Peer mentors as equal teaching partners

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Peer mentors as equal teaching partners

• Ann H. Becks
• Assistant Dean of Students
• Director for New Student Programs
• University of Florida
• annbecks_at_ufl.edu
• Dustin Rollins
• Assistant Coordinator
• University Housing
• Florida State University
• drollins_at_admin.fsu.edu

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Presentation outline

• Overview of First-year Florida SLS1102
• Peer Leader recruitment selection process
• Peer Leader training
• Peer Leader role in the classroom beyond
• Assessment of Peer Leaders

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First-year Florida SLS1102

• Extended orientation course
• 1 credit hour, graded, elective
• 20 or 25 student capacity
• College of Liberal Arts Sciences
• Not mandatory, with a few exceptions
• Coordinated by Student Affairs area with the
  support of the Office of the Provost

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History highlights

• First taught 20 sections in fall 2000
• Currently taught 31 sections in summer B, 71 in
  fall, 9 in spring
• Seats for 40 of first-year students
• General sections open to any first-year student
• Population specific sections academic areas,
  special programs

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Who teaches?

• Team taught UF faculty or staff member
  undergraduate student
• UF faculty or staff member receives 500/section
  professional development stipend from the Office
  of the Provost
• Peer Leaders receive no monetary compensation

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What is taught?

• Curriculum Committee created current core
  curriculum
• Core curriculum used across sections with core
  textbook
• Established learning outcomes
• Flexible syllabus

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Course objectives

• Engagement (with UF faculty/staff, upper-class
  mentor, fellow students)
• Awareness respect of diversity
• Involvement
• Knowledge of resources
• Active engagement in ones own learning
• Healthy lifestyle
• Understanding of UF expectations

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Required components

• Faculty interview
• Meeting with advisor
• Diversity project
• Library assignment
• Group project
• mystudentbody.com
• Capstone project

• Service project
• Gatorfest
• Featured Speaker Series
• Workshop Success Series
• Fair Student Organization, Study Abroad, Career
  Showcase

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Recruitment selection

• Listservs, Application Clearinghouse, Gatortimes,
  recommendations from faculty/staff, word of mouth
• Information sessions not mandatory
• Paper application two letters of recommendation
• Three-round interview process group, 30-minute
  individual with instructor current PL,
  20-minute individual with New Student Programs
  staff member
• Round 2 with population-specific representative,
  if applicable
• 100 candidates each year
• Approx. 60-65 selected

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Training ½ day retreat

• Icebreakers team builders
• First-year experience lifeline
• Leadership
• Mentoring
• Returning PL panel

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Training class structure

• Weekly class meets 2nd half of spring term
• Two hours each week
• Three sections of 20 new PLs
• 2 credits total, graded, elective
• Class counts for 50 of grade
• Co-taught w/ returning PL role models teaching
  partner relationship

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Training - curriculum

• Exact same curriculum across sections
• Teaching, presentation, facilitation, helping
  skills
• Student development
• First-year academics
• Diversity in the classroom
• Lesson planning

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Parallels to SLS1102

• Service project
• Faculty interview
• Campus resource presentation

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Post-training

• Teaching teams mini-conference
• Weekly newsletter
• Mentor groups led by returning PL
• Brown bag training opportunities
• Roundtables

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Returning Peer Leaders

• Short re-application
• Based on training class final evaluation by
  teaching partner
• Additional 1 credit, if desired
• Serve as mentor, if desired
• Excellent resource to pair with new instructor
• Approx. 20 return each year

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Role in the classroom beyond

• Equal teaching partner
• Teaches class when instructor not available
• Out-of-class meetings with students
• In-class facilitation and/or presentation
• Grading

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Assessment of Peer Leaders

• Learning contract completed with teaching partner
• Mid-term assessment completed with teaching
  partner
• Final evaluation by teaching partner
• Final evaluation counts for 50 of grade
• Final reflection
• Web-based survey completed by students in class

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Learning contract

• Specific skills/knowledge areas I want to develop
• Specific responsibilities I will take on to help
  to achieve these areas
• Expectations/responsibilities of my co-instructor
  to assist in my development
• Expectations I have of myself

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Mid-term assessment

• What did you expect from your teaching partner
  relationship?
• How has your experience matched your expectations
  and goals?
• What aspects of your teaching relationship
  enhance the classroom dynamic?
• What would you like to strengthen?
• How would you approach the rest of the semester?

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Final evaluation

• Attendance and punctuality
• Class Instruction
• Leadership
• Collaboration
• Resourcefulness
• Personal Growth goal achievement
• Areas to continue developing

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Final evaluation of teaching partner

• Attendance punctuality
• Regular meeting attendance with PL
• Class planning participation
• Degree to which they involved PL in the process
• Appropriateness of actions comments to class
• Reliability/follow-through
• Teaching style
• Resourcefulness
• Would your teaching partner be someone you would
  utilize as a resource after this semester?
  Why/Why not?
• Would you recommend this person as an FYF
  instructor again? Why/Why not?

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Final reflection

• 3-page paper
• What skills, knowledge, and experiences did you
  learn/gain?
• What do you know about the first-year experience
  now that youve served in this role?
• What did you enjoy?
• What could have been better?

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Web survey

• Peer Leader name
• Term enrolled
• Section type
• 13 statements describing PL
• Seven statements same as instructor evaluation

• What personal qualities or teaching skills of
  your Peer Leader contributed to the success of
  the course?
• Did any qualities or teaching practices of your
  Peer Leader hinder the success of the course?
• What impact did your Peer Leader have on your
  first semester(s) at UF?

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Want more information?

• Electronic versions of application, interview
  materials, syllabus, etc. email
  pguest_at_dso.ufl.edu
• Additional questions can also be emailed to the
  address above