1. Active Class from Day 1
How much time do you spend explaining the syllabus on the first day of class?
How much information do students retain?
Do you post your syllabus on Canvas?
Do you print out the entire syllabus to distribute to the students?
What do students really need to know from the first class?
What do students want to know from the first class?

2. What Do Students Want to Know?
How heavy is the homework load?
Is it going to be hard to get a good grade?
What can I do after this class is done? Is it useful?
Is the class going to be interesting to attend?
Do they get this information from your first day of class?

3. Syllabus
What key information do the students need in the first day/week?
Can you narrow it down to 3-5 takeaways?
Book, materials
Assignments (other than the predictable)
Attendance policies
Classroom rules and expectations
Class procedures
Can you spread out the syllabus over the first week?

4. Active Class from Day 1
In the first week, you have a relatively high degree of student attention and compliance.
Demonstrate class procedure and expectations.
Get off the syllabus and into an interactive activity as soon as possible.
Set the tone and expectations for the semester
An interactive activity dealing with course content (using group work and pair work)
Preferably an activity which will
engage students in the course content; stimulate their curiosity
develop a sense of interaction and community in the class
allow students to feel your enthusiasm for the course content
have students complete and submit a handout

5. Class Participation Let’s try an activity
All students start with a scores of 40/50 points.This grade will be updated regularly throughout the semester.
How well are you prepared to speak on the topics? (Doing homework)
Do you occasionally ask and answer questions during class discussions?
How well do you speak with your partner?
Do you make an effort to participate in the discussion?
Do you encourage your partner to participate?
Do you and your partner manage the time well?
Let’s try an activity

6. Class Participation: How Did You Do?
How well were you prepared to speak on the topics? (Questions prepared?)
Did you ask a question during the class discussion?
How well did you speak with your partner?
Did you participate in the discussion with your partner?
Did you encourage your partner to participate?
Did you and your partner manage the time well?
Finished too early?
Finished too late (were not prepared to share your findings with the class)?

7. Other Ideas Distribute syllabus Give 5 minutes to skim it
Give questions on the syllabus for students (in pairs) to answer
Cloze syllabus
Canvas reading and quiz on some information in the syllabus

8. Attendance
Of course, it is a good idea to attend classes as much as possible.
Sometimes, however, you might have a good reason to miss a class. What are some good reasons to miss a class that the teacher should allow?
____ You have a headache or you are just tired.
____ You are sick with a cold or the flu.
____ You have a friend who needs help.
____ You are stressed or angry about something and just need to relax at home.
____ You need to take care of a sick child.
____ You are on a sports team in your school and need to travel to play a game.
____ The class is sometimes boring.
What do you think the professor for this class will say about attendance?

9. Cell Phones in Class
Some professors might not have any policy on cell phones in class, but many professors believe that cell phones are too distracting.
What cell phone policy do you think is best?
____ The professor should NOT have a cell phone policy. It is the students’ right to use their cellphones in class.
____ The professor should only care if students use their cell phones too much in class. Using your cellphone a little in class should be fine.
___ Cell phones should not be allowed in class at all. Students should always keep them out of sight in their pockets or backpacks.