Week 1 of Niftyness

In Students Helping Students, the authors explain what it means to be a peer educator and how a peer mentor should interact with their fellow students. I especially like how the authors state that a peer educator is a more than a helper; it is a provider.  This will be valuable information next semester when I am helping lead a class. It will allow me to understand that my job is not just to assist the students in the class, but that I have to guide the students and offer support to the when needed. Another thing from the reading that was interesting was the fact that the writers point out that peer mentors should be role models.  The authors note that the peer mentors were chosen because they are responsible, and Allison, Debra, and Silas feel we will be excellent leaders. They know that the incoming students will look up to us for answers and for cues on how to act. I have always understood this, but I haven’t understood the great impact my behavior could have. Using this realization, I now know that I must work to eliminate any bad habits I have this semester, so I can embody a better role model next semester. In addition, this will help me as well with school work and other aspects of my life.

                In class, I found out that I am to be paired with Laura Wentworth in order to teach a learning session for the class. We will be teaching strategies for academic success. I look forward to working with her as well as teaching a class for the first time ever. It will be a challenge, but it will be great practice for when I have to teach a recitation every week next fall.  In addition to this, we found out other activities we will be doing this semester such as creating a portfolio, attending diversity events, and making another digital storytelling project. All of these activities will be a bit challenging, but I look forward to a fun and interesting semester in this course.