Teaching Methods: First Day(s) of Class

The way you choose to structure the first day or two of a class sets the tone for the rest of the semester. This section provides multiple methods for getting your classes off to a good start.

"The First Day of Class," from Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis, Jossey-Bass, 1993.
Guidelines and techniques for the first day of class, including handling administrative matters, creating a positive classroom environment, and setting course expectations.
Link: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/firstday.html

"Quick Before It Dries: Setting the Pattern for Active Participation from Day One," Steve Adams (University of Minnesota, Duluth).
8 techniques to generate active student participation from the start of class.
Link: http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/resources/guides/quick/index.html

"101 Things You Can Do the First Three Weeks of Class," Joyce T. Povlacs (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Teaching and Learning Center).
101 strategies for getting the semester off to a good start by challenging students and building a sense of community in the classroom.
Link: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/101thing.htm

Learning Students' Names (University of Nebraska-Lincoln).
23 methods for learning students' names in classes of all sizes.
Link: http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/gsapd/resources/teachingtips/names.shtml