Day One and First Week Resources

The primary goal: students should be working on day one

“The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher” by Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong is a staple in teacher preparation programs and k-12 districts across the country. It is a comprehensive guide for teachers, particularly those new to the profession, focusing on techniques and strategies to establish effective classroom management from the very beginning of the school year. While the book is primarily focused on K-12 education, it offers principles and strategies that can be effectively adapted and applied to higher education settings. The application of these strategies in a university environment involves recognizing the unique context and needs of adult learners while maintaining the core principles of effective teaching.

The book emphasizes the importance of the first days of school in setting the tone for the entire year. It discusses practical methods for creating a positive classroom environment, establishing routines, and building relationships with students. Wong advocates for the idea that effective teaching is not just about subject matter expertise but also involves being an effective manager of the classroom. This management includes clear communication of expectations, consistent procedures, and fostering a sense of respect and responsibility among students.

A key theme in Wong’s work is the concept of the teacher as a facilitator of learning rather than just a transmitter of knowledge. He suggests that well-organized classrooms with clear rules and procedures enable students to engage more effectively in the learning process. Specifically, he details pre-course and early-course actions that educators can take to help ensure the effective facilitation of learning.

Before the Semester

1. Course Design and Syllabus Preparation: Develop a detailed syllabus that outlines course objectives, expectations, grading policies, required materials, and a schedule of topics and assignments. Ensure that the syllabus aligns with the learning outcomes and includes policies on attendance, late submissions, academic integrity, and inclusivity. The Teaching Center provides syllabus templates in the semester start-up playlist.
2. Learning Environment Setup: If teaching in a physical space, consider the classroom layout and how it can foster interaction and engagement. If teaching ina room you are not familiar with, visit the room before the first day of class to get to know the workings of the classroom technology cart. For online courses, organize the digital learning environment in D2L, ensuring that all resources are accessible and user-friendly. MSU IT offers multiple D2L training resources, also detailed in the semester start-up playlist here.
3. Instructional Planning: Plan your lessons for the first few weeks. This includes lecture content, discussion questions, group activities, and any multimedia resources you intend to use. Think about how these align with your course objectives and how they cater to diverse learning styles.
4. Communication Channels: Set up and familiarize yourself with the communication platforms you will use, whether it’s email, a learning management system, or online forums. Consider how you will use these tools to communicate with students and facilitate discussions. Consider using the Registrar’s Office “email my class” tool for early semester communications.

On the First Day

1. Welcome and Introduction: Do all you can to arrive early to the classroom. If possible, greet students at the door as they enter.
2. Post the Agenda: Post the day’s agenda and key learning outcomes. Make it clear to students what they will do during the class session. If possible, assign seats. This gives students a sense of place in the room and helps reduce students’ first day stress.
3. Put the Students to Work: The primary goal of the first moments of class is to get students working. Give students a task to complete immediately at the start of class; the task should be relevant to the course content and should yield a tangible deliverable. This will set the tone that the class is a place where things happen, where students work, and where learning is defined by activity. Often this first task involves having students demonstrate their prior knowledge of the course’s concepts.  
4. Save the Syllabus: The least effective way to spend time on the first day of school is to review the syllabus. Use 50 percent of the first class session for content-specific, important work. Use 40 percent of the time on personal introductions and community building, and use the last 10 percent on policy.

Never underestimate the power of a strong start to a semester. Define your semester by spending the first day clearly establishing procedures, setting high expectations, and modelling the value of work. This tone-setting is vital to creating a sustainable culture of learning for the rest of the semester.

The first day of class sets the tone for the entire semester. Student achievement is directly tied to how well a teacher establishes and implements classroom procedures, norms, and behaviors. Plan carefully for the first day of class, and implement those plans with energy, kindness, and rigor.

