“What happens between you and your students in your classroom or lecture hall depends largely on what you want to happen. How you treat each other and how you and your students feel about being in that place with each other is modeled and influenced by you.” - David W. Champagne, The Intelligent Professor’s Guide to TeachingLinks to an external site. (1995)
The first day of class is your time to shine! Whether you are teaching for the very first time or are a seasoned veteran, prepare carefully for the initial class. Your preparation and attitude are contagious: students will pick up on your excitement, be more likely to commit to your class and invest greater energy to their learning. What you do and how you do it on the first day of class matters. The first day of class should serve two purposes:
To clarify questions students might have related to the overall course and course objectives, as well as your expectations for their performance in class. Students should leave the first meeting with a strong belief in your competence to teach the course and truly understand what is required of them in your course.
To give you an understanding of who is taking your course and what their expectations are of you as the instructor
In this module, we will discuss ways to create a positive first impression, to foster an inclusive and engaging learning community, and to clarify responsibilities and course expectations for all involved during the first day of class.
Discuss tangible ways to conduct a successful first day of class
Identify strategies that sustain the tone you’ve set on the first day for the rest of the semester
Reflect on Your Current Practice
Thinking back to your own learning, what was the most memorable first day of class that you have experienced as a learner? What did the instructor DO? How did you FEEL? Try to be as specific as you can in articulating why this first class was so impactful for you.
Read
Before you even start teaching, your students will have already made some decisions about you, so it is important to understand what those impressions are based on and how to manage them. Research suggest that students form lasting impressions almost immediately (at the end of the first class period), which persist until the end of the semester (Laws, et al., 2010Links to an external site.). Given that end of term Student Evaluation of Teaching (SEoT) is often an integral part of the promotion and tenure process and can have far-reaching implications for your academic career, it seems crucial to make every effort to create a positive impression during the first day of class. Below are some tangible strategies to support you in conducting a successful first day of class.
Before the First Day of Class
Doing some advance work to familiarize yourself with the logistics before the semester starts will support you in orchestrating a positive first impression:
Visit the classroom: Locate your classroom and familiarize yourself with the space and technology available in the room. Practice speaking in the room to get comfortable with the space. Test out the technologies you plan to use (e.g., microphone, projectors, audio/speaker), so you can access IT support to resolve any technical issues as necessary. It will save you from having to trouble shoot under pressure!
Your attire: Research shows that clothing affects several kinds of judgments people make, including but not limited to, credibility, likability, dominance, kindness, and empathy (Raiscot, 1986Links to an external site.; Morris et al., 1996Links to an external site.). Consider your own comfort level and think about how your students might perceive of your authority and credibility as you select your attire for the first day of class.
During the First Day of Class
Arrive a few minutes early to settle into the space before your students arrive. Your presence, non-verbal behaviours and speech all play an important role in setting the tone for the course. The way you engage students on the first day sends powerful messages about the level of involvement and interaction you expect from them. A few strategies to prepare yourself and your students for the first day of class:
Territory Acknowledgement: Acknowledging territory is a way of honouring and showing respect to the Musqueam people, who have long inhabited this land. We invite you to review the Land Acknowledgements in Teaching and Learning Resource to learn when and how to do it in a meaningful and appropriate manner.
Introduce Yourself: Consider what characteristics you’d like to convey about yourself and how to do so in a way that resonate with your students. Establish yourself as a unique individual sharing the classroom with other unique individuals. By sharing your place of birth, educational history, chosen field, or other identities that are important to you, students will find you more relatable and be more likely to approach you for help.
Build a Sense of Community: Help your students to learn about one another. It is an opportunity for you to foster a collaborative learning environment and to show that you value the diversity of students in your class.
Showcase Course Content: Consider a brief orientation to the learning technologies (e.g., Canvas, UBC Wiki, etc.) that you will be using in the course and demonstrate how to find relevant course resources to support their academic success. Communicate your commitment to the students’ learning experience.
Give Students a Reason to Read The Syllabus: It is important to offer an opportunity for students to clarify the kind of effort, learning, performance and classroom behaviours you expect from them. Consider creative ways to invite your students to review this important document (e.g., a quick, no-stakes quiz on the syllabus via Canvas).
Teach Them Something on the First Day! Don’t miss the great chance to stimulate interest and curiosity about the course and to activate relevant prior knowledge students have about the material. Employ at least one of the teaching methods you will use during the semester to pique their curiosity and motivation.
After the First Day of Class
Follow up and extend the positive atmosphere into the rest of the semester - whether that is sharing your enthusiasm, acknowledging their active engagement, or making explicit connections between the first day of class to future course material. Leverage learning technology or take a few moments in the next class to build on the first day’s momentum. Be creative in ensuring continuity and in fostering a productive learning environment for your students!
What has shifted in your thinking about how to lead a successful first day of class? What might you do differently to inspire curiosity, foster learning community, and clarify expectations? Document your ideas so you can remember them later.