriously

• Introduce yourself fullyIntroduce yourself fully

• Make your expectations clear on the first day:Make your expectations clear on the first day:• ““Warm” expectations: collaboration, sharing, Warm” expectations: collaboration, sharing,

supportiveness, etc.supportiveness, etc.• ““Cool” expectations: due dates, grammar, honor Cool” expectations: due dates, grammar, honor

code, etc.code, etc.

Before class: How to Before class: How to prepare?prepare?

• Define what skills and knowledge your Define what skills and knowledge your students should have by the end of the termstudents should have by the end of the term

• Consider who your students are and what Consider who your students are and what environment, resources and activities will environment, resources and activities will assist them in gaining these skills.assist them in gaining these skills.• Plan clear Plan clear learning objectives learning objectives (which are (which are

required required in all syllabi) in all syllabi)• Syllabi are Syllabi are contractscontracts and are most effective and are most effective

when comprehensive and explicitwhen comprehensive and explicit

SyllabiSyllabi

• Include grading policies, honor code Include grading policies, honor code information, disability resources, a schedule information, disability resources, a schedule of tests/reading/assignmentsof tests/reading/assignments

• Calendar the entire semester and pay Calendar the entire semester and pay attention to test and assignment dates and attention to test and assignment dates and holidays (remember your own work holidays (remember your own work schedule!)schedule!)

• Prepare your reading materials as early as Prepare your reading materials as early as possible and post on either Eres or MyTulane possible and post on either Eres or MyTulane or bothor both

Your Teaching SpaceYour Teaching Space

• Visit your classroom before the first classVisit your classroom before the first class

• Learn how to use the technology in the room Learn how to use the technology in the room

• Think about how to use the space to Think about how to use the space to encourage interactive, engaged learning:encourage interactive, engaged learning:• lecture seating arrangements often “dead end” lecture seating arrangements often “dead end”

discussiondiscussion

Engaging presentations?Engaging presentations?

• Useful repetition, summaries, and breaking the lecture Useful repetition, summaries, and breaking the lecture into smaller partsinto smaller parts

• What makes you different from the book? Use examples What makes you different from the book? Use examples and stories - the more visual and interactive the more and stories - the more visual and interactive the more impact the lecture will have. impact the lecture will have. • Use visual images to describe your point -- a striking Use visual images to describe your point -- a striking

demonstration concerning physics or a visual analogy to demonstration concerning physics or a visual analogy to describe a poem.describe a poem.

• Use Use manymany examples; they make lectures come alive. A vivid examples; they make lectures come alive. A vivid example has far more impact than accumulated data.example has far more impact than accumulated data.

• Figure out ways to make lectures interactive. Figure out ways to make lectures interactive. • Begin with a simple story related to the topic of the day. Begin with a simple story related to the topic of the day. • Have outlines of your lecture available for your students on Have outlines of your lecture available for your students on

MyTulane.MyTulane.• Think about incorporating Web 2.0 tools into your class: Think about incorporating Web 2.0 tools into your class:

blogs, wikis, even twitter!!! blogs, wikis, even twitter!!!

Death by Powerpoint!!!Death by Powerpoint!!!

• Is what I have just subjected you to with the Is what I have just subjected you to with the last slidelast slide

• http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint • SignificanceSignificance• Structure Structure • Simplicity Simplicity • RehearsalRehearsal

Engaging presentations?Engaging presentations?

• Repeat, summarize, break-downRepeat, summarize, break-down

• What makes you different from the book? What makes you different from the book? • Visual images.Visual images.• ManyMany examples (verbally) examples (verbally)• Make lectures interactive. Make lectures interactive. • Begin with a simple story related to the topicBegin with a simple story related to the topic• Post outlines of lectures on MyTulane.Post outlines of lectures on MyTulane.• Incorporate Web 2.0 toolsIncorporate Web 2.0 tools

Teaching at TulaneTeaching at Tulane

• Who are our students?Who are our students?• Very, VERY smartVery, VERY smart• Risk takersRisk takers• Geographically distant from other support Geographically distant from other support

networksnetworks• Eager to engageEager to engage

Questions?Questions?

Associate Provost Ana M. LópezAssociate Provost Ana M. LópezOffice of Academic AffairsOffice of Academic Affairs

200 Gibson Hall200 Gibson HallTulane UniversityTulane University

New Orleans, LA 70118New Orleans, LA 70118(504) 865-5261(504) 865-5261

lopez@tulane.edulopez@tulane.edu