First class meeting key to starting term well

Bob Doyle, Columnist

The bottom line

There is a wide range of views among college teachers and upper high school teachers on how to start their classes each fall or at the start of a term.

At one extreme are classes where the course guide is passed out to each student (to read on their own and ask questions the following class); most of the first class consists of an “ice breaker” where the students have fun and get to know each other.

This approach follows from an outlook where the instructor feels that the students have to be comfortable with each other before learning can begin.

But my experience is that most students don’t come to class to be sociable with other students. Their bottom line is “taking this class can add more credits towards my graduation requirement; what must I do to earn a desired grade?” I feel that the instructor on the first day of class should lay out the class requirements and describe how they are designed to help the students learn.

What outside work each week is needed? What supplies might be needed at the beginning, middle or end of the course? What have caused students in previous classes to earn low grades in this course? Often, some students do badly in college or high school because they are overcommitted with too many activities and responsibilities that prevent them from giving quality time and thought to their studies.

Occasionally one finds college students working on a job 40 hours a week and at the same time carrying a full course schedule. This is the outlook “do all that one wants to be” pushed to the extreme. This situation leads to much stress, cramming for tests, staying up all night to finish papers and either a belligerent attitude towards teachers or a sinking feeling that their life is out of control.

Since a teacher really can’t prevent students from over-scheduling themselves, the only thing we can do is to design our classes to have an even distribution of work all through the term. In my classes, I give my students worksheets to be completed at each regular meeting. As my students leave the class, they pass in their worksheets; the worksheets are graded and returned at the next class.

To prevent copying, the questions/problems vary from student to student. In my summer classes, I asked each student to put down their last name and then answer two informal questions (such as, “What is your favorite desert?” and “What overseas country would you like to visit?” — all expenses paid, of course).

Then they would count the letters in their second answer (desert). This number would be their S (small number). Then they would add to S the number of letters in their last name plus the letters in their desired overseas country; this would give them a larger number called B (big number). Then I would weave the S and B numbers into the worksheet questions or problems. Each day, I would ask two new questions so that their S and B values would change from day to day. So with each student likely having different S and B numbers, copying answers from a nearby student’s worksheet would not work.

It is to the students’ benefit if their tests and writing assignments are spaced out and made known at the start of the term. Then as an assignment or test approaches, one can warn the students or they can just look at the course schedule to see what is ahead. I also post study guides and sample tests on the Internet for their use. There is also posted make up work for missed classes (due the following class) so students missing a class must read the text material covered that class and do some relevant analysis.

September sky sights

Tomorrow at 8:15 p.m., you may be able to see a grouping of three planets and a very slender crescent moon very low in the West. You will need to have a very flat western horizon. Binoculars are recommended. The brightest point and farthest to the right is the planet Venus. The next brightest point is Mercury, below and to the left of Venus. Mars is rather dim and above and to the left of Mercury.

Lowest of all is the moon, about the same direction as Mars. The moon will appear half full on Sept. 7, offering the evening’s best views of its craters and mountains through binoculars. On Sept. 9, the moon will appear near the very bright planet Jupiter. At dusk on Sept. 11, the planets Venus and Mars will be less than 1/2 degree apart (one moon width) low in the western dusk.

The Harvest (Full Moon) will be on Sept. 14. For the next few nights, there will be extra moonlight in the early evening. As September ends, the moon swings from the morning to the evening side of the sun (New Moon).

To acquire a Planetarium/Science Discovery Center Bookmark, call (301) 687-7799 and leave your name and mailing address. You may also email Bob Doyle at rdoyle@frostburg.edu .