Ending
Classes
Better Endings: What to Do in the Last Day of Class
Most of us have seen a number of tips on what to do on the first day
of class, but we don’t think about the importance of the last day as
an opportunity for students to reflect on and fully synthesize their
learning. There are some suggestions that might make the closing of
your course as memorable as the opening.
A
Closing Routine
The
social patterns described last week draw students into your learning
activities. It is equally important to end your classes with routines
that help students know what to take from the experience.
The
Finishing Stretch
An
effective teacher will take time during the next few weeks to provide
the kind of guidance that keeps students on track as we head into the
final stretch.
A
Final Lesson
Final
assignments are not only the end of our work with this group of students
but also the bridge that connects the learning you have worked so hard
to facilitate to their future experiences. Effective teachers do not
leave such an important moment to chance; nor do they allow it to become
overshadowed by the grading game.
One
More Chance
This
week's tips focus on strategies that will not only facilitate the closure
process but turn it into an opportunity for students to strengthen their
understanding of the semester's work. While many of these should occur
in the time after the Thanksgiving break, many require student input
that you might want to collect beforehand.
A
Graceful Close
As the semester comes to a close, there are several tips that can make
this busy, stressful period a productive one. Help students find a comfortable,
satisfying conclusion to their work; gather information that will help
you in the future; and reward yourself for the successes. Improve your
teaching by handling the end of the semester well. Here are some tips
Too
Little Time
The
next couple weeks are the busiest and most intense time of the year
for most teachers and students. Trying to fit everything in, meet every
deadline, and maintain high quality work can become an impossible feat.
Here are some tips to keep in mind to help you and your students make
it to the final week without becoming completely overwhelmed by learning
during stressful times.
Coming
Together
This
week's tips focus on ways to use this time to directly address the issues
created by the approaching end of your class. This is a time when the
tendency is for things to fly apart rather than come together. It's
when so much attention to the trees has allowed us to lose sight of
the forest. By planning activities that help pull things back together,
the teacher can create a positive way to end the semester.
Devote
the last day of class to an overall review
"It's hard for students to fit each lecture or assignment into
the big picture," says a professor of business administration.
"I believe that it's important to give an overall review so that
students can compare where they were at the beginning of the course
to where they are now.
How much should I try to cover in one class?
You
can talk nonstop and jam as much content into a class period as possible.
But that's about all that strategy will accomplish.
