First Class Session of the Block- F2F Classes

Getting off to a good start is crucial for the success of any course. Making the class expectations and assignments explicit in this first class will help you establish the tone for the duration of the course. In a 7-week block class, you have only a short time in which to cover everything students would normally do over the course of a semester. Remember that it helps to have handouts that articulate your assignments and expectations, as new students may add your class and not be present for the first class session. Wilmington University does allow new students to enroll beyond the first week of class, so they must be accommodated in the course. Having handouts will help you to avoid having to repeat the information you presented during the first class session. Listed below are some suggestions for what to include in the first class: Review/ Discuss syllabus The syllabus is a contract between the instructor and the student. Take time to review it from beginning to end. Do not assume they will read it on their own! Point out important details such as assignments, grading, etc. Some instructors have given a pop quiz at the end of class asking students information that included details from the syllabus (e.g. instructor’s contact info, name of text, etc). Emphasize to students how important it is to get the text and read it! Our students have busy lives, they have jobs, are taking care of families, etc. Consequently, just reading the text in a meaningful manner often gets put off. Take Attendance/ sign in sheet: attendance is important and most instructors do offer points for “Class Participation.” Suggestion: create a document listing the student’s names and leave space for students to “Sign In” when they come to class. Be sure to take the sign in sheet back before the first break, that way you always have a record of students attending. Review assignments & assignment due dates: allow time for students to ask questions. Many students feel anxious and need to ask questions to gain clarity, even though you may think you’ve already explained the assignment thoroughly. Discuss Your Expectations & Guidelines: let students know how you can be contacted. Let them know what you expect of them, the behavior you expect them to exhibit in the classroom, what constitutes “participation” and how you will evaluate this, etc. Some students may ask how you prefer to be addressed, and while Wilmington University has no specific policy on this, it is more professional to have students address you by the appropriate title rather than the first name. Also let them know your policies regarding late assignments, etc. Discuss Details of Major Assignments: Class Participation: Instructors need to be very specific as to what counts as class participation. You may choose to give credit for class participation or not, it is up to you. Keep in mind that students will perform to the standard that is measured. I am attaching a Class Participation Rubric that I developed a few years ago, and I do review it with my students during the first class session. It is up to you to decide whether you want to use this rubric or not. I only ask that you not share this with other colleagues without my permission--Thanks. Review Writing Assignments: explain in detail what you want students to write about and how you will grade the assignments. Review APA style basics: if you as an instructor, are unfamiliar with APA style, then I suggest that you provide students with suggestions for where they can find help with APA (i.e. the Student Success center, the library online resources, OWL, etc). Review Plagiarism: do not assume that students know what plagiarism is or how seriously this offense is taken by the University. Students today tend to read as they write—the steps of the writing process (e.g. Creating, Drafting, Revising) are foreign to many of them. Explain plagiarism and why it is serious, and the penalties for plagiarism; what it is and how to avoid it; consequences for plagiarism of any kind; refer students to the Student Handbook about plagiarism and cheating. Black Board Orientation: if you plan to use Black Board in your course, make sure you orient students to your Black Board site. Introduction to Course Content or Lecture # 1 Include an In-class exercise in which students have an opportunity to apply the course content you have discussed/lectured about. Writing Sample: it is a good idea to end the class with a writing sample. This accomplishes several things: Gives you, the instructor, a baseline of this student’s writing style; Allows the students to think about the subject matter covered in class and put this into his/her own words; You could provide the students with a writing prompt based on the material; Or, you could ask students to write a paragraph about what they learned or what they are confused about and why. When asking students to write in class, allow time—about 30 minutes for a one page paper. Explain that even though this is an impromptu writing assignment, they will need to organize their thoughts and draft a coherent paper. Think about scheduling a library orientation and ask one of the librarians to show how to navigate the library databases. Do the same with the Student Success Center.