Preparing for Teaching Your First Class

1
Preparing for Teaching Your First Class

• A Course in Professional Development for
  University Professors
• by
• Dr. Lee Winters
• Senior Professor
• Northwestern Polytechnic University
• California, USA

2
First Class Checklist

• Parking lots / handicapped
• Check A/V Equipment
• Class Set-up, enough desks?
• Handouts/soft copies online
• Class rosters
• Reference books/articles
• dry erase markers / erasers / chalk / Stapler
• Post-Its, various sizes
• Text/lecture notes software

3
Checklist Continued

• Flipcharts
• Pointer / remote
• Tent cards/name tags
• Watch/clock
• 3 x 5 cards
• Work samples
• 3-hole punch
• PC with Internet access
• Paper clips, various sizes
• Overhead projector / Transparencies

4
Checklist Continued

• Masking tape
• Chalk / pen / pencil
• Extension cord(s)
• LCD working / remote
• Classroom temperature ok?
• Calculator
• Energy snacks for professor
• Aspirin / Tylenol
• Drinking water
• Breath mints

5
 
Ice-Breakers
Introductions  1.      Tent cards / name
tags / seating chart 2.      Greet everyone
introduce yourself 3.      Go around-the-room    
      Name          Work / Position 4.
Personal          Hobbies         
Favoritesport, pastime 5. Establish Touch
Points          What I want to
learn          Experience Level, Specialty Area
or Background 6.  Get into the topic Give hard
copies          Syllabus          Text /
Reader          Workbook          Handouts
6
First Day Topics Continued

• Introductions
• Obtain email addresses of all students
• Teaching Assistants, Tutors, Counseling and
  Learning Assistants
• Materials and Resources
• Learning Resources
• Library / Internet sites
• Computer labs
• Class / university web site
• Textbook required information/purchase
• English Only Policy

7
First Day Topics Continued

• Course activities
• Prerequisite check / exam
• Homework assignments
• Logistics (phones, vending machines,
• restrooms, smoking rules, parking)
• Copy service policy
• Course Objectives
• Syllabus / Course outline
• Textbook
• Grading criteria
• Class rules
• Student expectations

8
First Day Topics Continued

• Instructor contact information. Office room and
  office hours
• Class Agreements
• Attendance
• Plagiarism
• Health and safety issues
• Course schedule
• Class hours / lab hours
• Class breaks rules
• Start class on time
• Exams
• No cross talking or web surfing during class
• Class feedback

9
Getting an Early Win

• Get an Early Win High energy discussion..pick a
  hot topic
• Talk about how the class fits with each students
  declared interestwhat they hope to get out of
  the class
• Short (fun) case study or film clip Whats your
  verdict?
• Team exercises -- Solve a problem together or
  Assigned project
• Live demonstration or video share observations

10
Know Your Students

• Be knowledgeable of how different people engage
  and participate. Some students want to have the
  materials and have you work with them on-line or
  work on a paper or in a group. Some want to work
  independently and share and compare their results
  with others.

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Student Types for Grouping

• The four basic types according to Kolb are
•  
• the socially interactive need to share with
  others
• intuitive people who need to have a feeling for
  the material
• the doers who want to have the materials and work
  with it
• the analyzers who want to analyze
• (electronically work well with materials)

12
What the First Day Looks Like

• A Road Map of What the First Day of Class Will
  Look Like
• Welcome
• Personal Introductions
• What Students Will Learn and why it is important
  for them to learn it
• Student Expectations
• Instructor Introduction 

13
What to do After Students Arrive

• Required Work and Grading
• Class Agreements
• Significance of Subject

14
Class Agreements

• Ground Rules 
• Stay on point
• No beeping cell phones turned on during class
• Listening to Others 
• Respect others point of view
• Schedule-
• starting time
• lunch / breaks
• class ending time

15
Code of Conduct 

• Respect others point of view
• Limit time of sidetracking to after class

16
Academic Success

• What does an A grade look like no grade
  inflation
• If you are having trouble doing assignments or
  following the content,
• meet with the instructor, Tutor, or TA/LA
• Timeliness
• Tardiness
• Late Assignments

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Grading GO FOR THE GOLDSETTING THE GOLD STANDARD

• Be specific about grading criteria
• Work resubmission for B grade maximum or
  average both submissions
• Include participation
• Doesnt mean the most vocal students get the best
  grades.
• Includes attendance and tardiness, being prepared
  and being involved in the discussion and doing
  the work

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Academic Expectations

• Show what A work looks like
• Case study (be Sherlock Holmes) to do special
  projects
• Formative Assessment
• Provides for their future
• Summative Assessment
• Body of knowledge gained in the course

19
Grading

• no grade inflation
• If you are having trouble doing assignments or
  following the content, meet with the instructor,
  Tutor, or TA

20
Closure

• Review the days work
• Focus on Outside Assignments 
• What they do between classes 
• Reading assignments
• Homework Assignments
• Lab Assignments
• Observations
• Research 
• Preview the Next Class Session 
• Anticipatory set
• transition