Why is the First Day of Class important?
Buddy Howell
Department of Communications
Something that’s unique that begins to create your own culture in the classroom. I think as we begin to reveal something about our personalities, our students begin to see that we’re human and they feel comfortable. I think part of doing well in a class is just feeling comfortable with the professor.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is true in every aspect of life, even teaching and learning. Students establish their strategies for class participation and commitment to courses on the first day of class. Numerous studies support the significance of preparing for the first day of class importance as the perceptions developed by the students on the first class can impact their motivation and engagement throughout the course timeline (Anderson et al., 2011; Eskine & Hammer, 2017; McGinley & Jones, 2014; Wilson & Wilson, 2007). Therefore, it is crucial to clearly communicate expectations for how students will engage with the material and participate in the lecture sessions. The first day of class is the perfect time in the semester to model behaviors you wish to see from students and provide examples of how to navigate your teaching, the learning environment, and their peers. Determining a clear set of objectives such as the following can greatly help in planning for and executing the first day of class:
- Addressing questions and setting expectations
- Gaining insights into your students
- Building a learning community
- Introducing course elements and pace
- Inciting students' attention and motivation
References
Anderson, D. M., Mcguire, F. A., & Cory, L. (2011). The first day: It happens only once. Teaching in Higher Education, 16(3), 293-303.
Eskine, K., & Hammer, E.Y. (2017). Students’ perspectives on the first day of class: A replication. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 11(1), Art. 5. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2017.110105
McGinley, J. J., & Jones, B. D. (2014). A brief instructional intervention to increase students’ motivation on the first day of class. Teaching of Psychology, 41(2), 158-162.
Wilson, J. H., & Wilson, S. B. (2007). The first day of class affects student motivation: An experimental study. Teaching of Psychology, 34(4), 226-230.