The first-class meeting sets the tone for the whole time of the course. Students need to know what you expect of them and a little about you as well.
that handouts and introductions are really important
To tell your students a little bit about yourself and your work background. Also to try to get to know the students names or what names do they like to go by.
It is important to learn about each student and their prior knowledge of the subject material.
This portion of the module taught me that even though it is crucial to outline the expectations of the course for the students, it is also very important to calm their "first day anxieties" and get to know them a bit/let them get to know you. Ensure they are comfortable to promote learning.
Choose a fun topic to discuss on the first day of class and during introductions.
Comment on Tikeama Buckingham's post:
I find it challenging to quickly learn the names of the individual students. I have given them large index cards and asked them to write their preferred name on it. Also, I've given them multiple colored markers so they can decorate the card if they want to. That has helped me learn their names sooner and some students have really enjoyed the artistic effort.
It is important to learn students names and how to pronounce them correctly!
That it is good to have ice breakers and get to know everyone as well as letting your students get to know you a little bit. It helps to show that you, as the instructor, are human and it helps the instructors get to know who the students are.
Making a to-do list before class can help you be more productive and efficient, while ensuring that you do not miss anything important
The way you introduce yourself will establish your position as a classroom leader.
Students want to feel comfortable and that they are learning something valuable for their futures. introducing yourself and your expertise along with asking students to meet their peers will help to set that level of comfort and value in your classroom on day one.
I learned that I need to make sure to take the time to thoroughly go through the syllabus on the first day. Sometimes, it is easy to assume the students will read through some of the policies themselves, but they usually do not. I also learned I need to add more personal information about myself and why I got into dental/teaching.
Learning student names is extremely important, along with finding some things in common to discuss outside of classwork. But, the methods discussed seemed dated. Not sure how old this training is, but asking people to write their names, numbers and addresses on a piece of paper or taking photos doesn't seem likely these days. I would think it's all digital now, but with diversity and inclusion, some people may feel odd about it.
Helping everyone to become more comfortable in class by learning names and short introductions is very helpful. Day one has a lot of information for students so cover the most important information in-person, follow up with additional information in the next class if needed.
That you can motivate students by providing them with the belief that performance is related to rewards. This would be good to structure some of the objectives around.
Its important to let the students know about you and learn each students name.
It is important to have the ability to motivate and keep the students involved in their own success in the class.
Faculty and student introductions are a great activity for the first day of class.
