First Day of Class: Four Important Principles

Principle No. 1: Curiosity

Too many school subjects are presented to students as boxes of content: “Literature,” “Sciences,” “Sociology Subjects.” We walk into the room on the first day of the school term, open this box of knowledge and skills for the students, hand it over, and expect them to give it back three months later in the form of an end of term exam. The first class meeting usually affirms that approach. We tell students all about what we will cover throughout the term, even though they might have no particular or prior interest in our subject matter. Instead, consider the first day as your best opportunity to spark students’ curiosity and invite them into a fascinating intellectual journey. In his book, What the Best College Teachers Do, Ken Bain argues that instructors/teachers should build and present learning experiences around deep questions and problems. Highly effective teachers recollect what first fascinated them about their discipline/subjects, pay attention to what fascinates students today, and make a connection with those issues at the opening of the term. Such teachers reflect upon why the course should matter, and work to convey the significance of its content to students as well as to their world beyond the classroom.

Stay tuned for more Principles to consider....