Pre-Term Teaching Checklist
Plan Well, Start Well
Plan Well: Create a Successful Course Plan and Syllabus
Use the “Montclair Syllabus” template and publish it on Canvas. Visit Write Your Syllabus Right for guidance on content and OFE for technical help.
Review details of the academic calendar and plan to communicate these to students.
“Warm up” your syllabus and opening pages of your Canvas course.
Incorporate Strong Student slides and strategies into your course. Join the initiative by “signing” the pledge. Pledge signers will receive emails guiding the campaign.
Align assignments & activities with your course goals – see Plan Your Course.
Use an Assignment Template to decrease student confusion and missteps.
Make your resources accessible and easy to access with help from the library and Designing Accessible Learning Environments webpage.
Review OFE's workshops you might benefit from.
Develop your AI strategy for the semester:
Include AI guidance and engagement in your course plan.
Familiarize yourself with the AI tools relevant to your discipline.
Open Canvas and check the “student view” -- does it look right?
All sections have an Academic Engagement assignment preloaded. Leave this assignment and module published. You may assign points if you wish.
Review the Setting Up Your Canvas Course Checklist to prepare your course for the next term.
Check out Clear Course Design for more guidance on setting up your course.
Review Instructor Essentials, a collection of important links and campus resources.
Start Well: Engage and Set Clear Expectations
Connect with students and communicate expectations (the week or two prior, ideally), by:
Create a welcoming, expectation-setting message through a video or other announcement and an impressive course home page.
Send a pre-term survey to solicit information about your students as you communicate your values and expectations. Pre-term samples and tips.
Develop a strategy for learning student names (tent cards, games) and name pronunciation. See OFE tips and samples.
Plan an engaging first day of class to foster purpose, engagement, and belonging.
Updated: 7/15/26