Then she walks back out of the room.
Dubrow reenters, looking a bit less formal — perhaps she’s removed a jacket. This time, she sits on the desk. She’ll say: “Hello, there. I’m Heather Dubrow. Let’s start by talking about plans for the class.”
Her point? How a professor leads a classroom will shape the connections she makes with her students.
Dubrow will often project the quotes from her two introductions on a screen or pass them around on a handout. Then she’ll open a discussion about the differences between them.
“They inevitably introduce issues that will be relevant throughout the semester,” she wrote, “such as nuances of language and the relationship between a writer or speaker and audience. The differences in how students evaluate and respond to the two versions of the professor often lead to fruitful discussions too.”
Beyond that, Dubrow added, the exercise is fun, both for students and for her. Dubrow wrote in when I asked readers to share their best tip for new instructors. Opening class this way, she thought, could be particularly helpful for first-time teachers since it might help them “relax and enjoy themself.” Perhaps it could provide a way to diffuse the pressure of that all-important first class period, too.
Dubrow describes her own teaching style as closer to the less formal style: She organizes chairs in a circle and rarely sits behind a desk. But she also doesn’t encourage informality, either. Her undergraduate students call her Ms. Dubrow or Professor Dubrow, for example, not Heather.
Dubrow’s idea also struck me as a way that professors might open a dialogue with students about how the level of formality they prefer in the classroom might intersect with their race, gender, and seniority, something I wrote about here. It could also be a way of inviting students to play an active, collaborative role in putting the course together.
Have you ever tried a dual introduction like the one Dubrow described, or otherwise talked explicitly to your students about the classroom relationship between student and professor? If so, what was your goal, and how did it land with students?
If you’re intrigued by the idea and will try it for the first time this semester, I’d be particularly interested in hearing how it goes afterward. Let me know: beckie.supiano@chronicle.com.
Other Ideas for New Instructors
I shared some of the advice readers offered in an earlier newsletter. Here are a few more of your tips:
- Shu-Min Liao, an assistant professor of statistics at Amherst College, wrote: “Take good care of yourself, physically and mentally, and remind your students of the importance of self-care and self-compassion. Teaching is a heart work, and you can’t give from an empty cup.”
- Seth Matthew Fishman, assistant dean of curriculum and assessment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Villanova University, wrote: “If teaching in person, visit the assigned space before your first class and explore. That will help you visualize your class and feel more comfortable. You can test-drive the classroom tech too. You’ll feel more confident and less anxious.”
- Theresa Marchant-Shapiro, a professor of political science at Southern Connecticut State University, wrote: “I think the most important thing is to build on your own strengths. I remember when I first started teaching I was paralyzed by second-guessing what my colleagues would think if I did or did not do something. I became a much better teacher when I came to grips with the fact that there is no one right way to teach — that I would teach my best when I emphasized what I do best in the classroom.”
A Strong Start
It’s that time of year, when planning for the fall begins. Beth and I thought it might be helpful over the coming weeks to point you to some of our advice guides and articles that can help with the process.
This week, in keeping with Dubrow’s advice, we’ll highlight having a good first day of class. You may want to check out this advice guide by James M. Lang, which describes how a bit of preparation “to familiarize yourself with the students, the space, and the technology” can help you get things off on the right foot: with a focus on sparking students’ curiosity, building a community, and supporting learning.
Thanks for reading Teaching. If you have suggestions or ideas, please feel free to email us at beckie.supiano@chronicle.com or beth.mcmurtrie@chronicle.com.
— Beckie
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