Well, I’ve taught my first class — and there’s a chance it will be my last. Even though 25 students asked for an extra section of Beginning News Writing, only 10 showed up. The minimum to keep the class going is 18. The students are eager to complete this prereq this semester, and pledged they’d hunt down the missing students and get them to enroll.
I hope the class didn’t discourage anyone. I think I threw too much at them at once. Now that I’ve seen their writing, I have a better idea of what they need. I’ll do better next time, if there is a next time.
I still remember my first class teaching. I was a graduate student, teaching an introductory programming class. I covered the entire quarter in the first lecture. The kids all had the “deer in headlights” look. After some quick conversations with the advisor, I started the next class with the statement that the first class was the “overview” and now we would cover the material in detail.
All in all, a good learning experience on both sides.
Best wishes for fun!
Angela
Many of us have been there, done that! Hang in there- you’ll be an old pro before you know it.
re: only 10 showing up.
Don’t you know that on the first day of classes, “no one” does “anything”? I suspect that the missing folks are just operating under that assumption.
That, or they took the financial aid money and ran. We usually have one or two who pull that stunt every year; usually they get caught.
It usually takes me a few weeks to feel out a class and prep material that really clicks with their level of preparation and interest. Hope that enrollment floats up but otherwise, just hang in there - you’ll figure it out.