Glendale Community College
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You should have received, or will soon receive, materials from your division outlining what needs to be covered in your course, which books to use, etc. Especially when you're new, it's important to plan your course all the way through from the first week to the last week to make sure you cover all the required material without needing to rush at the end. You must cover all the material in the course outline or guidelines supplied by your division unless your division has specific exceptions. Note that it is usually not an option for instructors to slow down because students request it and then cut out material at the end of class.
Presenting an organized, well-planned course to students keeps focus on learning the material rather than an ever-changing schedule. Using a blank 16-week planning calendar (or however long your course is) and filling in which material will be covered on each day is a good way to plan your course in detail before the semester starts. That way, you can provide students with exact exam, quiz, and paper due dates at the beginning of the semester so they can plan accordingly.
It may be helpful to find someone in your division who has taught the course before to ask for insight on how to best approach the course. If your division has assigned you a faculty mentor, work closely with your mentor to make sure your course meets division expectations. If you division has an adjunct support coordinator, that is also a good person to ask. To find others in your division who have taught the course before, ask you division's administrative assistant.
In most cases, your division will send important emails in the weeks before classes start outlining various checklists and relaying important information. Be on the lookout for these emails, and read them carefully.