The Setting the Tone from the Start workshop and its associated resources are meant to support course instructors to intentionally design the start of their courses, including practices for before and during the first class session that help connect you to your students and build community. In August 2024, it was held as part of the CTLI’s Semester Start-Up programming for MSU educators. We shared actionable strategies that lay the groundwork for an engaging and inclusive course experience from day one including items related to:
- syllabi, expectation setting, and pedagogical transparency
- checking in on learner needs throughout the term
- building classroom community
We ended the workshop by completing individualized Action Plans where instructors listed their next steps (immediate, during the semester, and before next semester) framed as S.M.A.R.T. goals. You can adapt this Action Plan for a mid-semester context, as well as prepare for the next term.
You can access the slide deck for this workshop here including links to many MSU resources for course instructors.
A recording of the Fall 2023 version of this workshop, facilitated by Makena Neal and Ellie Louson, is available below.
Feel free to reach out to CTLI Educational Developers Ellie Louson and/or Bethany Meadows (Inclusive Pedagogy Specialist), if you have any questions about Setting the Tone from the Start or these resources.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash