As winter term wraps up, many U-M teachers are thinking ahead to their spring and summer courses. When teaching in a short semester with a limited number of class sessions, it's especially important to make good use of the first day. How can you use an initial meeting to do more than review the syllabus and begin to learn students' names?

CRLT provides many resources to help you quickly establish a productive learning environment in your courses. This page provides an overview of resources related to goals you might have for the first day, from building rapport among students to getting them engaged with the course material. You can also click on the links below for great ideas about:

• syllabus design
• effective ice breakers
• productive discussion questions
• fostering an inclusive learning environment
• choosing your technology

As always, CRLT staff are available to consult with individual instructors about effective teaching strategies before, during, or after your course.