Your Career: How to start strong on the first day of class

Students form a lasting impression on Day 1, not just of you as a teacher but of your course. [Your Career Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. Students form a lasting impression on Day 1, not just of you as a teacher but of your course. Their early, thin-slice judgments are powerful enough to condition their attitudes toward the entire course, and the effort they are willing to put into it. So it’s in your interest to make that opening session as effective as possible. As you design your plan of attack for the new fall semester, here are four principles to guide you in deciding how best to draw students into the course and prepare them to learn: - Curiosity. Too many college courses are presented to students as boxes of content. Consider the first day as your best opportunity to spark students’ curiosity and invite them into a fascinating intellectual journey. - Community. We do not teach brains on sticks. We teach human beings who are inspired by wonder, driven toward community, and beset by fears and anxieties. You can support those emotions on the first day by fostering a sense of community in the room — even one filled with several hundred students. - Learning. You don’t have to jump right into content delivery on the first day. Instead, try other ways to get them thinking. For example, ask students to try a cognitive task before they are ready. - Course expectations. I don’t recommend reading the entire syllabus aloud in the first class. Give students copies in print and online, and then highlight the major elements. Set aside time for questions or give a no-points or low-stakes syllabus quiz. For ideas and examples of how to put those principles into action, continue reading: “[How to Teach a Good First Day of Class]( by James M. Lang Share your suggestions for the newsletter with Denise Magner, an editor at The Chronicle, at denise.magner@chronicle.com. If you’d like to opt out, you can log in to our website and [manage your newsletter preferences here](. UPCOMING PROGRAM [The Chronicle's Bootcamp for Future Faculty Leaders] [Join us in September]( for a professional development program tailored to the needs of midcareer faculty. Experienced academic leaders and faculty members will provide insights on the diverse professional paths that might be taken by faculty members in this one-day virtual program. [Register today!]( NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. LATEST CAREER ADVICE, OPINION, AND NEWS BRAVE NEW WORLD [First Came ChatGPT. Then Came the Over-the-Top Sales Pitches.]( By Taylor Swaak [STORY IMAGE]( Faculty members and administrators say their inboxes are overrun with marketing emails for “new” AI tools. SPONSOR CONTENT | Transact Campus [Debunking Gen Z Spending and Tech Habits in Higher Ed]( FOES WERE 'GUNNING FOR HER' [Who Had a Say in Derailing Texas A&M’s Hiring of Kathleen McElroy?]( By Zachary Schermele [STORY IMAGE]( New hires are typically matters reserved for deans, chairs, and a few others. Not so at Texas A&M. HOSTILE OBSTACLE COURSE [‘Sexism, Even Misogyny’: 3 Female Leaders Explain Why Higher Ed’s Glass Ceiling Hasn’t Cracked]( By Eric Kelderman [STORY IMAGE]( The small share of college presidents who are women isn’t a supply problem; according to some of them, it’s bias. TEACHING [What Does It Take to Elevate Good Teaching? A Lot.]( By Beth McMurtrie [STORY IMAGE]( Readers share their opinions on whether colleges value teaching — and what needs to change. POSTSECONDARY PERCEPTIONS [Confidence in Higher Ed Is Declining. But Most People Still Think College Is Worth It.]( By Emma Hall [STORY IMAGE]( A New America survey released Wednesday found that a majority of Americans “see the benefits” of earning a degree despite the cost. FACULTY HIRING [Diversity Statements Get the Ax at Arizona’s Public Universities]( By Zachary Schermele [STORY IMAGE]( A spokesperson for Arizona State University told The Chronicle that the campus had begun carrying out the change last spring. FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [College as a Public Good - The Chronicle Store]( [College as a Public Good]( Many leaders and industry observers say it has been decades since the heat on presidents has been this intense. [Order your copy today]( to explore what today’s presidents are up against, how things are changing, and how to navigate new challenges. What we’re reading Here’s more on career issues and trends from around the web. See something we should include? [Let me know](mailto:denise.magner@chronicle.com?subject=Your Career feedback). - In the Harvard Business Review, [advice]( on what to consider before you escalate a workplace problem by taking it to HR. - A [report]( in Forbes magazine says employee retention and workplace satisfaction are both “on the rise.” - As the fall semester approaches, the Teacher in Higher Ed Podcast has [episodes]( how to be more “intentionally inclusive” and how to get creative with course structure. MORE CAREER RESOURCES [The Transcript of the Future]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: August 16, 2023 | 2 p.m. ET: For years, tech experts have anticipated a new kind of transcript that would work more like a digital wallet, collecting credits, credentials, and skills. Join us to learn more. [Register here.]( [Chronicle Festival — Ideas Shaping Higher Ed]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: August 29-31 | 12:30 p.m. ET: How can colleges embrace new partnerships and approaches, put students at the center, and deliver on the value of a degree? Join this year’s festival and hear from top thinkers and leaders about ideas that will reshape colleges. [Register here.]( DATA [How Much Are Public-College Presidents Paid?]( [STORY IMAGE]( Base pay, bonuses, and benefits for 195 chief executives at public doctoral universities and systems in 2022. NEWS [How Much Are Private-College Presidents Paid?]( [STORY IMAGE]( Base pay, bonuses and benefits for 307 chief executives at private colleges with expenditures of $100-million or more. JOB OPPORTUNITIES [PRESIDENT]( Nazarbayev University [Faculty Positions]( Harvard Business School [CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER]( University of Florida [Search other jobs.]( CAREER RESOURCES [August Article Collection about new beginnings] [Read this month's collection]( about new beginnings — first impressions, settling in at a new job, and thinking about what could be next. NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2023 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037