WHAT NOT TO WEAR
Does what you wear on the first day of a face-to-face class make a difference? You bet says James Lang in his book On Course: A Week-by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of College Teaching (the Library has an electronic copy). He tells the story of his first day when he dressed to blend in with the students and how he wanted them to realize how “cool” he was. He suggests that your dress sets the tone for the type of relationship you want to forge and the teaching persona you are trying to construct. Professional attire is the best way to go, he suggests. Lang also encourages you to begin the class on time and to use the entire session of allotted time. It sends a clear message that this class is about learning. Spend the time introducing the topic to your students. Ask them the big questions that your discipline considers. Be engaging and discover their like, dislikes, wants and needs. Remember you are creating a first impression but you also want to clearly explain your expectations. The first days of class are when students are still deciding if they are going to drop or stay so providing them with an entire picture helps them to make informed choices. Lang’s book is filled with wonderful advice for faculty at all stages of their careers.

BUILDING A PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING
Robert Leamnson’s book Thinking About Thinking About Teaching (LB2331.L39) is a good resource if you are reexamining your classroom practices. He says, “Every teacher, even the beginner, has a philosophy of teaching. We all enter the classroom, even the first time, with certain beliefs about how teaching should be done. These beliefs might or might not be well-considered and articulated, but even the first-time teacher, trying to recall what his or her teachers did, is exhibiting some belief as to how teaching is done. A philosophy developed based solely out of experience is primarily reactive. The real goal of teaching is that someone learn something. Having that as a goal is not the same as having a philosophy.” He suggests that educators be systematic in their approach. Spend time with the literature on the scholarship of teaching and learning especially as it relates to pedagogy and assessment. He concludes, “A rational and considered philosophy of teaching serves as a beacon during stormy periods.”

ACTIVE LEARNING REQUIRES PRACTICE
“Students have different responsibilities in active learning than they do in traditional education,” says Elizabeth Barkley in her book Student Engagement Techniques. The primary method for orienting students to these new responsibilities and teaching students active learning skills lies in the learning tasks themselves: students will develop active learning skills if they are given tasks that ask them to apply concepts, solve problems, discuss issues or reflect upon the factors that influence their thinking. Rather than just explaining to students that you are using active learning methods, Mel Silberman (who has written several books on active learning) recommends starting the very first class session with an activity that orients students to active learning. You can find a number of active learning approaches in the BRCC Active Learning Manual (2013). Send me an email at pourciaut@mybrcc.edu to receive your electronic copy.

KEEP CALM AND BE ENGAGED
A number of you commented on this year’s theme for the Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support. We spent the summer working on the various programs designed to help you enhance your teaching skills and felt we needed something to capture the spirit of our efforts. The theme of Keep Calm and Be Engaged was tweaked using an existing slogan that has become pretty common. The original version appears to be Keep Calm and Carry On used by the British government as a motivational slogan to lift the spirits of their citizens during the Second World War. Many organizations have adopted it in various forms. We felt it met our needs as well especially when you include the very un-calm version of the BRCC bear. You may see folks who are part of the Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support with bright green t-shirts that have the slogan prominently displayed. We hope that it provides motivation for you as you embark on your very important mission this year. Teaching is such a difficult job and so much goes into becoming a great teacher. So Keep Calm and Be Engaged and have a great semester!