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The First Day of Class

Prepare a Syllabus....

To learn more about preparing a syllabus, and for links to the Otterbein syllabus templates and checklists, go to our Writing a Syllabus LibGuide--http://otterbein.libguides.com/syllabus.

...but don't treat the first day as "syllabus day."

The first day of class is critical for setting expectations, building community, and getting to know each other and the course. This LibGuide is designed to provide ideas for making the most of it, and avoid the missed opportunity of a "syllabus day."

Picture of student raising hand. Text says "The Absolute Worst Way to Start the Semester"

from https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1498-the-absolute-worst-way-to-start-the-semester

Books in Our Collection

The following books include ideas for the first day of class.

Some Good General Links on the First Day of Class

Tips and Strategies for Building Community in the classroom