Welcome to this episode of Teaching and Learning Matters. I’m Maria Yon, faculty member at UNC Charlotte. In this episode, Setting the Tone: The First Day of Class, we’re going to talk about some of the important things that need to happen on that very first class session in the semester.

For most of us whether we are experienced instructors or not, the first day of class can be both exciting and anxiety producing — maybe it’s a new course, a new format, you are going to try out a new strategy — and of course all the new faces. It’s the same for students. They are wondering what to expect — what is the teacher like? What will be expected of me? Can I handle it? Will it be interesting? They are waiting in anticipation — and they’re sizing you up on that first day. So first impressions count!

What you do on your first day of class will affect your students for the rest of the term. So, think in advance what behaviors and expectations you want to establish in your classroom. No doubt you want to establish a serious, professional classroom atmosphere where learning will take place. You can communicate this in several ways:

First is to have a comprehensive, well-structure syllabus ready to distribute. It tells the class that you have planned ahead — you’ve thought carefully about the goals of the course, about course content, about assessments, and about grading policies. The syllabus should also address expectations for behavior such as attendance, tardiness, missed assignments, class participation, use of cell phones and other expectations of in-class conduct that you feel are necessary to address.

A comprehensive syllabus shows that you are conscientious, well-organized and serious about teaching and learning. Go over the syllabus carefully on the first day highlighting the points you want to elaborate or emphasize. Answer any questions that students might have about the course or about the syllabus.

Second is to motivate students about the course. This can be done in two ways. First is to show your enthusiasm about the course and about teaching. Enthusiasm is contagious and will motivate your students’ interest in learning the subject matter. And sometimes, just because of your enthusiasm, some students might be inspired to pursue the field as a career! That would be a nice tribute to you.

A second way to motivate students about the course is to make it relevant. Explain to them how the course fits into their program of study—whether it is a course in their major or a general education requirement. How is this course relevant to their program, and even more importantly, how is this course relevant to their lives today? Plan some real-life, current examples to share on that first day. And students love to hear personal stories, too, about how your work in the field applies to their lives.

Finally, make good use of the entire class period on that first day. Don’t treat it as a throw away day or dismiss it early. Only if you treat class time as a precious commodity will students see it in that way. In reality, by the time you cover your syllabus, introduce the class with a motivating presentation, answer students’ questions, have them introduce themselves to each other, the class time has been filled.

One last note, good planning is the key to effective teaching, even on day one — plan this first day as carefully as you would plan for any other class session.

I hope this has been helpful. Have a great semester. Thanks for listening and tune in again for the next Teaching and Learning Matters.