Getting Through the First Day

by Jason Schwartz, Mathematics GTF

Bad News

I doesn't take long for a student to decide your class stinks. Typically this assessment can be made after only the first day of class. Despite the comfort you can take in the fact that such a student is dead wrong (studies show that 99 times out of 100, university math courses really don't stink), you have nothing to lose by doing what you can to defray such a judgment, at least until after student course evaluations are all in. With that in mind, the following offers a prescription for first-day-of-class success; however, before plunging right in, perhaps it is wise to examine just what is so bad about having half your class give up on you without even giving you a chance.

What's So Bad About That?

Enabling your students to master the material on your syllabus may or may not seem like an impossible dream, but like it or not, it's your job!! And like so many other jobs, success depends upon hard work. It is the cooperation of your students that determines whether this work will need to come 110% from you, or whether your class will be able to share in the load. Consequently, pure laziness alone dictates that it is to your definite advantage to maintain the enthusiasm and effort of as many students as possible. But who among us chose this profession out of laziness? Hopefully nobody, so perhaps a more compelling argument would be to remind you that as a teacher, there is no greater satisfaction than the knowledge that you helped someone succeed. The true beginning of this process starts day one when each and every one of your students goes home and decides which one or two courses are worth striving for success in and which one or two are stinkers.

What Works For Me

The one thing I do not do on day one is teach math! This alone is probably sufficient reason for students to stay excited about my class. What I do instead is focus on my own pre-course agenda, items which I think will ultimately benefit everyone more than a one-day head start on the distance formula. In no apparent order, here is some of what works:

Introduce yourself: Despite the fact that I teach math, I think I'm actually an okay guy. By talking a little bit about myself, I can usually trick the class into sharing my belief, and subsequently feeling more comfortable about all aspects of the course. I certainly don't tell my whole life story, but I do mention where I'm from and what I enjoy doing and sure enough, there's always someone who goes and works a little harder just because I like Neil Young or something!

Establish your role: I think it's essential that every one of my students see me as an aid to their success, rather than an obstacle. I let my students know that if I do my job well, their grade in the course will be limited only by the efforts they make. I have no curves or quotas in grading, and I assure the students that anyone who attends class regularly and hands in all assignments on time will no doubt pass the class, and probably even get a good grade. I also stress my desire to give students additional personal attention during my office hours. The main goal here is just to let the students know that I'm here to support them, and they should take advantage of me all they can.

Set forth your expectations: I pass out a lengthy homework assignment on the very first day of class, usually due the following Monday. This assures students that despite early indications, my course will be a serious math class. I also pass out a syllabus and course information sheet establishing my policies with respect to homework, quizzes, examinations, and course grades. Make students feel welcome: Many math students are apprehensive about their qualifications for a given course. If such an uneasiness persists, they will probably lack the self-assurance necessary to do well in the course. I attempt to alleviate this nervousness by giving a short pretest covering the basic skills and problem solving techniques recommended for placement into my course. When the test is completed, I review the solutions to each problem on the chalkboard, allowing students to get a feel for my way of explaining mathematics, and more importantly, to correct their papers. The majority of the class is usually delighted to have performed well, and feels especially encouraged when I let them in on the secret that the same skills and techniques used in the pretest are the identical ones we will be using throughout the entire term! As for the few students who struggled with the pretest, I usually speak to them briefly after class about the possibility of a less advanced course being right for them. Often, they stay anyway and do okay.

Have a back-up plan: If you are terrified about the first day, and no matter how much you prepare, you still feel like you're going to stink, BRING COOKIES!! This is absolutely a winner. You will not only rise to instant legend status among your students, but you yourself will feel more relaxed in the classroom after enjoying a mouthful of junk food.

Conclusion

Each term I receive a tremendous amount of positive feedback about my first day of class. Whether it's in the form of a student approaching me right after class or a course evaluation that starts, "At the beginning of the term, I really thought Jason's class was going to be great, but...," I feel very confident about the first day of class. If it's true that getting started is really half the job, this makes for a promising future. However, on the off chance that things aren't so simple, I look forward to hearing from anyone with additional ideas for days two through forty.

Lizard 22 Fall 94

 

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Last Modified: 03/18/10