| Students can feel nameless and faceless in college | | | | specific ones, expectations based on what others |
| classrooms. Some students believe that is what they | | | | have said, or any combination (or essentially no |
| want and others believe that this is "just how college | | | | expectations). You just want to know. |
| is." | | | | 6. Their expectations of you, as the professor. It's |
| No one truly wants to be nameless and faceless - and | | | | fascinating to find out what they expect from their |
| students in colleges and universities certainly do not. In | | | | teachers. They don't have to write volumes, just a few |
| a semester-long learning situation, students are far | | | | sentences. |
| more engaged and thus, far more likely to learn if they | | | | 7. Their expectations of themselves, as learners. |
| have a sense that you - as their professor - care | | | | You're looking for some insight into how they perceive |
| about them as people. You can begin connecting on | | | | themselves. Some students are spot-on and others |
| the first day of class. | | | | have never really figured out that they need to have |
| During that first class period, it is worth obtaining some | | | | expectations of themselves as learners. You're |
| information from your students to begin building a | | | | conveying a message to them just by asking. |
| recognition of who they are. Here are my ten | | | | 8. Their best email address. You will need to be able to |
| suggestions to consider: | | | | contact them via email and need to know which email |
| | | | they prefer you to use (and that they check). And of |
| 1. The name they want to be called. Many people's | | | | course, be prepared for some "interesting" email |
| "legal" name is not the name they go by. Find out what | | | | addresses (that sometimes give more information |
| your students like to be called (and how it is | | | | about the student than maybe they had intended!) |
| pronounced. Just asking the latter indicates that you | | | | 9. Their best phone number. The information you get |
| intend to use their name and care enough to say it | | | | from your university or college may not have your |
| correctly. | | | | students' current phone number and you need to be |
| 2. The stated reason that they are taking your class. | | | | able to reach them in case of emergency cancellation |
| Prompt them and see what they write. It's informative. | | | | of class, for example. |
| 3. Their goals (in life). Just let them know that you | | | | 10. The grade they expect to earn. Expect many |
| would be interested in whatever they are willing to | | | | students to indicate "A," although not everyone will. |
| share. | | | | Once you know, then you can help them understand |
| 4. What time commitment they are prepared to make | | | | what it takes to make their expectation a reality. You |
| for your class. You begin to learn a great deal about | | | | can provide your students with a sheet upon which |
| your students and what they have going on when you | | | | they write their answers or you can ask them to fill out |
| request this information from them. | | | | an online form to submit. One other option is to put the |
| 5. Their expectations for the course. Let your students | | | | questions on the screen (board) and have them |
| know that they may have very general expectations, | | | | respond. |