Getting ready for a new semester
At the start of every semester, there are certain touch points I always return to. Here are three things to consider as you get ready for your claeese in the semester ahead:
- Inclusiveness: As we put the finishing touches on our syllabi, here is a quick list of things to consider to make your syllabus more inclusive. The Association of College and University Educators has an excellent resource for supporting inclusive learning with ten helpful practices.
- Speaking of syllabi: Do your students know where to look for help? As we lay out that new class or revise a familiar one, consider the tips in this Chronicle article, How Your Syllabus Can Encourage Students to Ask for Help. Students don’t read your syllabus? Recall this TTT deeper dive video where I give tips on getting your students to engage with your syllabus based on a short Chronicle article. Full details are here. Has your class participation component turned into just taking attendance, or is your policy just rewarding the extroverted risk-takers? This Chronicle article provides 2 Ways to Fairly Grade Class Participation.
- The first day of class: No matter how many times we’ve taught, we all experience some angst about that first class. To help me focus, I always reflect on Lang’s How to Teach a Good First Day of Class which lays out four fundamental principles.
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