If you have a scheduling conflict (either with a class you're taking or teaching), please work that out this week with the instructor so that you can attend 301.

As we meet on Fridays and many of you will have section before our first meeting, Chris and I would like to (1) offer suggestions for your first section and (2) ask you to write down some expectations and fears for your journal (explained below).

1. Suggestions for conducting your first section
   1. Start building a community early. Your goal is to create a safe
      environment where people are comfortable going out on a limb to ask
      questions without fear.
   2. Try running the first class with the desks facing inward in a circle
      (this helps people share and see each others' faces).
   3. Here are some activities you might want to consider;
      1. Your introduction
      2. Their introductions
         • You might try an exercise where you all go around the room and say their name, major, year and one unique thing about each person. This often helps people remember names. (e.g., Oh, hi, you're Anna, the person who scuba dives, right?)
      3. Intro to the course
      4. Talk about how you want to run section
      5. Get their info on index cards
         • Name
         • Email address
         • Year
         • Experience
         • Major
         • Web page
         • Project partners (if relevant)
         • Schedule office hours
      6. Ask the students about their expectations of the course
      7. Ask the instructor what they would like you to cover
2. One of the activities we're going to be doing through the semester is to maintain a "Teaching Journal". We've set up a system so that you can maintain all of this on a www page.
   • For now, however, just open a text editor and write down the result of brainstorming all of your expectactions and fears you can think of regarding teaching your first section.
     • (e.g., fear -- What if I get stage fright?)
     • (e.g., expectation -- ...that they are as enthusiastic about CSxx as me)
   • Please bring your list to Friday's class to share.

• 9:10 Our introductions
• 9:15 Whip activity [D]
  1. name
  2. class they are TAing
  3. teaching experience
  4. three sentences about themselves, one a truth, one a lie, and one which can be either (said in any order)
• 9:30 Break into groups of four to discuss fears and expectations [C] Students brainstorm fears (on one side), expectations (on other) [D and C circulate and take photos], [sign-up sheet circulates]
• 9:50 Regroup and group-discuss fears and expectations. [C] Dan and Chris give "expert TA" advice and answer "what-ifs".
• 10:10 Informal poll of how psyched vs. afraid they are [D]
• 10:20 [D] Talk about books and "reader" which will be ready by Fri, other thoughts about course (upcoming classes, journals, videotaping) [HW is to write down their specific fears and expectations into a text file to be copied into their journal]