Comment on Milton Gonzalez's post: Organizing the time to cover important, relevant content and adding several short, engaging activities within it will create a good learning environment for the students. 

Developing classroom learning strategies will help maintain a smooth flow among all learners. It is important to know your students and plan to reach almost all of them.

Comment on Monica Vallier 's post: Agree, this gives a sense that I am valued as a student. 

When I start a class, I always do an icebreaker in which each student receives a colored sticky note. After presenting myself, I have them group by color, and in 5 minutes they present themselves, including their name, one thing they like, and one thing they do not like. For the last class, I also added why they chose the profession they are in. 

Comment on Clark Watson's post: I agree with this post. I've seen both types of professors: those who got too comfortable in their positions and wasted learners' time, and those who showed passion for their profession. 

It is important to plan ahead for your classes, to have a plan B if technology fails. Ask colleagues for suggestions and keep a checklist. 

Comment on Daniel Choi's post: Especially in preparing beforehand. We understand that, as human beings, we may miss a day of preparation if something comes up, but this should not become a habit. 

I learned that when you model professionalism, students see you as an example to follow, and they will model professionalism too. It is also important to know that you can learn from your students, and this should be celebrated rather than met with distance. Students should see you as friendly, trustworthy, and respected. We are friendly, not their buddies. 

Students will develop stronger critical-thinking skills when engaged in real-life situations that help them understand what they are learning each day. 

When using AL, remember to use the responses as a tool to evaluate the student's learning, and use Rubrics; this will clarify your expectations for students and make grading easier.