Doctoral programs provide training and mentorship for engaging in research, but they rarely provide training on how to be effective in the classroom—leading to many graduates obtaining their first faculty position with little to no teaching. These new faculty need a resource to help them navigate such difficult terrain and be successful teachers. This book was crafted with them in mind and is a straightforward guide for the new instructor in a higher education classroom. This book:

• discusses the latest research about how to be effective in the classroom.


• covers topics ranging from classroom management, to incorporating case studies, to understanding student evaluations.


• focuses on learning in the virtual classroom, with chapters dedicated to different course delivery modalities.


• incorporates effective exercises used in the classroom that are based on evidence showing how the activities promote learning.


• includes chapters with strategies concerning how instructors can assess their success in the classroom and become better teachers.


• comes with a new introduction and is supplemented by review questions.

Teaching Your First Class is a highly valuable reading for all those engaged in initial teacher education, professional development, and new faculty. The chapters in this book were originally published in the Journal of Public Affairs Education.