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The first class, and the first week in general, are critical to setting tone and expectations for students. It can be more than just a ‘syllabus day’. Use the ideas in this guide to make the most out of the first day and week of a semester.
The first day is an important time to establish how your classroom is going to work and begin fostering a community within your course. Important areas you will want to be sure to address include:
Ready to apply these tips to your teaching? Here are some ideas and strategies to get you started:
Carnegie Mellon (Linked Above) recommends that there are two main objectives for the first day of classes:
They break these two main objectives down into 8 areas that you should be sure to consider: