General Resources for the First Days of Class
- “The First Day of Class”
Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Washington. - “Some Specific Approaches for the First Day of Class”
Peter Frederick, Wabash College. - “101 Things You Can Do in the First Three Weeks of Class”
Office of Graduate Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. - “Getting Started”
Richard Felder and Rebecca Brent, North Carolina State University. - “The First Day and Week of Class: Instructional Strategies”
Joe Cuseo, Marymount College. - “Make the Most of the First Day of Class”
Eberly Center, Carnegie Mellon University - “First Day of Class Activities that Create a Climate for Learning”
MaryEllen Weimer onThe Teaching Professor Blog - “First Day of Class”
Center for Teaching, Vanderbilt University - “How to Teach a Good First Day of Class: Advice Guide”
James Lang in The Chronicle of Higher Education
Resources on Inclusive Practices for the First Day of Class
St. Olaf Gender and Sexuality Pronouns Page
– Features things to keep in mind when identifying or asking other people to identify their pronouns, including that some people may only want to be referred to by their name
– Includes instructions for faculty and staff on how to add their pronouns to the directory
Trans* Inclusion in the Classroom: Tips for the First Day of Class
Duke Learning Innovation
– Encourages sending a pre-class questionnaire that includes asking students to clarify the name they would like to be called and their pronouns
Asking Others Their Pronouns
MyPronouns.org
– Includes advice on inviting people to share their pronouns in a large group introduction. It is recommended to never force someone to share their pronouns.
How to add name pronunciation in the directory for faculty and staff:
– Log into stoFaces at www.stolaf.edu/stoface
– Click Name Pronunciation from the navigation menu
– Follow the directions on the screen
Other Resources in the CILA Library
“The First Days of Class” in Barbara Gross Davis, Tools for Teaching (pp. 37-47). Jossey-Bass, 2nd edition, 2009.
“Meeting a Class for the First Time” in Svinicki and McKeachie, McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategy, Research and Theory for College and University Teachers (pp. 19-25). Wadsworth, 14th edition, 2011.
Angela Provitera McGlynn, Successful Beginnings for College Teaching: Engaging Your Students from the First Day. Atwood Publishing, 2001.
“First Days of Class” in James M. Lang, On Course: A Week-by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of College Teaching, Harvard University Press, 2008.