Structural mechanics is one of the most important professional basis courses. Its teaching effect is strongly relevant to the student education quality of civil engineering. In the paper, some problems in the teaching process of structural mechanics are analyzed. The five basic principles and four ancillary strategies of “first principles of instruction”, and their reference significance to the course are detailedly explained. Then the teaching process of structural mechanics is reconstruction and a new teaching mode is established with ‘one center, four phases, and eight supports’ for structural mechanics. Teaching practice results show that the reconstructed teaching process perform well and its theoretical method and reconstruction mode can also provide a reference for the teaching reform and innovation of other courses of civil engineering.