The Summer Session passes by so quickly, which is why it is very important to focus on how we use each minute of our classes. If you have not done so already, I encourage you to provide some sort of formative assessment for your students. The first two weeks are the best time to provide a low-stress assignment that is graded but perhaps not counted in the final tally. This activity allows your students to understand your grading process and your expectations without the penalty of receiving a low grade and digging themselves into a deep hole. Ken Bain, in his book What the Best College Teachers Do (Gray Library LB2331 .B34), says, "Without an adequate assessment, neither teachers nor students can comprehend the progress the learners are making, and instructors can little understand whether their efforts are best suited to their students and objectives." I also want to remind you to ask questions in your class. As we move from lecture-only to active learning methods, the underlying principle is to have each student take ownership of their own progress towards receiving a diploma. We must empower our students to become the excellent learner they are capable of becoming. Changing the way teaching normally happens in higher education is a movement that is well underway. CT+LE is here to help you access the most appropriate and useful resources so that you can join the movement. Contact us at your convenience. L. Dee Fink, in his book Creating Significant Learning Experiences (Gray Library LB2331 .F495), says, "We can continue to follow traditional ways of teaching, repeating the same practices that we and others in our disciplines have used for years. Or we can dare to dream about doing something different, something special in our courses that would significantly improve the quality of student learning." Nate Kreuter has a really nice column about respecting departmental staff that we should all read. Here is a teaser, "In recent years, as university budgets have been slashed, the responsibilities of individual staffers have increased, while some of their colleagues have, even worse, been laid off. In short, right now the departmental staffers you work with are likely to be shouldering the biggest work loads of their careers."