Center for Excellence in TeachingSetting the Stage for Learning
The first class meeting plays a critical role in establishing the tone, expectations, and community that will carry through the semester. The materials in this collection are designed to help you make intentional choices about how you welcome students, introduce course goals, and create an environment that supports learning from the start. Resources include strategies for building rapport and community agreements, guidance for structuring the first session, and practical tools such as a faculty decision guide, syllabus template, and a brief video on core instructional principles. Together, they provide a foundation for designing a purposeful and well-organized first day experience.
Note: Written resources download to your electronic device.
The First Day of Class
This written resource provides strategies and considerations for designing an effective and inclusive “first day” experience for students in a course. It includes strategies appropriate for both on-ground and online/hybrid courses.
Community Agreements
This written resource provides an overview of creating and using community agreements in a course to support respectful and productive student engagement. It includes options for how to create agreements, tips for implementation, and example agreements.
Community Building Activities
This written resource provides guidance for incorporating community building activities into a course to foster belonging, increase engagement, and build collaboration and communication skills. It includes strategies and considerations for using community building activities as well as sample activities categorized by purpose.
USC Syllabus Template
This editable syllabus template reflects the most current USC guidelines and is suggested for faculty use; please check with your school or program to see if a customized template is already provided.
Faculty Decision Guide
A quick-reference tool to help faculty respond effectively to common student situations. For each scenario, the guide outlines the required steps and recommended actions for appropriate student support.
Core Principles of Instruction
A 10 minute video on foundational teaching principles, including course design, learning objectives, course alignment, assessment, and lesson structure.