STUDENTS would always lose their minds on how to prep for the first day of class and it’s just the same for us teachers. But over the years of teaching in a university, I came up with strategic points on how to make just the right impression.
Do not be late. You should be the best example for your students. Make sure you arrived earlier, at least five minutes before the class begins.
Make sure you have brought all teaching materials and check the students’ attendance.
Start the class with a big bang introduction. Make a quick rundown of your teaching experience. You may include achievements relevant to the course you are going to teach but refrain from bragging. Discuss how important is the subject of their preferred profession. And spark their interest to know more about the subject.
Clearly discuss the course syllabus. It is important that the students would know what the subject is all about. Prepare them with the planned activities from day one to the last day of class. Students need to know what will be their needed participation, requirements, and projects to pass the subject.
Establish rules and policies. It is not proper to sanction students with offenses they are not oriented. Before you carry out rules, it should be well discussed and clarified. Remember not to impose consequences to acts that were not clearly defined why it is improper or misbehaviour. It is best to set rules and limitations guided by the students’ handbook.
Motivate the students to talk. Allow the students to speak about their expectations. An icebreaker will help in engaging the students to talk to their classmates and finally get to know each other.
You may also encourage them to exchange email addresses or phone numbers for communication essential for group works. The aim here is to set the climate and easiness for group tasks in the next day classes.
Do not act like a monster. Students now are not intimated with too strict teachers, unable to control their anger. Unlike before that, a teacher’s loud voice can automatically stop the student’s noise.
Now, if they feel like you are going to eat them alive, they will learn to be distant to you. You will become the negative stressor that will demotivate them to attend class. You will murder their desires to learn!
Teachers are like the second parents of the students. If parents would love to see their children finish education, then that is how teachers should also aim.
It is never true that “batikan ka na teacher” if you have too many students failing in your class. The truth is that a good teacher is the one that patiently teaches, constantly evaluates and monitors students and transform their weaknesses as their strength.
It is trying to lighten student’s struggles and not by being the source of their struggles.