After discussing the need for a skip intro button and... did Amanda say she wanted to eat a baby? Uh, anyway, the syllabus is often the first thing that students see for a course. It sets the tone for both the class and how they see us as instructors. How do we make a syllabus that brings students in?

Amanda and Ben unpack the syllabus. They first discuss how you communicate why the class matters, why the assignments/assessments matter, and why the policies matter. Communicating expectations goes a long way. Amanda and Ben discuss late policies and attendance policies and how they show up in the syllabus. They discuss ways to make the syllabus welcoming and how avoid a list of “DON’T DO THIS” to account for that one time a student did a thing that you didn’t like.

Lastly, we take on ways to deal with the length of the syllabus. Apparently, Amanda remembers a time where syllabi were a single page and Ben thinks she is dreaming. How do you avoid a wall of text? Amanda and Ben talk sharing the syllabus in ways that students can walk away with the information that you want them to have.

Syllabus tips you can take away today. Even Ben and Amanda each picked up something new from each other! Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!

In this caffeine-fueled episode, Ben and Amanda jump into the world of formative assessment—what it is, why it matters, and how it can level up your classroom without adding to your grading load. But this isn’t your average edu-chat. Things get competitive as they play a round of Formative Assessment Scattergories, going head-to-head to see who knows more assessment techniques under pressure. Along the way, they share practical ideas you can steal for your next class—and maybe even a few you've never considered. The generational divide also makes a surprise appearance when Ben references Saturday Night Live, while Amanda throws it back with N'Sync and the nightly news. And in an unexpected turn of events, it's Ben who delivers this episode’s awkward hand-related story. Grab your favorite mug—this episode is packed with teaching tips, laughs, and a bit of friendly chaos.

In the second episode of Coffee Break Classroom, hosts Ben & Amanda pull back the curtain and share the personal journeys that brought them into the world of community college teaching. From winding career paths to those “whaaaattt?!” moments in the classroom, they reflect on what drew them to higher education—and what keeps them coming back.They also spill the beans on why they launched the podcast, what listeners can expect in future episodes, and how they hope to create a space that’s equal parts insightful and playful.And it wouldn't be Ben & Amanda if there wasn't some chaos. Listen as Ben forgets the name of the pod and Amanda tops things off with yet another story involving mild maiming (yes, really).Grab your mug—this one’s warm, real, and a little bit wild.For more information, find us at https://coffeebreakclassroom.carrd.co/