Tag Archives: peer tutors

Ah the summer to-do list…

This morning I opted out of my to-do list to decorate my office! I went back through all my photos from the past year (an a few from earlier) and created a collage to hang on my office wall. So many memories surfaced as I perused files from TA Development Day 2009 and 2010, our Psyc 217 poster session and in-class demos, Psyc 208 team-based learning and final projects, Psyc 100 field trip to Science World and last day festivities. What a great year! I selected a few photos to represent each of these activities and I’m having it printed out as a giant poster to stick on my wall, that I can add to as years pass. Yay! It makes me smile 🙂

As for my to-do list… well, I have managed to check off 7 chapters of the research methods textbook I’m adapting. That’s half the book! Before I get to the other half (which I need to finish by the end of July), I need to spend some time on a few other projects. Let me share with you some of the other projects, besides the textbook, I’ll be working on these coming days…

UPDATE June 10: I have crossed out what I’ve accomplished in the past week. Not quite everything, but pretty close. Paperwork is complete for the poster session venue. Gotta pause the report for now while I get another couple of chapters under my belt!

  • Analyze data and write up the Program Evaluation Report for 2010/2011 TA Development activities. Such a report is a condition of funding from the Provost’s office, and it’s been really helpful to make informed changes to the program based on participants’ feedback over the years.
  • Do some early prep for the 2011 TA Development Day, including set the date, book the venue, set the broad agenda, send a “save-the-date” email to incoming grad students, and submit the ethics application for next year’s program evaluation.
  • Book the venue for the Psyc 217 poster session upcoming in November 2011.
  • Contact applicants for next year’s Psyc 100 Peer Tutors (I was *so* excited reading applications yesterday!! This is going to be a phenomenal team!)
  • Help with the website and first meeting of the UBC Instructor Network, which will be a way for teaching-stream faculty to connect with each other. Previously we’ve been sprinkled around campus unaware of each other.
  • Deal with the email backlog. Always the email backlog!
  • Read a couple of chapters in the stats book I’m using for Psyc 218 in January.

Now that I’ve scared myself by listing all that, I better get to it! Well, after I make a cup of coffee…

Are you ready for more Intro Psych?

I’m teaching Intro Psych again in the fall, but my class size is increasing by 40%… from 260 to 425 students! And I have a big goal… I want to reach out to them even MORE than I was able to connect with our class this year. Having a TA is great — Liz has been an awesome TA for us – but there’s still only one of her and her time needs to focus on grading and meetings about grading-related issues.

So here’s what I’m thinking… I want you to help me reach out to the incoming students!

I’m looking for a few enthusiastic students to volunteer to be Peer Tutors. We can figure out the details together, but here’s what I have in mind so far…

  • Answer questions from new students (e.g., about our course, about transitioning to university… wouldn’t you have loved to have someone around to ask questions??)
  • Come to class at least once per week to be available, to model your interest in learning, and to provide me with feedback on how class can be improved
  • Come to invitational office hour once or twice a month to meet your students, face-to-face. Hopefully we can assign each Peer Tutor to connect with a specific sub-group of students, to break the class down into smaller groups.

Here’s what I think are some of the unique experiences and opportunities you can gain from this position:

  • Mentor and perhaps to make friends with members of the incoming class
  • Develop your leadership and teamwork skills
  • Consider a university-level course from a new, broader, perspective
  • Deepen your understanding of psychology (there’s nothing like revisiting course material to learn it more deeply!)
  • Potentially a reference from me

I’m looking for people who…

  • Have achieved at least a B+ in my Intro Psych, Section 6 2010/2011
  • Are enthusiastic about learning and about intro psych!
  • Are willing to learn, take risks to grow, and meet new people
  • Have solid verbal and written communication skills
  • Are majoring in any major (either Arts or Science)
  • Are willing and able to commit to coming to class once per week, invitational office hours a couple of times per month, answering email and Vista posts, meetings with me and fellow Peer Tutors to discuss the course.
  • Are able to meet with me in person (or, if needed, online) a couple of times during the summer months and through the school year.

If you meet most or all of these criteria and are interested in this position, please email me 4 things by May 31

  1. A statement (maximum 500 words) explaining why you are interested in this position, what skills you hope to develop, and what you think you can contribute to making next year’s intro psych class even better than this one!
  2. A copy of your transcript, downloaded/copied from SSC
  3. A brief resume
  4. Your contact information and intended major/minor (if known or suspected)