I believe it is a good practice to make sure the syllabus is electronically available to the student prior to the start of the class. That way the student comes ready with some level of understanding of what the course is going to cover.

I like to have a very firm policy. I do not accept late work period. But, I do make an exception for "life situations" but to qualify, I must be chatted with in advance of the due date. Am I being too liberal?

I teach massage techniques and there have been moments that I felt as though a student wanted to take my spot in front of the class. The student was catching on to everything that I was mentioning... Since she was doing so well, and the students all looked up to her, I allowed her to recap a few things that I had hoped EVERYONE would grasp by my lecture. It worked wonders! She was able to stand up and student teach, her peers asked more questions...It was truely a win-win situation for us all. I was able to catch a breath and the student was able to reiderate what I've just lectured on. Since then, I've compiled a couple of components in all of my classes to have student's present summaries. I often wonder whether or not I should give them advance notice...They all seem to "be awake" in my classes.

In my syllabus, I believe I should include a policy on late assignments. For my class, I believe all homework assignments and projects should be turned in at the start of class. However, what is the best approach to maintaining my policy when students are late for class and turn in assignments after I collected other students’ assignments. Any suggestions?

Consistent monitoring and evaluation helps me keep course content fresh for the students. On average, I conduct a student survey every other term to help me assess the relevance of the course information. They have a lot to offer in terms of course content and are often excited about influencing the course for future classes. This tool definitely helps in the planning and preparation phase of developing course content.

My goal in introducing my bio is to tell students that any thing is possible for them.

Agreed. There is no disputing the importance of planning and preperation. The instructor must know the course better than the student. One must still keep in mind that continueous updating and refining is essential as well. Without doing this, the course will become a dinasoar.

I have taught for years and I still go into my class room a day or two before the class begins to get the feel of the room and make sure I know where everything is and how it works. I am always there before the students arrive. I start on time and explain how I will proceed in the class. I try to make the students feel comfortable. I don't rush the class. Remember the syllabus is a contract between you and the student. Take time to prepare it completely. You will lose the class quickly if they don't think you know your material or are prepared for your classes.

most of my students I've had in previous classes, so our first day of class we discuss any current events or changes in their lives,and then they need to mention any current events or local topics from the newspaper/journals, etc that are relevant to our topic.

I have found it very helpful to try something new sometimes (not all of the time)! I base some of the things that I try on student complaints or requests. I know that it is good to be who you are but I like to journey outside my comfort zone sometimes. Sometimes it improves who I am.

I have found, after almost 6 years of teaching, that changing the delivery methods from quarter to quarter helps me to refine the course content, reach more students with different learning styles, and keep the class fresh and interesting. I have moved away from straight lecture toward shorter lectures with question/answer periods, audio/video presentations, hands-on practice or case studies that illustrate reading/lecture topics. I didn't initially realize that students were not retaining much of a 45 minute lecture until it came to applying some of these concepts through projects, quizzes or exams. I finally came to the conclusion that less is actually more with lecture; I find that letting students "direct" the lecture is much more effective, because I'm teaching them what they don't understand rather than just reiterating reading...

I believe the syllabus should should show the "how's and why's" this class is important to me. This will get the student excited because he or she will see the benefit right away of why this class may be important. Once we have a full "buy in" on the students part it will make the class more enjoyable and easier to teach.

Once in a while we all encounter a student who just does not "get it", not matter what. What approach do you take with a student who clearly has not understood the subject matter, and keeps on asking the same questions over and over after you have offered several explanations? In the meantime, other students find these questions annoying, if not ridiculous. Do you offer to continue explanations after class? Sometimes my students would attempt to re-explain, but not always does it work. I do not want to discourage the student, but at the same time, I cannot focus on this one student when everybody else has obviously mastered the subject matter. Please, share!

I am sure we have all had our share of negative students. As you know, negative attitudes spread like wildfire. The worst is when students set the tone for discussions. For example, if the first response to an online discussion is negative, there is a good chance that additional responses will also be negative. What tips do you have for not only helping the negative student see positives but also maintaining a positive tone in the classroom?

How do your students feel if you make changes to your syllabus or addendum, if you find it necessary during your course?

I find that teaching is like a drug for me. I'm a very high energy instructor, so I get very jazzed up before and during class, but it takes a lot out of me. I often crash, hard, when the class is over and that energy leaves me. Anyone else experience that?

What is your best advice for someone who is teaching for the very first time?

After participating in this activity and using all different types of methods of content delivery, my class seems more focoused and willing to learn.

In grad school, several of my professors thought it was a good practice to hand out the syllabus at the end of the first class. I always felt that this was an attempt to play mind games rather than demonstrate their support of student learning. In every class I have ever taught I always made sure the syllabus was an early handout with ample explanation and discussion. This document and what it represents should never be the basis of a power struggle!

what's the best method of teaching?