I foresee greatness

You know, it's hard not to predict disaster when you see at least two, and possibly three students falling asleep in your class...

...on the very. first. day.

Oh yeah.

Of course, to be all positive 'n' shit, the first day is not really the most scintillating. I always make sure that we discuss something, so that they can start to get used to the idea that class time = them talking. But there's still quite a lot of it that's simply me walking them through the syllabus. And since I write long syllabi, that takes a while. And really, as much as I try to make it amusing or at least speak with energy, me going over the syllabus isn't that exciting.

Now, I know there are lots of arguments for not going through the syllabus on the first day - don't overwhelm them! they won't listen anyway; send them off to read it and give them a quiz on it the second day! (which I like in theory, but can't really imagine doing with a straight face in practice - anyone out there do this? how does it work?) - but personally, I'm very very big on letting them know from the start exactly what they can expect during the semester, so that there are no surprises. And so that they can get out if my class isn't what they're looking for. (Although one of the courses I teach is semi-required, so they don't have much of a choice! Heh.)

So I guess that means I have to put up with some sleepiness on the first day. But come the second day....

Hmmm, I appear to have reproduced one of Dr. Crazy's recent posts. Great minds, etc. etc.

Coming soon: my semester resolutions!

Comments

[Weezy]

Oh and my syllabus is 12 pages long (though one page is for notes and writing down the names and contact numbers of two people they can call on if they are absent)

[Terminal Degree]

I woke up a student in my class. He acted all offended.

Heh.

(Yes, this will come back to haunt me at course evals time, but it's worth it if it scares other kids into staying awake.)

[timna]

I do the quiz on the syllabus thing. It's online, they have to do it before the 2nd day, they get 2 tries (like all of my online quizzes). Then in class today (day 2), I went over some of the problematic issues. Some don't know what the concept of office hours is. Some think they're getting writing center for this class (no). etc.

Maybe it's boring, but I feel like I made things clear in a variety of ways (written, spoken, interactive) and now it's up to them.

[Dee]

8pp syllabus, but that's with 10pt font! Because I think they should have fair warning of everything I know I'm going to do. And if they don't like it later, it's not my fault. :)

[Another Damned Medievalist]

10 page syllabus (no readings), online quiz that they can take multiple times till Day 4.

[Mary]

I also am a long syllabus writer, because I also like to be sure they really know what to expect.

My first classes are generally me introducing myself and being sure everyone is in the right room. Then I hand out a set of 20 "things" relevant to the class that people might have done. They have to walk around and find other people in the class who have done these things. They glare at me when I announce it, but it usually ends up being fun for everyone. It is good to get everyone up and out of their chairs for a while, they get to meet other people, and have some fun in class. And, it is good to go over the answers and people get an idea of the skills and interests of the other students.

Then they are settled down enough to go through the long syllabus, and they don't think I am so evil anymore. :)

[New Kid on the Hallway]

Hey, thanks, folks! I may do the online quiz thing in future. Mary, I like your first-day icebreaker. (And TD, I was verrrrrry tempted to wake up at least one of my slumbering folks. Maybe next time... LDH has actually managed to get the class to sneak quietly out of the room to leave the slumbering student alone in the classroom!)

[Philosophy Factory]

I give them a take-home "quiz" for points on the syllabus the first day.... since I don't do on-line stuff (bad me, I know... we'll talk after the dissertation). I started doing it last semester and it seems to have helped to make for a more smooth semester.

What amazes me is how many people miss points on it. The answers are in the handout, all you need to do is to read it at your leisure and fill in the blanks.

[Dr M]

I tried something new this semester: I broke them into groups and had them do a "syllabus quiz" for extra credit. Each person in each group worked through it, helped each other, etc. Then we all went through the answers as a class. Then they turned them in and I gave everyone 2 bonus points. It saved me from having to read through my policies; it got them talking; it got them comfortable and interacting with each other. Seemed to work. But my biggest class here in CC land is only 26 students. Might not work with a big group.

[Shelly]

I know people who do a syllabus quiz. I've never thought about it. I like going over the syllabus. I blow through the boring stuff, but to me, it's an opportunity to let them know (my behavioral-challenged students) exactly how strongly I feel on certain subjects, which is why it annoys the crap out of me when people don't show up on Day 1.

I can't believe that they were asleep.

Someone should start an entry about what people do about sleepers. I usually have someone poke them. I have made jokes about throwing spitballs but I myself never mastered the great art of spitball creation, so I've never been able to execute that particular plan.

[Ancrene Wiseass]

As I said over at Shelly's place, too, my latest syllabus is 10 pages long. I don't think I've ever written one that was under 7 pages.

I think it's vitally important for the students to know what's expected of them from Day One, and since I've started making it immediately crystal-clear that my standards are high and I have a strict set of policies, I've had much less trouble from students trying to get away with things they shouldn't.

I generally apologize for "talking at" the students so much on the first day, promising that our other class meetings will be much more interactive and explaining that it's only fair for them to know what they're getting into. That way, they'll have a chance to switch into another class if they find my policies objectionable. I try to work in a few jokes and stop to ask for questions after each section to help keep things from getting too deadly.

I didn't do one this quarter, but I definitely have done syllabus quizzes in the past, and I think they're marvelous. They make students more aware of policies, help clear up misconceptions, and drive home the idea that I mean what I say.

[kaineas]

I did a syllabus quiz once. It was "open syllabus," and one of the students actually failed it. But I think I'll try the group idea--get them into pairs to work on the quiz. Great suggestion, Dr. M.! Maybe I'll jazz up the thing by asking them to quote some items directly and paraphrase others. I teach composition, so I always do some kind of exercise in the first couple of weeks to see how accurately students can transcribe and paraphrase, and doing it on a syllabus quiz would do double duty. (It's surprising how many of them can't transcribe one sentence without some kind of error, and this can be disastrous in a formal paper.)

[Oso Raro]

Isn't the syllabus thing interesting? As I have continued to teach my own classes, oh, over the last ten years, my syllabi have metamorphised into little editions unto themselves. All I need are pictures and graphs, and then I can send them off to Routledge and at least get some credit come tenure time.

Seriously, I was amazed that at Cold City U. the average length of syllabi is 10 pages, with rules, regulations, and CYA details. In my day, the prof would sometimes not even have a syllabus, but announce jauntily we would deal with it as it came. Do those days seem as gone as Atari Pong!

FYI, I cover the syllabus first day and have no quiz. Yea, it's boring, but to mix it up sometimes I have the students read it aloud, instead of me and my droning, strangely accented voice (veering from Brideshead Revisited to Californian to Cold City Yokel). Then, a video! That gives them a little time for some beauty sleep!