Getting to know you: First impressions and first

classes

Cendri Hutcherson

January 8, 2007

Establishing your goals

Goals for a course/section

• Where do you want the students to end up at the end of the course? – What do you want them to know?

– What do you want them to know how to do?• Lecture or discussion?• Facts or critical thinking?

Goals for a course/section

• What kind of a relationship do you want with your students?

• Authority or approachability?• Fun or serious?• Professional or personal?

Goals for a first day

• Not to fall flat on my face

• Not to scare everyone away

• Not to bore everyone to death

• …

Goals for a first day Tip: Think positive and proactively

• Personal Introductions– What do you want to know about your

students?– What do you want your students to know

about you?– What do you want your students to know

about each other?

What do you want to know about your students?

• Their name

• Year in school

• Where they’re from

• Why they’re taking the course

• What their interests and hobbies are

• What they personally hope to get from the course

What do you want your students to know about you?

• Your name

• Where you’re from

• How you are like them

• Your role in the course

• Why you’re teaching the course

• Why you think the course is amazingly important!!

What do you want your students to know about each other?

• Name

• Where they’re from

• Where they live in the dorms

• More details!

Goals for a first day Tip: Think positive and proactively

• Course Material Introductions– How much overview do you want to give of

the course?– What kind of administrative information do you

want your students to know?– How much do you want your students to

shape what you teach?

Miscellaneous Tips

• Visit the classroom ahead of time

• Modules: it’s all in the timing

• Prep work

• Pre-class plans

• The 5-minute cushion at the end

• Doing your homework

Miscellaneous (Shameful) Tips

• Cheating with Facebook

• Abject plagiarism

• Using a camera

• Pretending I’m spontaneous

• Giving myself a break

Activities and Demonstrations

Funny introductions

• Two truths and a lie– Variant: one student lies

• The guessing game• What’s your sign?• What superpower?• Favorite movie

Things to Avoid!• Most embarassing moment• SAT scores• Weirdest scar

Fun activities

• Vote with your feet• Pop quiz!• What is…• A Great Debate• Breaking Headlines!• Design an experiment• Demonstrations from psychology

– Cognitive psychology– Personality psychology– Social psychology– Developmental psychology