*note: distancing and other precautions required during the COVID19 pandemic may influence how some of these tips look in your face-to-face/hybrid classes

• Post a schedule and objectives
  • Arrive early to prep the room
  • Objectives and agenda give students a sense of direction
• Put students to work
  • Give students a meaningful task to complete immediately
  • Set the tone for productivity to give students purpose
• Assign seats
  • Place students intentionally so they can function as groups
  • Give students a sense of place in the room
• Greet students at the door
  • Welcome students as they enter, introducing yourself
  • Interact personally to give students a sense of belonging

“You will either win or lose your class on the first days of school.” Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher.

The first day is your only shot to define the terms of the class. What is the subject matter? What are the most important ideas? What does a successful student look like? Instill in the students a growth mindset and make it clear to them that they have a voice and they need to use it in class daily.

• Review critical procedures
  • Set expectations of students, defining their boundaries
  • Let students voice their expectations
• Teach students how to learn
  • Define what learning looks like in your class
  • Chart a path for success and give students agency
• Focus on ways of being
  • Let the first day be about role setting
  • Define classroom culture before addressing subject matter
• Engage in goal setting
  • Show students what they’ll know by semester’s end
  • Have students write their goals for the class

Your first day of class is almost here! Are you excited? Anxious? Whether it’s your very first time teaching ever, you’re teaching a new course, or you’re just starting a new semester, beginning a class for the first time can be nerve wracking. To get us all ready for that first day, we asked educators to share practical tips about how they handle a new semester. Here is a compilation from their years of teaching experience.

1. Be prepared!: In teaching, confidence is key. While it can be nerve wrecking, displaying confidence will show students you are up to the task and ready for the new semester. Check out the room in advance and familiarize yourself with its resources. Test out any technology you want to use beforehand. There’s nothing worse than finding out something doesn’t work on that first day. Knowing those details are set can help free you up to relax, focus on your teaching, and exude the confidence that students respond to.
2. Practice, practice, practice: Practice makes perfect. If you are nervous about teaching a new class for the first time, make sure you practice your lesson in front of a mirror, with a partner, or with a peer a few times. It will help build your confidence in the material and sequence of your lesson, anticipate any areas of potential challenges that might come up, and adjust in ways that will set you and students up for success.
3. Dress for success: Although different schools and institutions will have varying dress codes, and individuals have different stylistic choices, make sure that you know your instructor of record and/or supervisor’s expectations before school starts.
4. Rehearse your power pose: Body language can be important in teaching. Some research has even shown that power-posing reduces anxiety and boosts confidence. One suggestion is to stand tall with your chest out and your hands on your hips.
5. Show your enthusiasm: Students pick up on your excitement (or lack thereof) about teaching their class. If you’re thrilled about the material, there’s a better chance they will be too. Communicate your enthusiasm by sharing personal stories, anecdotes or artifacts about the topic at hand.
6. Always bring water: It’s easy to forget about some of our practical needs when we teach. Having a bottle of water can sometimes be a lifesaver, especially after teaching for a long time or when feeling nervous.
7. Connect with students: Make sure to engage with your students, learn their names, let them introduce themselves to you and to one another, and create opportunities for them to share about what matters to them outside the classroom and connected to the disciplinary questions your class will support them in addressing. These steps will help you connect with students and build community.
8. Expect the Unexpected: Sometimes, even though we’re ready and have planned our lesson plan by the minute, things can go wrong. A projector doesn’t turn on, you have more students than syllabi, students are late, etc… Be ready for anything and everything. Stay positive and confident. That’s the beauty of teaching!
9. Don’t feel discouraged: After your first day of class, you may feel discouraged if things didn’t go as planned, or if you felt like you didn’t get the reaction you expected from your students. Just remember that they are also starting the semester and may have a lot to manage at the same time. Think about both the positive aspects of the day and reflect about the things you could improve.
10. And remember, students enjoy a little change!: If and when you feel it is appropriate to change things up in your class, engage with elements of popular culture, and mix up the materials you use to support learning, try anecdotes, gifs (animated images) or memes (images with words) to also communicate ideas. A little (suitable) popular connection, new content, and humor can help students engage differently.

*note: distancing and other precautions required during the COVID19 pandemic may influence how some of these tips look in your face-to-face/hybrid classes, but remember even if you’re teaching 100% online- these tips still ring true!