Supplemental Instruction Leader
Offered as part of the Office of Academic Success, the Supplemental Instruction program aims to provide a free tutoring service to university students taking undergraduate lecture courses. "SI" Leaders are other students, hired by this department, who have previously taken and succeeded in the course, then hold biweekly open lecture reviews.
Teacher
My background, previous to becoming employed as an SI Leader, consisted mainly of teaching kids under the age of eleven. Once hired, put through SI orientation, and sitting in on other students' sessions, I believed I was ready and knowledgeable enough to hold my own review to other classmates. I was quickly proven wrong.
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During my first few review sessions, I learned that being a teacher of other students who are also your peers, is a demanding process that can be very intimidating. I could have an entire 80 minute lesson planned out with a powerpoint, visual aids, a quiz, and a fun game. But if the students did not understand a concept, or were not engaged, I felt frantic to build a "plan B" tool on the spot to help them learn. Eventually, having a backup plan became a weekly necessity, and I was better prepared and able to handle situations that went off my lesson outline. By using my past experience and grasp on the information being taught, I was able to relate, laugh, show empathy, and constructively guide students to success in their courses.
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This job as an instructor to my peers changed the way I viewed teaching. If one concept takes over an hour to understand and needs multiple different approaches to finally make sense to an audience, so be it. It's better to be intentional and thorough, than speed through something for the sake of completion.
To me, being a teacher is opening up to others to impart knowledge, while also being receptive to learning how to better connect and educate through different styles to others.
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Learner
Learning at any stage in life is frustrating. Sometimes the information makes sense and other times, it feels, as no matter how it's explained, you will never understand. During the year and a half that I was an SI Leader, I came to recognize what type of learner I am.
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In presenting a blank concept map, like the one pictured to the right, students are able to pull information and compile it on to one page, where similarities and differences can be easily seen. This type of learning is visual and can be very helpful for some learners. I did not start incorporating this style of teaching into my SI lessons until almost a year had passed. A student and I were discussing a topic and they showed me the way they kept, in this case, the Persian Rulers, straight in their head— a hand drawn concept map. This was an pivotal moment for me, because I realized that most of my lessons revolved around listening and filling in quizzes on the material, which is how I personally studied for my own classes.
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When you have appreciation for the ways that other people learn, you become more successful, more accommodating, and leave a greater impact. This became especially apparent when I began offering test reviews that included labeling a picture, multiple choice questions, fill in the blanks, and matching.
Opening oneself up to constructive criticism, different opinions, stories, and leadership styles, will in turn make you more well-rounded and approachable person to others.