Reaction to Readings (Blog #1)

This weeks readings were from Chapter 2 of First Day to Final Grade and pages 1-28 of Teaching Tips. I felt the most useful information in this weeks readings, other than the general tips for preparedness, was the guidlines and advice on creating the course syllabus. First Day included required or highly recommended info to include in the syllabus: "bereaucratic" information such as name, office, hours, phone, email; required texts; any and all deadlines and exam dates; breakdown of points; attendance policy (being specific); policy on late work and missed exams (also very specific); info about how students with disabilities and special needs can be accommodated; and the university's policy on plagerism. In addition, McKeachie's Teaching Tips included a very useful acronym to aid in creating a syllabus from scratch:
S- Specific
M- Measurable
A-Agreed (clearly understood)
R - Related, with clear structure and links between assignments
T - Time frame
This acronym could be utilized while writing the information that First Day suggested to include in the syllabus in order to ensure the outline will be specific and as useful as possible. The following website also includes interesting and beneficial information regarding creating a syllabus. http://oct.sfsu.edu/design/syllabus/index.html Dr. Vicki Casella from San Francisco State University created this useful web tool and she describes the syllabus as a "Roadmap", "Organizational Tool", and a "Contract". I highly recommend the sight to any individual seeking more information about creating syllabus.

Something I found interesting from the readings in First Day to Final Grade was their comments regarding the male/female and student/teacher relationship dynamics. I thought these ideas, for example that female students might talk less with male professors or male students might try to undermine female professors, could be more closely looked at in my field of interest, psychology. A research project could be implemented to determine if there is statistical date behind these statements. Perhaps there already has been research done on it, in which case I'd be interested to read the findings because these would apply to all teachers and students in all fields of interest.

Lastly, what I felt I could incorporate into my own teaching were the icebreakers suggestions and tips on successfully implementing them. Although they are often ackward and viewed as "cheesy" by the students, I think they are successful in accomplishing what they are there for, breaking the ice. I am also terrible at remembering names and feel that by utilizing one of their suggested ice breakers, I might remember a students name and face if I can pair it with other information I know about them. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_76.htm This is a link to additional suggestions on using ice breakers in order to facilitate conversations as well as various examples of other ice breakers not included in the book... Check them out!