The Guide to Teaching
 |
First Day of Classes
[This file contains the topic statement and all responses. It is intended primarily for printing.]
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 14:44:35 -0500 (EST)
Sender: Joel J Schwartz <jjschwar@email.unc.edu>
The new topic of the Teaching Guide is
First Day of Classes.
FIRST DAY OF CLASSES CAN SET THE TONE FOR MUCH THAT FOLLOWS.
BELOW ARE LISTED SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THAT FIRST
MEETING.
_____________________________________
Do any of you Teach-Pol(ers) have any first day exercises that you use for
breaking the ice or for making it easy for students to become acquainted
with one another?
Please add to this list your own suggestions for the first day of
class.
______________________________________
Tell students not only about the class, but also about yourself. This
will help to break down the hierarchy of the classroom.
Distribute index cards. Ask for any combination of information from
the following list of questions:
Names, hometowns, why taking this class, life experiences relevant to your
class, academic majors, previous classes whose content may be related to
your course?
Who are their heroes? What are their hobbies? Career plans?
Also possible--short, ungraded essay which can reveal knowledge and
attitudes about the subject,analytical and conceptual skills and general
writing ability students bring to the course.
BE SURE you get students' email addresses. Even if you are not setting up
a listserve, have each student email you so that you can then set up your
own class list for quick communication.
Provide your students with a syllabus which anticipates and answers as
many of the questions about the course, your policies, grading procedures,
requirements, expected work load, COURSE OBJECTIVES and YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
Do you have any exercises you have successfully used the first or second
day? A topic for the future will be successful exercises (not papers) in
and out of the classroom.
_____________
H-teachpol is compiling a guide to teaching politics from the
contributions of its members. We intend for this guide to be especially
helpful for those new to teaching in the discipline.
We request your wisdom on the topic indicated above. Send a thoughtful
comment of a paragraph to a couple of pages in length to the list at
h-teachpol@h-net.msu.edu (be sure that your reply contains the subject
line of this message and that it is sent to the h-teachpol list).
All contributions to the teaching guide will be posted to H-teachpol and
archived in the logs of the H-teachpol list. Selected contributions will
be compiled into an edited guide which will also be available online.
The Teaching Guide editor is Joel J. Schwartz, Professor of Political
Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
http://www.unc.edu/~jjschwar
From: parker@powernet.net
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 08:07:00 +0000
I use the index card opening in all my classes, not just Pol-Sci. I
ask for name, student ID number (SS#), major of choice and an answer
to a question such as "What is politics?" I pass out the cards at
the begining of the class.
After a few brief introductory remarks about who and what I am, I
ask each student to read his name, major and answer to the question.
After finishing, I inform the students that they have just
demostrated that they posess all the skills necessary to pass the
class; the ability to read, write, think (the reason for the
question) and speak up and participate aloud in class.
I have found that this serves as a good ice-breaker, gives me a
solid record of the first day's attendence that I can match against a
not always reliable computer-generated roll sheet, and a nice opening
into a discussion of what is politics (or history or what ever else I
ight end up teaching).
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 13:13:43 -0500 (EST)
From: "JAMES T. HENNESSEY JR" <thenness@osf1.gmu.edu>
A technique for members of a class to get to know each other starts with
either a numbered card, or if still passing out syllabi numbering them,
for approximately 5-6 members of a group. I thne ask them to form groups
based upon their numbers, introduce themselves and get to know each other.
I tell them that I will then call upon one of them to introduce the
members of their group. After each group has been introduced by one of
its members, I then ask someone from another group to tell me something
about each member of the group just introduced.
In the first day this exercise forces them to remember something
about each other, to listen to others, and they get to know each other
much faster. It also facilitates group formation - a key to my style of
teaching.
Tom Hennessey
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 11:25:53 -0800 (PST)
From: Kenneth Finegold <kfinegold@ewu.edu>
One tip that I picked up from a former Teaching Assistant is to include in
the information I ask students to put on their index cards, "One interesting
thing about yourself." This gives each of them some self-selected element
of identity at the start, which helps me learn who they are. I also find
that answers to this open-ended question have some predictive value. For
example, students who write "I love politics" or "I like to read" seem
to do
better, on average, than students who list the number of tatoos they have or
students who can't think of anything interesting about themselves.
Kenneth Finegold
Associate Professor of Government
Eastern Washington University
MS-30
526 5th St.
Cheney, WA 99004-2431
Phone: (509) 359-2052
FAX: (509) 359-6049
Email: kfinegold@ewu.edu
"Politics is a strong and slow boring of hard boards."--Max Weber
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 13:17:09 -0600
From: Jerry Goldman <j-goldman@nwu.edu>
Ken Janda, Jeff Berry and I have created a web-based survey that
instructors are free to use in introductory American government classes. It
surely is appropriate for first-day use. You can customize the survey for
your classes through a registration procedure. The registration procedure
generates a unique URL. Point your students to the URL created by the
registration process. The marginals return to you at another (unique) URL.
So the second day of class, you can analyze the results. No more coding or
paper distribution.
http://www.hmco.com/hmco/college/COD/survey.html
If there is interest in other surveys of this sort, we can probably
generate and distribute them by the same process.
Comments and suggestions welcome.
Jerry Goldman
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jerry Goldman j-goldman@nwu.edu
Northwestern University 847.491.2637 (voice)
Department of Political Science 847.475.4101 (fax)
601 University Place 847.475.6671 (home)
Evanston IL 60208 http://www.nwu.edu/people/j-goldman OYEZ DATABASE: http://oyez.nwu.edu
HISTORY AND POLITICS OUT LOUD: http://oyez.nwu.edu/history-out-loud/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Sharn_Tyakoff@Douglas.BC.CA
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 97 15:08:24 PST
I ask students to fill out a fairly limited information sheet, stressing the
need for telephone numbers so that I can respond to the panicky messages on my
voice mail around exam and paper time. I also ask students to write a
paragraph about themselves on the back of the information sheet. This
allows me to quickly identify students who may have writing problems. At my
institution we have many EASL students. Having identified students with
writing problems early, I can refer them to the Learning Centre for
assistance before their first paper is due. After having explained what I
want on this sheet, I then tell students that the College is governed by the
B.C. Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act, so they can refuse to
fill in the sheet. This tends to be an interesting ice breaker and helps
students see how politics relates to them directly.
--
******************************************************************
* Sharn Tyakoff, *
* Political Science Department *
* Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty *
*
* P.O. Box 2503 *
* Douglas College Sharn_Tyakoff@Douglas.bc.ca *
* New Westminster, B.C. Canada Tel: (604) 527-5203 *
* Fax: (604) 527-5095 *
******************************************************************
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 16:52:07 -0800
From: "Steve Woolpert" <woolpert@stmarys-ca.edu>
What I have found most useful is to ask students to write on the
following three items:
1) For me, the best classes are those in which...
2) For me, the worst classes are those in which...
3) My goals for this class are...
They do not put their names on their responses. I pass around some
masking tape so they can post their replies on the walls around the
room. We all then walk around and read the various statements.
Afterwards we discuss the areas of convergence and divergence.
Stephen Woolpert
Department of Politics
Saint Mary's College of California
From: Joe Cammarano <jpcammar@providence.edu>
Date: December 14, 1997
I had a teaching assistant at Syracuse, Lynda Barrow, who used a very
interesting first day exercise with her discussion sections. She would
have each person draw--not write-- the state of American politics, and then
explain their drawings to each other. This served to get each student to
think about their own general feelings and observations about American
politics, and it helped to break the ice and get students talking. A
couple of years ago she showed me the drawings and they were fascinating.
Now that I am teaching small classes (25) I plan to use this in my classes.
Joe Cammarano
mailto:jpcammar@providence.edu
http://www.providence.edu/polisci/
401-865-2906
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 21:59:19 -0500
From: "Chau T. Phan <phanc@genius.rider.edu>
First Day" Initial Inventory:
Dr. Chau T. Phan, POL 102: Understanding Politics, Fall 1997
Initial Inventory
1. Your name: First ______________________ Family: ____________________ 1
1a. How do you want to be called? _____________________
2. Your dorm or local address: _______________________________________________
3. Your dorm or local phone: _________________
3a. Home phone, if different: ( ) ________________
4. What is your e-mail address? ____________________________
If you don't remember, send me an e-mail message.
(If you don't have one, sign up for one at the Office of Info. Techn.)
5. Year in school (please check one): (Fr) (So) (Jr) (Sr)
6. Check one: (a) new student; (b)continuing student;
(c) transfer from (name of your previous school)___________________
7. Your major: __________________ Minor: __________________ Undecided:
8. Did you have other Political Science courses before this course?
(No) (Am.Pol.) Other: ______________
9. Rate yourself in terms of listening and note taking skills
(A) Average; (B)Better than average; (C)Need help
10. Rate yourself in terms of reading, comprehension, and retention
(A) Average; (B)Better than average; (C)Need help
11. What do you expect to get out from this course?
________________________________________________________________________
12. What political matters which you would like to be discussed in this class:
political issues:
_____________________________________________________________
events: _____________________________________________________________________
personalities:
________________________________________________________________
concepts:
_____________________________________________________________________
13. Is there something special about you which the instructor should know?
____________________________________________________________________________
___
14. You are recommended to have a buddy system in this class. Do you know
other persons in this class:
(Yes) Names: ____________________________________________________________
(No)
15. Other comments (Please use reverse side of paper):
When completed, please return to instructor. Thank you.
