The first day of class is extremely important to you as a new Teaching Assistant because it's an opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the semester and to establish rapport (a sense of comfort ) with your students.

As you plan your first day of teaching, use the checklist below to think about what you will say.

First Day Checklist

Emphasizing Strengths

Keep in mind that even if you don't have any teaching experience, you still have a lot to offer your students. As you answer the following questions, think about how you can use this information to highlight your strengths.

Expertise

What expertise do I have to offer my students? For example, have I taught in my own country? Do I have any work experience or research experience that makes me a well-qualified teacher in this area?

Perspective

What do I bring to my teaching situation that students can benefit from in terms of my perspective? For example, since I am close to my students in age, I just recently learned this material myself. Therefore, I can be a good source of "tips" for my students (as opposed to a more experienced teacher who may have forgotten what it was like to learn the material as a beginner). Can I highlight the fact that even though I am not American, they can learn about a different perspective from me?

Establishing Rapport

It's also important on that first day to make sure that you do things to encourage a sense of "rapport" not only between you and the students but also amongst the students themselves. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Icebreaker

Is there any kind of icebreaker, such as a game or interview, that students could engage in to help them get to know each other and to feel comfortable in the class? Could the icebreaker involve having them talk about a topic related to the goals of the class, such as "In pairs, talk about what you hope to learn from this course?"

Cultural Note: Many TA duties at the U require an interactive approach to teaching in which students are active participants in problem-solving, discussions, labs or recitations. Students are more likely to participate throughout the semester if you get them talking to each other from the first day on.

Personal Information

What can I tell students about my background to help them get to know me better and get an idea of what I have to offer them? For instance, where did I get my degree? What name would I like them to call me by? Without taking more than a minute or getting too personal, what can I tell them about myself to give them a sense of who I am?

Cultural Note: Undergraduates often expect their TAs to be the bridge between them and the professor, helping to make the material more accessible. TAs are seen less as an "authority" and more as an "advocate".

Avoiding Potential Problems

Teachers hope that problems do not arise during the course of the term; however, sometimes problems develop due to English difficulties or due to cultural differences. It's a good idea to acknowledge differences on the first day of class and discuss ways of preventing problems before they occur:

English

Even though I've passed the SPEAK Test or taken courses through the Center for Teaching & Learning Services, my English may still not be "perfect." What can I do or say to open up communication on this issue so that it does not become a problem? For instance, I may have difficulty understanding my students if they use slang or idioms. What can I say to my students so that they can help me overcome this problem? What about my pronunciation? If I mispronounce key terms, how can my students let me know?

Cultural Note: Although the U of M campus has an increasingly diverse student and instructor population, many first-year undergraduates have had limited exposure to accented English in their previous education. While students' ears eventually adjust, you can aid their comprehension by speaking more slowly, using visuals, and writing key terms on the board.

Listening

Sometimes I may not completely understand student questions or comments due to fast speech, use of slang, or for some other reason. What can I say to my students about this possibility?

Cultural Note: In this setting, it's important to admit it when you haven't understood someone. Saving face by pretending to understand may be perceived here as dishonesty.

Culture-based Teaching Differences

Because I'm new to the culture of the US university classroom, I may not teach in a way that my American students expect or can learn from. What can I do or say to let them know that I am open to their feedback about my teaching style?

Cultural Note: It is common practice in U.S. universities to have students formally evaluate their course and instructors at the end of the semester. Some instructors ask students for anonymous written feedback periodically during the semester in order to determine what helps them learn and what interferes with their learning. Instructors then implement changes that are within their control that will enhance the student learning experience.

Sample First Day Introduction

This is a sample of what you could say to your students on the first day. Keep in mind it's only one example. You could adapt it any way you want for your own class:

"Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Chemistry 1001. My name is Yao Ping Chen, and I'll be your TA for this course. You can just call me Yao. Let me write it for you on the blackboard. Before I tell you about today's lab, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I'm from Beijing, in the People's Republic of China. I did my bachelor's degree in Chemistry in Beijing, and now I'm working on a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry here at the University of Minnesota.

I arrived here just 2 weeks ago, so my English still isn't perfect. Please let me know right away when you don't understand something I say so I can repeat it for you, or explain it in another way. Sometimes I may not completely understand your questions or comments due to your speaking too fast, use of slang, or for some other reason. If this happens, I will let you know by asking you to slow down or to explain a word or phrase. It's very important to me to clearly understand your questions and comments, so let's not "give up."

This is my first semester teaching, so I don't have a lot of teaching experience. On the other hand, because I just took this course a few years ago I still remember studying the material myself, so I'll be giving you some tips that I used when I was studying first year Chemistry.

You'll be doing a lot of work in pairs, so I'd like you to get together with your lab partner before we begin to discuss today's experiment. Introduce yourselves and answer the questions on the handout I've given you.

Finally, I have some white 3 by 5 inch cards here that I'll be handing out a the end of today's lab. On the card, please answer the following questions about today's class: 1) What about my teaching today helped your learning? 2) What, if anything, prevented your learning? 3) Do you have any suggestions or comments for how the class could better meet your needs? Thanks!"