The First Day of Class
The first day of class is crucial for drawing student's attention and foretelling the semester ahead. Whether it's your first or fiftieth time stepping into a classroom, the first day of class matters! Students might wonder: What will my instructor be like? Where will I sit (front, back, middle)? Will this class be hard? As the instructor, you're likely excited to meet your students, begin the semester a new, and get to work.
Ideally, the first day is not just syllabus review, rather an opportunity to welcome students and clarify expectations for their performance in class. The guide below is meant to help you think through how you might approach the first class gathering.
Before the First Day
Things to Consider:
- Send Students a Welcome Message. Whether over email or through Blackboard Ultra, you might consider sending a message to students up to a week before the semester begins to welcome them to class and let them know what to expect on the first day. If you're teaching online, this can also be a good opportunity to remind them of the course modality and ensure everyone has access to your Blackboard Ultra site.
- The Classroom Space. If you can, visit the room several days before classes begin to get a sense of the space. As James Lang recommends, "Stand at the front and say a few words. Write something on the board, then walk to the back of the room or sit in a seat. Envision yourself in the shoes of your students."
- The Technology. Are you familiar with how to operate the projector and ELMO document camera? Can you successfully navigate the instructor workstation? If you think there's a problem, submit a ticket with IT or, if the matter is urgent, call the IT Help Desk at (616-331-2101) so they can send out a technician immediately.
- Your Attire. How you dress sends a message about your perceived authority and credibility (which tends to be criticized more closely for female and nonwhite faculty members). Ultimately, whether you dress more formally in a blazer or less formally in jeans, the decision is yours to make.
STRATEGIES FOR A GREAT FIRST DAY
Set Expectations
Keep in mind that not everyone who attends class the first day will remain enrolled in the course. By setting some expectations you may help them decide whether the class is a good fit for them as this time.
- What materials do they need to purchase? Textbooks, writing utensils, notebooks, etc?
- What projects or assignments will they have to complete?
- What is the attendance policy?
- If a Supplemental Writing Skills (SWS) or General Education course, what does that entail?
Students will not automatically understand what kind of performance will be expected of them, so reviewing the course learning objectives is helpful in explaining what you expect them to acquire by the end of the class.
Create a Welcoming Environment
- Ask students to anonymously share their biggest concerns about starting college. Or, their biggest concern about this class.
- Introduce yourself to set a tone that is personal and professional
- What do you love about teaching the course? How long have you been teaching? What is your favorite thing about teaching?
- Why did you choose to study and work in your discipline? What do you love about the discipline? How you see the discipline affecting the world and vice versa?
- What is your research agenda and how does it relate to the course? (if applicable)
- Personal details that you feel comfortable sharing, such as place of birth, family details, hobbies and interests, future plans.
- Have students communicate with each other using Ice Breakers.
Gauge their Prior Knowledge and Motivation
- Assess their prior knowledge (for ideas on how to do this, check out this teaching guide from Carnegie Mellon University's Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Ed Innovation).
- Collect data from students about: why they're taking the course, what they hope to get out of the course, and what challenges they anticipate.
Engage Students in Active Learning
[Our teaching guide on Active Learning goes into more depth.]
- Ask students to do something to set the expectation for participation in class. This can also model how future class sessions will be held, giving them a clear picture of what to expect. For example, if you want to students to engage regularly in small group discussion, assign them a question or topic to discuss (perhaps about the syllabus) with 2-3 other peers,
- Consider how much of the syllabus you need to review. Listening to an instructor read through a 6+ page document can be tedious.
Additional Resources
ARTICLES
Case, K., Bartsch, R., McEnery, L., Hall, S., Hermann, A., & Foster, D. (2008). Establishing a Comfortable Classroom from Day One: Student Perceptions of Reciprocal Interview. College Teaching, 56(4), 210–214.
Clement, M. (2008, June 10). 10 Things to Make the First Day (and the Rest) of the Semester Successful. Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning.
Gaffney, J. D. H., & Whitaker, J. T. (2015). Making the Most of Your First Day of Class. The Physics Teacher, 53(3), 137–139.
Rudenga, K. (2024, August 5). 6 Ideas to Perk Up Your First Day of Class. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Sayre, W. G., & Sayre, N. E. (1999). A Good Beginning. Journal of Chemical Education, 76(5), 621.
Smith, G. A. (2008). First-Day Questions for the Learner-Centered Classroom. The National Teaching & Learning Forum, 17(5).
BOOKS
Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2020). Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty. Jossey-Bass.
Davis, B. G. (2009). Tools for Teaching (2nd edition). Jossey-Bass.
Huston, T. (2009). Teaching what you don’t know. Harvard University Press.
WEBPAGES
Making the Most of the First Day of Class, Carnegie Mellon University's Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Education Innovation guide
The First Days of Class, DePaul University's Teaching Commons guide
"How to Teach a Good First Day of Class" by James Lang in the Chronicle for Higher Education