The First Night: Angels or Demons Unleashed?

A short while ago, some weird things happened.  One night at 2 a.m., my car horn started honking on its own accord.  I went to the driveway prepared for bear or thief but found neither.   A week later, I came home to an empty house and a microwave that was in full operation (“I smell cumin,” I said.  It was the melting plastic of the splatter cover). 

While explaining these odd events to my sister, I ruminated about ghosts in the machines and such to which she responded pointedly, as older sisters are wont to do, by giving me a soft-cover Christmas present titled “Is Your House Haunted?  Poltergeists, Ghosts, or Bad Wiring.”

Apparently, poltergeists are “noisy ghosts” who can disrupt your world by screaming and hiding your car keys and breaking your stuff.   They often are present but dormant .  Humans unwittingly prod the poltergeist into action by feeding it their own negative energy.  For example, the human gives off bad vibes - by crabbing about traffic or in-laws -- and the poltergeist devours that negativity, springs to “life”, and becomes a real rock in your shoe.   So says this earnest little book.

Now, truth be told, I spilled mouthwash into my steering column and used that microwave oven to heat up treats while watching the Clinton-Dole debates, so I’m fairly certain bad wiring is my issue.   That is not to say that the poltergeist dilemma -- the danger of manifesting bad things by giving off the wrong energy –is irrelevant to other things…like teaching.

 

Think about the first night of a new course.  Isn’t the success of that session greatly dependent on the energy you supply?

Students often come into a new class anxious.  Saddled for eight-weeks with the instructor, the content, the workload, and the classmates, they want quick insights and as such will draw quick conclusions about the general temperament of “the class”. 

 

On one shoulder rests a latent poltergeist, the fears about disconnected instructors, irrelevant content, and unmanageable workload.  On the other perches a latent angel, the hopes about engaging facilitators, stimulating and useful content, and challenging but achievable expectations.  The instructor determines which forces manifest, the angels or demons, based on the presentation of self and subject and the quality of energy disseminated in the process. 

 

The first night of class should beckon the angels forth.  In the spaces where students are motivated, supported, and filled with trust, the poltergeists of negativity cannot roam.

 

Tips for the first night of class

What’s in it for the student? – Students come into class wondering how this class will be relevant and valuable to them.  Find ways to help them make that connection early.   Ask questions that require them to think about the content  from their own experiences.

Learn something about your students – Knowing your students can help you deliver the content in a way that is alive to each of them.  It also shows that you care about them as individual learners and  opens the door for deeper engagement and dialogue.  That said, learn their names ASAP!  More so, find out their motivations, their existing knowledge base, and their expectations for the class.  Then:  connect, connect, connect.  [Practice tip:  some instructors effectively use Moodle in the week leading up to class, asking students to post an introduction which tells why they are taking the class, what they hope to gain from it, and what they perceive to be their greatest challenge].

Show your passion for the topic – Passion is contagious.  Let students know that it is possible to truly care about what they are going to learn.  Help them understand how the course can better them in some way.

Pose big “entry” questions – As a starting point, ask students to consider some “big” questions which force them to think about the topic in a new and exciting light and perhaps from a new perspective. [I start my business law class by writing “Welcome to Deadwood” on the whiteboard – before we consider a world with laws, we consider one without them].

Hit the ground running – Don’t exhaust the energy of the first night on housekeeping alone.  I like to fill the earliest moments of the course with something big and engaging and participative and then cover the syllabus requirements after the break, having at that point hopefully generated some interest, motivation, and credibility.  I want intellectual excitement to be their first reaction to the course I am offering them.

Give something of yourself -  Establish yourself as an authentic person committed to supporting student learning.  Build credibility while maintaining humility (a wise friend once told me “There are two things I leave in my car on the nights I teach – my cell phone and my ego”). 

Also, give them “hooks” – interests and experiences – to connect with you in some way.  That will make you more approachable and increase the chances for deeper engagement.  Don’t get lost behind PowerPoint slides; come forth and talk with your students.

The students should come away from the first session feeling like they are partnered with an instructor who is on their side, a fellow explorer on the journey. 

  

Begin creating a comfortable learning space – One of your greatest tasks is to make your classroom “hospitable”, as the ever-sage Parker Palmer puts it, to students and their contrasting ideas.  A classroom should be safe, open, honest, and filled with trust.  If students sense condescension or airs of superiority, they will resist taking risks and, in the worst case, shut down.  Students will contribute in a learning space where they feel that their ideas and experiences are valued.  Show them yours is such a space on Day One.

Set high expectations – Let the students know what you expect and why.  Help students see the value to be extracted from their hard work.  Also, talk about time-on-task so that students understand what it will take to be successful in the course.   Remember though, setting a high bar, alone, is not enough.  You then need to create an environment that helps students succeed (trust and respect precede the setting of high expectations, as students will be more responsive to the challenges you pose once they trust your commitment to their betterment).   Help students picture themselves down the road, empowered with specific new skills as the fruits of their labor.

 

On the flip side, have the courage to let students know what they can expect of you – preparedness, content knowledge, respect, patience, timely and thorough feedback, accessibility, and openness, for example.

Set the tone – Get students involved early.  Show them you respect and expect their contributions.  Give them a true feel of how you plan to utilize your class time to the fullest.

 

Create a feedback culture – Feedback is crucial to learning.  Establish a culture where students know that the purpose of feedback is to make them better, not to judge them.  Feedback is the lynchpin to shifting a class from grade-centric to learning-centric.   It makes students less risk averse and more willing to experience failure, not as a personal reflection but rather as a stepping stone on the path of learning and success. 

 

Go over policy and procedure – Without belaboring it and at the right time, be sure to establish the ground rules for the class so that students understand your standard operating procedures.   Let them know your rules and the consequences that will follow from their breach.  No surprises.  Be clear about your requirements for attendance, participation, interaction, papers, and collaboration.