1. Bring a
CPR dummy to class and announce that it will be the teaching assistant
for the semester. Assign it an office and office hours.
2. Point the overhead projector at the class. Demand each
student's name, rank, and serial number.
3. Tell students that you'll fail them if they cheat on exams or
"fake the funk".
4. Announce that you need to deliver two lectures that day, and
deliver them in rapid-fire auctioneer style.
5. Pick out random students, ask them questions, and time their
responses with a stop watch. Record their times in your grade book while
muttering "tsk, tsk".
6. Wear a hood with one eyehole. Periodically make strange gurgling
noises.
7. Sneeze on students in the front row and wipe your nose on your
tie.
8. After confirming everyone's names on the roll, thank the class for
attending "Advanced Aerodynamics 690" and mention that yesterday was the
last day to drop.
9. After turning on the overhead projector, clutch your chest and
scream "MY PACEMAKER!"
10. Wear a pointed Kaiser helmet and a monocle and carry a riding
crop.
11. Gradually speak softer and softer and then suddenly point to a
student and scream "YOU! WHAT DID I JUST SAY?"
12. Announce to students that their entire grades will be based on a
single-question oral final exam. Imply that this could happen at any
moment.
13. Deliver your lecture through a hand puppet. If a student asks you
a question directly, say in a high-pitched voice, "The Professor can't
hear you, you'll have to ask *me*, Winky Willy".
14. Bring a small dog to class. Tell the class he's named "Boogers
McGee" and is your "mascot". Whenever someone asks a question, walk over
to the dog and ask it, "What'll be, McGee?"
15. If someone asks a question, walk silently over to their seat,
hand them your piece of chalk, and ask, "Would YOU like to give the
lecture, Mr. Smartypants?"
16. Every so often, freeze in mid sentence and stare off into space
for several minutes. After a long, awkward silence, resume your sentence
and proceed normally.
17. Wear a "virtual reality" helmet and strange gloves. When someone
asks a question, turn in their direction and make throttling motions
with your hands.
18. Wear mirrored sunglasses and speak only in Turkish. Ignore all
questions.
19. Ask students to call you "Tinkerbell" or "Surfin' Bird".
20. Pass out dental floss to students and devote the lecture to oral
hygiene.
21. Announce that the entire 32-volume Encyclopedia Britannica will
be required reading for your class. Assign a report on Volume 1,
Aardvark through Armenia, for next class.
22. Play "Kumbaya" on the banjo.
23. Have a band waiting in the corner of the room. When anyone asks a
question, have the band start playing and sing an Elvis song.
24. Ask occassional questions, but mutter "as if you gibbering simps
would know" and move on before anyone can answer.
25. Mention in passing that you're wearing rubber underwear.
26. Show a video on medieval torture implements to your calculus
class. Giggle throughout it.
27. Of course, the most fun thing to do on the first day of class is
to enjoy yourself, sleep in, and let the students wonder if they found
the right room!
28. Ask the class to read Jenkins through Johnson of the local phone
book by the next lecture. Vaguely imply that there will be a quiz.
29. Have one of your graduate students sprinkle flower petals ahead
of you as you pace back and forth.
30. Turn off the lights, play a tape of crickets chirping, and begin
singing spirituals.
31. Jog into class, rip the textbook in half, and scream, "Are you
pumped? ARE YOU PUMPED? I CAN'T HEEEEEEAR YOU!"
32. Ask for a volunteer for a demonstration. Ask them to fill out a
waiver as you put on a lead apron and light a blowtorch.
33. Ask students to list their favorite showtunes on a signup sheet.
Criticize their choices and make notes in your grade book.
34. Have a grad student in a black beret pluck at a bass while you
lecture.
35. Sprint from the room in a panic if you hear sirens outside.
36. Warn students that they should bring a sack lunch to exams.
37. Give an opening monologue. Take two minute "commercial breaks"
every ten minutes.
38. Show up to lecture in a ventilated clean suit. Advise students to
keep their distance for their own safety and mutter something about
"that bug I picked up in the field".
39. Stop in mid-lecture, frown for a moment, and then ask the class
whether your butt looks fat.
40. Growl constantly and address students as "matey".
41. Devote your math lecture to free verse about your favorite
numbers and ask students to "sit back and groove".
42. Announce that last year's students have almost finished their
class projects.
43. Inform your English class that they need to know Fortran and code
all their essays. Deliver a lecture on output format statements.
44. Wear a feather boa and ask students to call you "Snuggles".
45. Tell your math students that they must do all their work in a
base 11 number system. Use a complicated symbol you've named after
yourself in place of the number 10 and threaten to fail students who
don't use it.