One my first day I went over the class rules clearly and in depth. However, since that day, noone is paying any attention to them and I feel as if I have lost control of my class. How do I regain that control back?

I have been pulling stories from my experience in efforts to get my students excited about the subject, but that's not working. Any suggestions?

I have been using PowerPoint for my presentations and am now learning that having the students do actual bookwork is helping them learn.

This is my first time teaching in a formal setting and am having a difficult time connecting with my students. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.