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 08:01:32 -0800 (PST)
From: Scott <furlongs@gbms01.uwgb.edu>
For my American Government class that has about 120 student in it, I too
ask for some introductory information. I also ask for an interesting
tidbit that they may want to share. For those who do provide some
information (e.g., favorite tv show, interests, etc.), I write them an
email message welcoming them to the class and commenting on their comment.
This plays a couple of roles for me. First, the class needs to use email
and the Internet for the class so it gives them a friendly introduction to
the school's system. In addition, it lets the students know they are not
just 1 out of 120, but are individuals. Many students appreciate the
extra effort and will write back with some additional comments. It acts
as a great ice-breaker and encourages them to ask questions and make
comments either in class or over email.
Scott R. Furlong, Ass't Professor
Dept. of Public and Environmental Affairs
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
2420 Nicolet Dr.
Green Bay, WI 54311-7001
Phone: (920) 465-2061
E-mail: FURLONGS@UWGB.EDU
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 1997 02:03:23 -0500
From: "Melissa A. Butler" <drmab@tctc.com>
Another useful ploy for the first day of class is to discover the first
thing your students remember about politics. Not only is this a good
ice-breaker which lets lots of students feel that they have something
meaningful to them as well as substantively linked to the course, it can
also be a helpful reminder to the instructor of just how young the students
are, how much explanation an example may require. (Last year for the first
time I found myself explaining to an inquisitive student that Senator McCarthy
didn't have a change of heart between the early 50s and late 60s--there
were TWO Senator McCarthys!!!) It can also be a good way of helping to
integrate non- traditional age students into the class.
On the other hand--it does become frustrating for the instructor--as the
Kennedy assassination gives way to the end of the Vietnam War to the Nixon resignation
speech to Ollie North being sworn in during the Iran-Contra hearings!!!
Melissa Butler
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 10:49:04 -0500 (EST)
From: "Krisan L. Evenson" <klevenso@mailbox.syr.edu>
Hello Teachpol:
Following this tangent of first day experiences, I have tried something
similar to Melissa Butler's suggestion a couple of times in classes
recently. I thought some of you might be interested in adaptations.
I asked students whether they were firstborns, because (the political
socialization angle) college classrooms have a larger percentage of
firstborns and "only children" as a general rule. Then I ask them not
what they first learned about politics, but what/how their younger
siblings think about politics. This takes the spotlight off the student,
and warms up the classroom with similar stories (that happened in your
house TOO?). Those who have no younger siblings either have older ones,
or else cousins to talk about, so no one is excluded.
Often, in fact, dinner table conversations about politics tend to be the
way in which most kids first learn about politics, and figure out how it
works. So, on the second class meeting, we do an "actual" introduction to
the course material and relevant overview, in the style of a refectory
table. I have students put all the desks together two-by-two facing each
other, pass around a bowl of popcorn and punch, and we hold class exactly
in a family setting. It's amazing to me how this pulls people together,
opens up discussion, and politics turns out to be fun (which, I trust, is
the point!)
--Krisan Evenson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Krisan L. Evenson
International Relations Program, and
Department of Political Science
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
225 (and 100) Eggers Hall
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY 13244-1090
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/maxpages/students/klevenso
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 13:31:30 -0500 (EST)
From: Joel J Schwartz <jjschwar@email.unc.edu>
The First Day of Class could be considered the most important day of the
entire semester. When students decide to register for classes, they
usually know little about the instructor or about the learning experience
they are about to have. When they come to class on that first day, they
are filled with a mix of emotions, anticipation, optimism, but also
trepidation. It is the instructor's responsibility to address the most
important questions students want to know about the course as well as to
lay the foundations for a feeling of rapport and a sense that the class
will become a collaborative exploration of ideas, beliefs, and the search
for answers to difficult questions. The first day and those immediately
following, if used effectively, will create a reservoir and feeling
between instructor and student that will be available to tap into as
students' interests fluctuate as they inevitably do during the entire
semester. On the other hand, if students leave the classroom feeling that
the instructor cares little about the intellectual development of the
individual student, has little interest in faculty-student interaction
beyond the subject matter of the class itself, then an invisible, but very
real psychological barrier to learning will have been erected. For these
reasons it is essential that faculty be creative and imaginative in using
this First Day's interactions to achieve the kind of atmosphere and
ambiance which will effectively contribute to the course goals and
objectives.
The suggestions contributed by Teach-Pol readers were both thoughtful and
provocative. They will help each of us make that first day not just one
more day, but a day which will set the tone for the rest of the semester.
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Teaching Politics is published by William J. Ball (ball@tcnj.edu)
