As the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. The first week of classes can set the tone for the rest of the semester and provide students with an idea of what they can expect from their instructor and from their classmates – for better or for worse!

Here’s a quick round-up of first-week resources for inclusive teaching.

  • How to Teach a Good First Day of Class – The Chronicle of Higher Education. “So that first class meeting is a big deal. You want to give students a taste of the engaging intellectual journey they will undertake in the coming weeks — and you have great flexibility in how you go about it. Helping you to make that opening session as effective as possible, whatever your discipline, is the goal of this online guide.”
  • How Can I Use the First Day to Set the Tone for a Semester of Learning? – Magna Learning “This 20-Minute Mentor delivers meaningful, teacher-tested activities for the first day of class, that can easily be integrated into course, which maximize the interest, investment, and interaction for students for the rest of the semester.” [learn how to access Magna Digital Library]
  • Start the Semester Inclusively – Harvard Business Publishing | Education. “As many educators head back to yet another semester of teaching online—at a time when the world remains rattled by the pandemic and continued social and political unrest, particularly in the United States—initiating early interactions that are reassuring and inclusive will go a long way toward creating a comfortable environment for all students. How can educators ensure they’re making inclusive first impressions with their students?” Anne Sinkey provides seven ways to get started.
  • Meeting Your Students as Learners: An Activity for the First Day of Class – The Scholarly Teacher. “How can instructors get to know their students on the first day of class in a way that engages students and provides instructors with a positive view of the students? Our strategy was inspired by a technique used to generate philosophy of teaching statements: have people select photographs that resonate with them and explain how those photos reflect who they are as teachers (Bo-Linn & Meizlish, 2013).”

How do you start the semester? Share your first-day strategies in the comments.