Sample Syllabus
This sample syllabus is designed to help you establish a respectful, supportive, learning-focused classroom climate from day one. The language and design are welcoming, visually appealing, and reader-friendly, built on research into learner-centered course design.
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What's Inside
The template covers three pages, each ready to customize:
- Instructor bio, why this course matters, supplies needed, course description, course-level learning outcomes, and what students will be asked to do.
- Unit overview with essential questions, assessment approach, the 4-point rubric, and success strategies.
- Teacher commitments, student expectations, support resources, and a placeholder for required school/district language.
Get the Template
A three-page, fully editable syllabus template built around learner-centered design principles. Each section is framed around questions students actually care about: what they'll be able to do, why the course matters, and how teacher and student will work together.
Learner-Centered vs. Content-Centered
The template is built on a learner-centered model. Rather than leading with policies and content coverage, it answers the questions students bring on day one: Why does this course matter? What will I be able to do? How will I be assessed? Research shows this framing improves student perceptions of both the course and the instructor, and is associated with a smaller grade gap between minority and non-minority students.
A few examples of the shift in practice:
- "Course Objectives" becomes "What will you be able to do by the end of this course?"
- "Grade Calculation" becomes "How will your learning be assessed?"
- "DO NOT…" becomes "I encourage you to…"
- "Students are expected to…" becomes "I hope you will…"
Related Resources
The Learning Scientists: "Preparing a Learning-Focused Syllabus"
The research behind the learner-centered syllabus approach, with practical guidance on language, tone, and structure.