Introduce yourself, begin learning their names, and let them know what you will be doing in class.

I don't like the term checklist but rather an outline of what you will be doing.  This helps you structure your time in each lesson.

As a teacher for 40 years these are all things I practice every day.

Good critical thinking skills are needed to take part in problem solving activities.

It is best to give students clear directions based on their ability and to provide rubrics to avoid confusion as to how an assignment was graded.

The instructor must make sure that the students take the assignments seriously and are actively participating.  They need to know why they are doing the assignments.  Also, work can be broken down into 15 minute segments with discussion or writing afterward.

I have learned that it is better to be the "guide on the side" rather than the "sage on the stage".  Students learn more and retain the information better when they are responsible for their own learning.  I also like learning the difference between collaborative (graded as group) and cooperative learning (graded individually).