Early Bird Specials

Some Thoughts On The Use Of Classroom Time Before Class Begins

Abstract

Please read no further if you are a teacher who, for whatever reason, is rarely able to arrive in class early. But if, instead, you routinely appear at least five minutes before class begins- to set up materials, to be available to students with questions, to set a good example, or to demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for your teaching-then the suggestions I offer for using those few minutes constructively might whet your creative appetite.

Recently I began my fifth decade as a full-time university professor of history. Not surprisingly, I have found that just as our discipline continues to evolve and expand, so have the topics and areas to teach in my courses, as they surely have, or will have, for most teachers. Yet class time is not part of an expanding academic universe, and the number of minutes we spend in class-each day and each term---ordinarily does not increase from year to year in order to accommodate a potentially fuller, more thorough, and inclusive course syllabus. This dilemma inevitably involves us in reevaluating what we do and cover in class and more so when we factor in changing technologies that enable us to be innovative. Most of us, I expect, add and drop some subjects and expand and contract others, but not without considerable deliberation and regret for topics we have had to abridge or even eliminate altogether.