Get organized. Preparing a lesson plan for your first day of class in advance will not only ease some of your first-day jitters, but will also set a tone for the rest of the semester. Plan out what you want to say to your students. Review the syllabus, and let them know your expectations for them throughout the semester. If needed, keep a checklist handy during class, to act as your personal guide in reminding you what needs to be said and which tasks to complete before the end of class.
Know your students. Use the first day of class as an opportunity to get students to open up and feel at ease with their classmates. Use icebreaker exercises. For instance, ask each student to stand and share his name, major and one interesting fact about himself. Use this time as your chance to memorize the name and face of each student. Remember, learning someone's name can go a long way toward making the class feel personalized.
Use oral and written exercises. Freshman Seminar exists not only to introduce new students to their academic surroundings, but also to help them sharpen communication skills and to teach them new study skills, note-taking techniques and time management strategies. Look for exercises that get students to think about their study habits while strengthening their written and oral skills. Have each student keep a journal, which they will hand in each week throughout the semester. Ask that they write in appropriate essay format using your school's style guide, for instance the Chicago Manual Style, which will get them in the habit of good writing. Assign journal entries on study and time management habits and what students can do to improve in these areas. Incorporate small group discussions each week to help improve oral skills. Have students work together in groups to evaluate academic case studies and share their responses with the rest of the class.
Assign quizzes. Even in Freshman Seminar, quizzes will help you evaluate your students' understanding of the lectures and discussions. Distribute quizzes every two or three weeks. Questions should be relevant to what was learned in previous class sessions.
Be available to your students. As a Freshman Seminar instructor, you may offer to proofread essays from other classes. Also, be accessible after class to answer any questions. Most importantly, always give encouragement and motivational words. Many students will remember an inspirational teacher for life.