Documentation:New Faculty Orientation Guide/First Day of Class/Faculty Spotlight

Faculty Spotlight - First Day of Class

Gail Hammond, PhD, RD

Instructor, Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Land and Food Systems

When getting ready to start a new class, my mind always goes to the students: who are they? What life experiences do they bring to class? Why are they taking the course? What piques their interest about nutrition? How do they like to learn? Will they value self-regulated learning activities as much as I do? The questions go on and on, but all this to say expect the unexpected! There is great diversity to manage within each class as the students turn to you to guide them on their journey of learning. So, put your hand on the rudder and get ready to sail!

When opening the classroom door, I am excited to meet the students—the lifeblood of the course. Once inside the classroom, I like to engage them in an activity so they can know a little bit about their neighbours, the TAs and me. Fostering an open and inclusive environment on day one of the term—a simple technique is to ask questions that tie course concepts into their personal lives—sets the tone for the remainder of the course. Enjoy the sail!