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Professors, teachers, current students...please come in.

NoisemakerNoisemaker
in Austin Babies

I am teaching my first class this semester (business law to undergrads).  I start next week, and while I'm super excited, I'm also nervous.  It's been a long time since I was in a classroom! 

So, do any of you have any tips or advice for me?  I'm finalizing my syllabus and working on my first lectures now...

Thanks!

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Re: Professors, teachers, current students...please come in.

  • kiarox2002kiarox2002
    Show no fear! Lol. I taught middle school so I don't know that I have much other useful advice. :) Good luck!
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  • bluestreetbluestreet
    Exciting! Are you a prof? My advice based on experience as an instructor is to collect as many syllabi from colleagues who've taught the course as possible. Don't reinvent the wheel! Borrow readings, assignments, power points that you can adapt, etc. Take full advantage of blackboard. You can save a lot of time by using blackboard. Also, write into your syllabus that you check and respond to class emails between 8 and 5 on Mondays through Fridays (regardless if that's true), and that they shouldn't expect to get feedback outside of that time. Which is to say, you are not on call 24/7! GL!
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  • smb29smb29

    think about if you want an attendance policy. i always gave 3 freebies and then each one after that was a point off your final grade (got this idea from my dad who has been teaching almost 40 years). unless its a huge class, make them do a presentation, it builds character. 

     i always thought the first semester of teaching a new course was slave labor, but it was so much easier after that. 

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  • Jess.OJess.O

    Good luck!

    I agree with kia.  Don't let them know if you're nervous.  Other than that, I don't know if any of my advice would be helpful.  Hopefully, by the time they reach you they will have developed a little more maturity than my high schoolers.  

    Up front I'd discuss your feelings of cell phones, iPods (if they're like mine, they'll keep them in while you're lecturing unless you address it) and bathroom breaks.  

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  • AustinAggie01AustinAggie01

    I agree, set your office hours and response time expectations and use blackboard.  Some of my favorite graduate classes, the most interactive, were the classes where the profs required us to take part in class "discussions" via blackboard.  Typically, the prof would give us a topic for the week and the students would have to post a related statement/question and start a conversation.  Along with your original post, you had to reply to others' posts a minimum of three times (in all, not 3 comments per post) per week.  I don't know how feasible that is with the sheer size of an undergraduate class, but it did lead to some interesting perspectives, conversations and learning. The prof could pop in for clarification or to help steer the convo, but otherwise it was just a student discussion.  I thought it was great (for the profs) that part of our grade was based on something that required very little effort from the profs.  I got the most and remembered the most, from those classes.

    Good luck!

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  • PMBridetobePMBridetobe member

    Set clear expectations (when/how you will respond to questions and when you will give feedback).  Try to find a rubric and be clear with any papers, assignments or other deliverables.  Be a semi hard a$$ on meeting deadlines for tests.  If you aren't they will walk all over you (been there, done that).  Use Blackboard to administer your tests and then grade them.

    Feel, free to email me if you want to talk some more  km cintosh at msn dot com

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  • NoisemakerNoisemaker
    Thanks everyone--some great advice here, as usual!
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  • KeribellsKeribells member

    imageNoisemaker:
    Thanks everyone--some great advice here, as usual!

    I took BLAW at Tx State...it's a hard class to start with. The real life examples helped me learn the material and actually maintain that knowledge. 

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  • esbeekesbeek
    I loved everyone's advice, especially about boundaries. One more thing. From my experience as a college instructor, don't try to get too much done! Make sure, in your enthusiasm, you don't try to cram in too much. I think it is better to make sure the concepts/readings/assignments are done well than to cover everything you possibly want. Don't be afraid to cut out a reading or assignment or topic if you find yourself rushing. That's my two cents, fwiw. Have a great time!
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