Most TAs develop butterflies in their stomachs when they approach the first day of class, whether they are teaching for the first time or are seasoned veterans. There are a number of things you can do to relieve some of the anxiety associated with the first day. Since the first class meeting will set the tone for the rest of the semester, you will want to appear confident, even if you do not feel that way.
The best way to work on feeling confident is to be prepared and organized. Visit the room you are assigned to familiarize yourself with the room and any equipment in it before the semester starts. Make a note of the room arrangement–the location of the light switch, the power outlets, and chalkboard size and location. Depending on your teaching style, you may want to find out ahead of time if the seats are bolted to the floor or movable, and if there is a podium or desk at the front of the room. If you are assigned a technology room, contact the Information Technology Assistance Center for training. If you are not in a technology classroom, but wish to use multimedia equipment, check with your department to find out what equipment is available, how to reserve it, and where it is located.
Find out how many students are enrolled in your course(s). This information can be obtained from the departmental secretary. Make sure you will have enough copies of your syllabus. It is always wise to have extra, since people drop and add classes at the beginning of the semester. It might be a good idea to try to pronounce all of the names on the roster before taking roll the first day. You should check both the Union Bookstore and Varney’s to make sure the books you have ordered have arrived before classes start and that enough were ordered.
Determine what you will do the first day of class and practice it in front of a roommate, friend, or family member. If none of these are available, use a mirror. The more you practice what you intend to do and say the first day, the more potential problems you can eliminate before you are standing in front of a group of strangers and the more confident you will be on the first day.
So, you ask, what should I do that first day? Well, that is really up to you, but here are some suggestions.
Let the students know how you prefer to be addressed (Mr., Ms., Miss, Mrs., or first name). State your office hours, office location, phone number and email address. Make sure the students know you are accessible! Tell the students where you are from and what you are studying, what kind of research you are doing and why you are looking forward to teaching the course.
Introduce and describe the books that you have assigned. Briefly discuss the topics to be covered over the course of the semester. Discuss the format of the course: will it be lecture, discussion, lab, or a mixture? Explain the class and its purpose to the students. Clarify the course objectives. Indicate how much and what kind of work will be required. Save some time to answer any questions the students might have about the course.
This works best if the class is smaller. Have them go around the room and give their name, hometown, major, career goals, or purpose for taking the class. You may also wish to pass out note cards and ask for specific information such as that listed above, related courses taken previously, phone number, and email address.
The lecture doesn’t need to be long or complicated, but it will give you a running start on the semester. It may make the second day of class easier if you are not dreading standing in front of the class to deliver your first lecture. You could discuss the topics that will be covered in greater detail than when you went over the syllabus. Or, you could give them some background information to the first reading assignment. You may even wish to plunge directly into the course’s subject matter.
Northwestern University Graduate School
TA Handbook. "The
First Day of Class."
Stanford University Center for Teaching and
Learning. "First
Day Guidelines."
Stanford University Center for Teaching and
Learning. "The
First Class of the Quarter."