Introducing Yourself and the Course |
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Before you Begin, a Note about Transitions |
You should use transitions as opportunities to connect activities for your students; your students will benefit from knowing how the activities build on each other. Most teachers write down a few notes on their lesson plans to remind themselves of what they want to say between activities and then weave the transitions into the natural flow of conversation during the class session. You should NOT, however, feel that we are asking you to read the suggested transitions here like a script in your classes. You should use the transitions in this syllabus to the extent that works best for you and then ultimately construct your own transitions either before class or in an impromptu fashion. You will become more comfortable with writing your own transitions when you fully understand the course and its sequencing. We have provided sample introductions, transitions, and conclusions as examples of what a teacher might say during class. Again, we encourage you to start composing your own transitions as early in the semester as possible, but by week three you will be responsible for making these transitions on your own. The best way to prepare for your independence is to fully understand the course goals and syllabus. Also realize that transitioning from logistics to content can sometimes be tricky so use those moments as opportunities to refer to your marker board agenda (see Heads Up below). One strategy is to put a check mark next to the item you just completed and to then introduce the next item. |
Sample Transition to Next ActivityConsider using a transition such as the following: The course syllabus and policy statement will help you understand the expectations for this course. Hopefully, these will address some of the concerns you brought up in your writing about your expectations for the course. |
Sample Transition to Next ActivityYou might say something like: Community is important in a writing classroom (where we hold discussions, work in groups and use peer review with the writing process), so let's take some time to get to know each other. |
For each class you teach, you should write a conclusion. Today, consider closing class with something along these lines, " So just as social situations can influence what we say and do, different writing situations can influence what we 'say' and 'do' with our writing. In this class, 'good' writing can only be defined in terms of how well a text responds to a particular purpose and context. We'll continue with this idea next time and connect it more directly to culture and writing." |
In the future (or today if you choose), you might refer students back to the list on the marker board as well, connecting the activities of the day to the lesson, portfolio, and course goals. It’s a good idea to establish the precedent of doing an end-of-lesson review such as this for each class. Try something like: "Let’s review what we’ve done today. Consulting your notes, tell me…" [here you can compose your own review list…try drawing it as a concept map…or just review the list on the board. The point is that offering an on-the-board forecast at the beginning of class as well as an on-the-board review list at the end is a proven method for building what learning theorists call "hierarchical learning" of course concepts] |
A sample review might cover these items from today (this list includes easy specifics about the course, essential logistical information, and a brief review of concepts):
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Assigning Homework (2 minutes) |
Assign the homework due for the next class session. In addition to its obvious value as a first extended writing activity, this assignment is designed to get students up and running with the technology components of the course. Using an overhead is effective for assigning homework before your students are logged in and familiar with the Calendar on the Writing Studio. Or, if necessary, use half sheets or slips of paper. The less copying you can make at the start of the semester, however, the better so you don't reach your copy limits too quickly. You can hasten your students’ use of the Writing Studio discussion forum by preparing a handout with instructions for accessing and using your class page. You will also need to create and title the forums you use on your class page (recall our work with the Writing Studio during training). You can learn more about using online discussion forums in three teaching guides on Writing@CSU: Conducting Online Discussions (https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/onlinediscussions/), Integrating Technology into the Traditional CO150 Classroom (https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/olwc_guides/), and Using Student Peer Review (https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/peer/). Finally, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of making a list of the materials you will need for each class. As you type up your lesson plan, make this materials list a header for each lesson you teach. That way you’ll generally arrive at class with everything you need. |